What acts of kindness have you experienced during lockdown? - £100 voucher to be won

We are foster carers and have two boys aged 11 and 12, both with special needs.
During lock down our local authority were desperate for a home for a 13 year old boy. We have taken him in, even though his grandmother, who he was living with had Covid 19 symptoms. We now have all 3 boys, none of which are at school.

I have been providing treats to my parents who are shielding.

I have been taking shopping round to my father who is not allowed out due to poor health.

My husband was admitted on 9th March and had to have a pacemaker fitted on 11th, was discharged on 12th just day before lockdown began, and we found on local facebook page that a small group were going to get prescriptions from our local chemist and so have been delivering to us weekly in our porch, as he is 70 and staying indoors, and managed also to get a weekly slot for home groceries, so grateful for them all taking time volunteering for our village. But a neighbour next door but one who is a paramedic and also her husband is, walked past bottom of our driveway on V E Day and said her hands were really rough and bad, so i ordered some handcreams for them both as they are so deserving right now, and she waves to me each time she drives off to her shift, and has been going strong day by day. She said she was so grateful it made me cry.

A fish and chip shop local to the hospital I work in, opened up for one day especially for hospital staff and delivered them in batches throughout the day to our hospital free of charge for anyone wanting them. I’ve never enjoyed them so much, it was like I hadn’t had chippy chips for years ! ?

Friends, one good friend in particular, bringing me food shopping, and people dropping off little bottles of wine or gin as treat presents. Also, things left in boxes at the ends of people's driveways for the public to help themselves to. I picked up a tomato plant that way.

I was moaning on the phone to my son about being in lock down and how, having missed our normal Easter celebrations, I had not even had an Easter Egg. He knew I had a routine of going for a walk in the mornings so he popped round when I was out and when I came back later I had this little guy sitting in my fridge waiting for me!

Echoing the sentiments of so many others, I have also been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers during this strangest and scariest of times, from young local church members to neighbours approaching me whilst I was crawling round the communal garden of my flats during my daily constitutionals..all offering unreserved help with almost anything. Whilst this pandemic has obviously been ghastly, it's something I wouldn't have missed just to experience this visceral outpouring of pure love and charity in a broken world. I'm coming to the end of my life but am glad I lived through these days because it has completely restored my somewhat jaded faith in human nature and left me with a far more positive view of the future of this world.

Free author talks and workshops (yesterday I did a yoga and meditation workshop for an hour, which was wonderful) that are being provided on-line, are helping me to keep connected. A friend of a friend has also taught me how to use Zoom which has been really useful and now I'm passing that on, by continuing to run my writers' group and book club that way.

My local Wickes has created a calm and pleasant shopping experience with chatty outdoor queues and very helpful staff on standby to assist in directing the car parking, which has all changed since lockdown.
They offer a squirt of sanitiser and a trolley, explaining the rules to every customer.
I can get a bit overwhelmed in hardware stores, but needed fence paint and a brush. A lovely young girl showed me the aisle and I found what I wanted. A very orderly queue formed to pay and standing in line I admired the lovely broad brush the gentleman in front was holding. He said I got two so have this one and then offered me some tips! I was engaged and impressed and he made my day.
The paint and brush worked wonders and dog walkers admired my handiwork. One asked me for some tips, which made me feel excited and proud. I was feeling quite redundant and unproductive until this all happened. I poured some paint into a large jar for the dog lady to paint her kennel and gave her my brush. I needed a rest and to enjoy my fence.
The dog lady appeared three weeks later and said thank you and the kennel looked brand new and even the chewed bits went dark brown after two coats. She then said her neighbour had also used the brush to do his back fence and his wife helped as they then had a brush each! I don't know if his wife thought this was a good idea, but I am sure it was finished quicker with her help.
Can you believe that a simple product and kind actions have created such enjoyment of D.I.Y. and a community spirit with a string of people who are local but never usually talk.

I have been getting shopping for 2 old ladies every week since lockdown they cant go out and havn't been able to get any slots for home delivery as fully booked they have really appreciated it and I have been happy to help

Its a taken a whole village of kindness to keep us safe.

The grocers, bakers and butchers all started free deliveries , even for just one item. There was no price gouging . We had a group of 'helpers' immediately start shopping for people, collecting prescriptions. They will walk your dog, mow your lawn or sit outside , socially distancing for a chat for those for whom loneliness is an issue.

But its much more than that , the postman will take your mail as well as deliver it . The milkman will bring your potting compost if you need some. The Hen House arranged to have potatoes available .

The small children of the village have been on a colouring kick and every morning a little note comes through the door from one of them asking if we need any help and leaving us a picture of the day.

The vicar has a zoom prayer meeting daily for those who want to join. The bin men not only empty your bin but put it back on the drive.

Its taken a hundred small acts of kindness during this period to keep our village safe. If I won Id wait till this is all over and contribute it to the village party we're planning so say a small thanks for such big help.

The shop COOK giving 1000s of free meals to the disadvantaged, as a company they set lots of good examples.

We are lucky to be relatively young and fit and have signed up to help but have not been called on as there seems to be too much goodwill around here.
My neighbour made tiered cake stands for us and his other neighbour. We will be inviting them for tea as soon as we can.
My immediate family work in supermarkets and for the police and Royal Mail, who along with delivery drivers have been essential.

My elderly mum was starting to get really down, always crying on the phone, as two months in lock down was taking it's toll. She has COPD and her hubby has diabetes, heart condition and dementia and she is coping alone looking after him. They are on the vulnerable list so have been cooped up in their flat for months now getting government parcels and food deliveries. I decided to go on the 80 mile round trip and cheer her up. I made a giant 'Hello!' sign and waved it at her with my sister as she stood on the balcony. It made her day, she was so happy, sometimes it is the little things that can make a huge difference.

When I’ve been out in walks around the streets in my local neighbourhood I’ve noticed piles of books people have left on garden walls for others to take which is very thoughtful. I didn’t take any as I have lots of books waiting to be read and am a key worker. Although I’m lucky in that I can work from home, I am busier than ever now!

Our little town set up an action group anyone needing shopping or prescription the younger citizens will collect and deliver. There is also a soup group who make soup and deliver to vulnerable residents at the same time they check if they need anything else.

We had a puncture ( just within our village, unfair!) so couldn't collect our prescriptions from the surgery.I mentioned this to a neighbour ( younger than us) who said that she would go immediately to get them for us, very kind, considering our surgery is a 18 mile round trip.When she returned with them she said she would do this every month for us until the end of the pandemic, so we wouldn’t have to worry about it.

We had to isolate for 14 days and during that time a neighbour left a care package with lots of essentials and treats in, it was lovely

I've seen lots of people sending and receiving gifts from their friends during lockdown, usually parcels with their favourite things which I think is a lovely idea

Neighbours were so helpful with getting my shopping before I was able to get a delivery slot with supermarket. I couldn't go out as I am shielding

A young neighbour who is a professional baker , every Friday she leaves a box of beautiful cakes on the doorstep of vulnerable oldies.
She did this for over 30 oldies round our village..

Our next door neighbour who has been shopping for everyone who is in isolation

My lovely neighbours help to run an urban city farm. Since the start of lockdown they have collected and distributed fruit for local children and are now providing packed lunches for vulnerable children.
As if that wasn’t enough, they have shared with us homemade marmalade and all of the nearby neighbours have been given sunflower seeds to plant in order to brighten up the street!
They are both in their seventies with health challenges but their energy and commitment to the community is inspiring.

My old friend knew I was struggling so helped me with some mediation I could do. I am so grateful to her.