#SuttonStepsUp - meet the UK ambassador for kindness
Sutton resident Samia Tossio is a UK ambassador for #Kind20, a global campaign to promote kindness during the COVID-19 outbreak. We spoke to Samia about the campaign, the acts of kindness she’s witnessed and how COVID-19 has created a sense of community on her estate…
Hi Samia, tell us more about #Kind20 and how you got involved?
#Kind20 is a global campaign to record more cases of kindness than COVID-19 by the end of the year. It’s all about celebrating the positive things coming out of the pandemic; people coming together, helping their neighbours, volunteering.
I got involved through my radio show on Juice Radio. The campaign co-founder, Anna Bornholt Prior, and the Ambassador for Kindness in Iceland, Linda Baldvinsdottir, were guests on my show and they invited me to be a UK ambassador live on air!
What acts of kindness have you seen during COVID-19?
On my estate I’ve noticed people are having open conversations, stopping to say hello more - in a socially distanced way, of course! People have been shopping for their neighbours who are shielding and volunteering to help with things like the Council’s Hub to distribute food. I’ve seen people set up great community Facebook groups, and do lovely things like leave drawings and messages from their kids for neighbours. We’re also planning on doing some gardening for a neighbour who isn’t able to do it at the moment.
I think it’s revitalised the community and people are understanding more what community is. It’s about communication, unity, you can think differently without being divided.
How can people get involved in #Kind20?
It’s really easy, you just need to share the kindness you’ve experienced or witnessed on social media using #Kind20 - just like using #SuttonStepsUp. You can use the #Kind20 frame on your Facebook profile picture and the slogan “Let’s turn 2020 into #KIND20”
We’re also inviting people to make a video expressing “What Kindness Means to You?” and share, nominating at least three others to do the same. But the main thing is… be kind! You can find out more at tuff.earth/kind20.
Has someone been kind to you during lockdown? Have you got involved in a community initiative? Let us know on social media using #SuttonStepsUp.