Research commissioned by Tesco, as part of its Stronger Starts Golden Grants initiative suggests that Brits will carry out 265 good deeds a year. Popular acts of kindness include holding doors, checking in with someone or boosting their confidence, and donating items to food banks. Earlier this year customers in one hundred Tesco stores nationwide were given the opportunity to do their own good deed by awarding a local school or children’s group a £5,000 Stronger Starts Golden Grant.
According to the Tesco research among the most common acts of kindness are holding the door open for someone (67%), checking in with someone to ensure they’re well (54%), trying to boost someone’s confidence (35%), picking up litter (23%) and donating items to a food bank (12%). The study indicates that inspirational people have played a significant role in motivating acts of kindness. 7% of respondents said they had been inspired by a teacher and 27% had been influenced by a family member. It would appear that both families and wider communities play a significant part in fostering a culture of kindness.
Psychologist and broadcaster, Emma Kenny said: “Science tells us doing good deeds can have psychological benefits, strengthen social bonds, and there is even evidence to suggest it can improve physical health, potentially lowering blood pressure. So it’s great to see so many claiming to regularly be dishing out acts of kindness, not only is it likely to be helping someone else, it’s also likely to be helping them.”
The research also showed that people hoping to fall on the receiving end of a good deed should not expect to get lucky during the morning commute or school run, with just 3% of the country saying they’re prone to doing good deeds before 9am. The research revealed that more than a third of the nation (37%) say they tend to do good deeds at a particular time of day, with 12.48pm the average time they’re likely to happen. This particular finding informed Tesco’s decision to arrange their Stronger Starts Golden Grants celebrations (which took place in 100 Tesco stores nationwide in March) from 12-1pm when customers were more likely to participate in an act of kindness. Tesco Stronger Starts is committed to supporting more than 5,000 schools and children’s groups with £5 million in funding every year. This funding aims to provide nutritious food and resources to keep children physically active throughout the school day.
Main Photo Credit: Max Fischer via Pexels
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