Vintage Vibes, a local charity is spreading kindness across Edinburgh this Christmas by creating the first ever chocolate Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar.
This builds on its successful Christmas card campaign. Local people do an act of kindness by handwriting Christmas cards to lonely older people across the capital every year. Each door of the advent calendar contains an act of kindness to perform in Edinburgh – from picking up litter to talking to a neighbour.
Vintage Vibes asks you people to pledge acts of kindness.
You can pledge what you will do to make Edinburgh a kinder place to live in 2020. Out of all of the pledges received, 50 exclusive locally designed advent calendars will be given to the pledges chosen as favourites. Those who suggested the pledges will receive the calendar that not only has a sweet treat behind each door, but also a suggestion of a kind act to do that day.
Georgia Artus, Vintage Vibes Development Manager, says: “Every year, we ask local people to pledge a Christmas card with a personal message that are sent to lonely over 60s in the city, and we have thousands of people offering to participate.
“It’s an idea that was born two years ago and had worldwide interest, obviously striking a chord with many people well beyond the city. Most of all, it makes a huge difference to the VIPs (over 60s) we work with, who can find Christmas to be a very difficult time.
“This year, on top of our Christmas card campaign, we are looking to take it one step further and spread the kindness well into next year.
“We are asking Edinburghers to pledge an act of kindness they are committing to for 2020. From helping out in their community to recycling more! We are hoping to receive hundreds of pledges, and our 50 favourites will be celebrated by receiving what we think is the world’s first ever chocolate acts of kindness advent calendar.
“And it’s not only about tackling loneliness, the calendar includes a wide variety of suggestions of acts of kindness, sourced from our volunteers, VIPs (lonely over 60s), supporters and other local charities.”
In 2018 Scotland was one of the first countries to add kindness to its governmental National Performance Framework, so Vintage Vibes is proud that Scotland is the home of the first ever chocolate acts of kindness advent calendar.
To be in with a chance of receiving an advent calendar, you simply have to share your kindness pledge for 2020 on social media using the #VVKindnessClub hashtag and tagging Vintage Vibes.
Pledges must be made by Friday 22 November 2019.
Since it was set up four years ago, Vintage Vibes has grown its reach steadily, hitting a milestone of 10,000 hours of volunteering and over 400 friendships.
Georgia Artus said : “So-called random acts of kindness can be small things like helping someone across the street or giving a compliment, but they can make a huge difference. I was speaking to one of our VIPs last week and he said that someone helping him on or off the bus makes all the difference to his day. The friendships we create are acts of kindness that give people confidence and change lives.
“What we want to do is encourage more people to commit to more acts of kindness, big or small, to help make Edinburgh a happier place to live.”
Vintage Vibes’ campaign is supported by Deans Properties. Amy Howard, Property Consultant at Deans Properties, said : “Vintage Vibes do brilliant work to provide companionship, support and social connection to older people in our communities. Little things, like taking the time for a cuppa and a blether, can make a huge difference — particularly at Christmas. That’s why we at Deans are proud to support this wonderful Advent calendar, and the hundreds of important acts of kindness that it represents. For us too, getting the little things right really matters.”
As with previous years, local people can also write a card to a Vintage Vibes isolated older person by signing up athttps://vintagevibes.org.uk/cards/
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