In advance of ‘Random Acts of Kindness Day’ this weekend, a report commissioned by Travelodge has revealed Dumfries is one of the top five kindest places in the country.
And the most popular kind acts are holding the door open for someone, holding the lift for someone and helping someone with a heavy item or shopping. The research also found that 29 per cent of people in Dumfries say that dishing out a random act of kindness to a stranger is good karma and believe ‘what goes around, comes around’; a third of residents stated that a gesture of goodwill actually makes them want to go out and help other people; and over half of Doonhamers believe despite all the current difficulties across the globe, there is still goodness in the world.
Furthermore, three quarters of adults in Dumfries reported that it makes their day when a stranger shows them a random act of kindness and it’s the smallest gesture that means the most.
Favourite kind acts in this region include being allowed to jump a supermarket queue, receiving a smile from a stranger, getting the right of way on the road, receiving a compliment, and receiving a valid car parking ticket from a stranger in the car park.
Commenting on the findings, Shakila Ahmed from Travelodge said: “A random act of kindness can be something very small, but it can have a major impact on someone’s life. This research highlights that Scotland is certainly a country that likes to dish out random acts of kindness, which is a powerful force as receiving kindness not only improves our happiness, physical health but also our general well-being.”
