Doing acts of kindness is good for you

Sometimes, acts of kindness seem to be thin on the ground. In this world of trouble and strife, when selfishness aggresion and anger often seems to have replaced generosity of thought and deed, people can come across as rather aloof and uncaring. For your own well-being, that is not necessarily the best thing for you, kindness and helping others should be the order of the day.

Doing a good deed really does go a long way. New research has revealed that nearly three quarters of men and women (73%) say that whenever they are on the receiving end of a good deed, they will then carry out one for someone else. In fact, the study shows the typical person will do 1.27 good acts every time someone helps them out and a quarter (23 per cent) will pass on a good deed at least twice.

The average Brit typically carries out eight good deeds a month, with four in five of us saying that we have carried out an act of kindness at least once a week. The research commissioned by GALAXY Hot Chocolate to launch its GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund also revealed that four in ten people say that the feel good factor of doing an act of kindness makes them keen to do it again and 68% of us say that they feel better about life when they receive a little act of kindness.

Sadly, one in ten Brits say that they don’t receive any acts of kindness at all during a typical month. While, a lucky third of us receive an average of five acts of kindness during the same period. Britain’s most common act of kindness is holding a door open for others – something 89% of us have done in the last three months and which 66 per cent would reciprocate for someone else.

Giving directions to someone who is lost (69%), stopping to let someone cross the road (62%), and letting someone with very little shopping go ahead of you in the queue (61%), are other common good deeds.

Michelle Frost, spokeswoman for GALAXY Hot Chocolate says, “Often simple acts of kindness cost nothing but have an immediate positive impact on both those giving and receiving the kind gesture. In addition to these random acts, there are a huge number of volunteers and organisations that go out of their way to help their local community. Our survey revealed that the average Brit benefits from the acts of volunteers about 26 times a year, which is a phenomenal accolade to these warm-hearted people.”

The research showed that two thirds (68%) of the nation have never given up their time to volunteer despite almost the same number (65%) saying that they really admire people that give up their time to volunteer. Interestingly, people would rather give a tenner to charity than undertake an hour’s voluntary work, which may explain why one in five people are giving a little more to charity than they were five years ago.

The GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund aims to reward and highlight good deeds being carried out across the country and hopefully inspire more people to get involved with local community groups and projects.

To discover more about heart-warming community projects or to apply for one of the 85 financial awards on offer visit www.galaxyhotchocolate.com.

According to the research, the Top 25 Acts of Kindness Carried Out by the Average Brit Over Three Months are:

1. 89% - Holding the door open for a stranger
2. 69% - Giving directions to someone who looks lost
3. 62% - Stopping to let people cross the road
4. 61% - Letting someone with very little shopping go ahead in a queue
5. 61% - Putting money in a collection tin
6. 60% - Buying your partner their favourite food as a treat
7. 58% - Picking up something that someone has dropped
8. 58% - Letting a car out of a junction or driveway
9. 57% - Complimenting someone who isn’t your partner on how they look
10. 56% - Giving spare change to a charity collector
11. 55% - Taking a spider outside instead of killing it
12. 54% - Telling someone about a great deal they could benefit from
13. 52% - Buying a gift for a friend or relative when it isn’t their birthday
14. 51% - Telling a friend or relative you love them spontaneously
15. 51% - Offering to pick up items from a shop for someone else
16. 48% - Saying Keep the change
17. 47% - Helping people reach for things high up on a shelf
18. 45% - Giving lifts without expecting payment
19. 44% - Picking up litter that someone else has dropped
20. 43% - Picking up clothes off the floor in shops
21. 43% - Offering a tissue
22. 37% - Giving a friend a lift to somewhere you weren’t going
23. 37% - Putting the bins out for a neighbour
24. 36% - Telling someone there is something on their face/teeth
25. 33% - Picking up the bill as a treat

The Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund is open for entries until February 28, 2016. The Fund will distribute five £300 awards to deserving recipients every week. Applications to the fund can be made on the GALAXY Hot Chocolate website www.galaxyhotchocolate.com