South West School Trust Smashes World Record With 38,527 Acts of Kindness
By Schools Correspondent
Thousands of children and staff from schools across the South West have smashed the world record for Random Acts of Kindness after carrying out an incredible 38,527 good deeds in a single day.
The achievement was led by Futura Learning Partnership, a family of 26 schools, which more than doubled the previous world record of 19,000.
The trust-wide event, Flourishing Futura Kindness Day, saw pupils, teachers and support staff transform their communities through thousands of thoughtful acts designed to spread kindness, compassion and hope.
Pupil Reuben, nine, brought cupcakes to teachers at Yeo Moor Primary School in Clevedon, and handed out signs with messages such as "you've got this" and "nothing's ever too hard".
He said: "Once you say something kind to someone, it will spread along and they will want to say something, it can spread along to hundreds of people."
Emily, nine, said her year group donated to food banks and painted rocks to hand out to people.
"Kindness means to be helpful and do it without anyone telling you to," she said.
"When I'm kind to people it makes me feel happy and glad. I think it might make other people feel happy and grateful."
Kirsty Jones, Headteacher of Yeo Moor Primary School in Clevedon said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have more than doubled the previous world record for Random Acts of Kindness in a single day.
“We see children showing kindness every day, but this challenge demonstrated just how much difference young people can make when they come together with one purpose.
“In a world that can sometimes feel divided and unkind, this is a world record we are incredibly proud to have broken. Well done to every child, parent, carer and member of staff who helped make kindness count.”
The day began with a live online assembly led by Greig Trout, Director of Kindness at the 52 Lives School of Kindness, inspiring children with the importance of empathy before they headed out to make a difference.
The challenge even stretched across the globe, with 100 secondary pupils on an educational visit to India joining in by planting trees, painting murals and serving food to families in a local village.
Back in the South West, schools organised litter picks, collected food for local food banks, painted inspirational kindness stones for neighbours, hid wrapped books to be discovered by new owners, wrote uplifting messages for members of the public and welcomed care home residents into school for games and companionship.
Staff also baked cakes, bought each other coffees and shared handwritten notes of appreciation.
Every act was logged on a live trust tracker as the total climbed past the previous world record before eventually reaching an incredible 38,527 acts of kindness.
