Acts of kindness in Eastbourne to mark World Kindness Day

World Kindness Day took place on Friday, November 13, and with this in mind we asked fellow Eastbourne residents what acts of kindness they had experienced during this turbulent year.

The response was brilliant and highlighted so many little acts of kindness that really restore your faith in humanity.

Sophie Sarsfield revealed she had donated 1,170oz of breast milk to two different families during the pandemic, with her most recent donation 785oz .

When asked why she did it she replied: "I was pumping for NG tube feeds [nasogastric tube feeding] for ten months for my daughter to ensure she was still exclusively breastfed and I managed to create a surplus so I donated. I donated during my first breastfeeding journey also. My daughter is now off the NG tube and is just directly breastfed so I have stopped pumping now."

Many people took to our post to thank Sophie for her donation, with one mum, Kerry Sanders, emphasising the importance of such an act.

"Thank you for this, my daughter needed milk donated when she was born premature and I am forever thankful to the ladies that provide it," she wrote.

Polegate Sundowners WI has clearly been busy spreading kindness, handing out goody bags filled with treats to members of the local community.

The staff at Procter Health Care Pharmacy in Polegate were one of the recipients and they wrote: "Thank you to Polegate Sundowners WI for our surprise gifts for world kindness day. You have made our year."

Proud mum Jessie Miles took to Facebook to let people know what her son Timothy Petrie had been up to, buying chocolate bars with his pocket money to distribute out to shoppers and shop owners.

"My nine year-old son spent his money and went out to spread some kindness in Langney Shopping Centre this morning #worldkindnessday2020."

An act that was gratefully received, with Langney Shopping Centre replying: "What a wonderful thing to do! Thank you so much to your son, so thoughtful and gratefully received."

In Perspective Arts, Crafts & Models added: "Thank you too from Ray and Jo at In Perspective. We are having to work 'behind the scenes' at the moment and it was so nice to receive a bar of chocolate today from a lovely family. You must be very proud of your son."

It is the little acts of kindness that can mean the most and Hazel Cloutt took to the post to thank her best friend for a framed gift. "My best friend sent me this beautiful gift when I lost my darling granny to covid - it was a very unexpected gift and incredibly kind of her."

Sally Ball also thanked her friend. "My friend Trine came to walk with me, after being in isolation for five months. A true friend. I feared leaving my flat, but she gave me the confidence. Thanks Trine Moe Searle."

Sandy Staff took to the post to thank her dad's neighbours who helped shop and called her while her dad was in Eastbourne District General Hospital with Covid-19.

Kindness by strangers was a common theme that ran among the posts of thanks.

Uber delivery driver Michelle Turner wrote: "A few weeks ago I was waiting to collect an order at the fish and chip shop and got chatting to a man outside. After about 10 minutes of general chit chat, he offered to buy me dinner from the shop. My order was just ready so I thanked him but said I had to leave to deliver my order. He then said he would order it for me so I could just come back when I was free. I went back and he had ordered me a full fish and chips and a drink."

And then Michelle was able to pay the kindness forward.

"The following day, I walked past a homeless woman who asked for some spare change. I didn't have any cash on me so I apologised and walked by. But then I remembered I had a £5 note in the back of my phone. So I walked back and gave it to her. She began to cry and said that she was so grateful she could now get something to eat as she had not eaten that day. I was happy I was able to help her even just a little."

Claire Burge was another recipient of kindness from strangers. She said: "I was in Home Bargains in Eastbourne at the beginning of the pandemic. I was making a shawl for a lady and I ran out of wool. I rushed there in my lunch hour - I work in GP surgery. Despite covering up my ID, I think the NHS lanyard was seen. The family in front of me at the till paid for my wool - I could hardly speak my appreciation as I held back the tears (it had been a tough few weeks). The lady and her family loved the shawl."