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HARVESTING
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A simple suggestion for schools & college Years
to watch for, note down and
share examples of
to cherish and share as a collection
on-screen
...and appreciate
that the eyes and voice |
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![]() Like to have a go as a small group of friends or family or colleagues? This 1-page PDF has all you need - an easy read on-screen or in print. |
"How lovely - thank you, Hugh, what a brilliant idea. The poem and all the follow-ups are just so wonderful. "In the BBC Kindness Test, we got many tens of thousands of people's recollections of the last act of kindness given or received. Some were very big and extraordinary acts but most were small moments of kindness. Claudia Hammond used some of these examples throughout her lovely book on the topic and I myself find that just scrolling through this enormous list of people's recorded kindnesses is incredibly uplifting and heartwarming. "I love the idea of making it easy for people to notice and celebrate these small but somehow very powerful moments of kindness. Thanks for all you're doing to shine a light on them!" Professor Robin
Banerjee |
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Your kind of kindnesses? | ||
![]() www.just1.org.uk/handfulsofkindness ![]() Hugh Gibbons Conductor of Just1
This page
was updated on
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"How wonderful!" That was the kind response of Danusha Lameris on seeing what I've created using her world-loved poem Small Kindnesses as its heart and start. So: welcome to what you should find fun with its sleeves rolled up.
Handfuls of Small Kindnesses and Poetrees are my suggested variant of an uplifting US-born idea. It's simple, free, has no sacrosanct rules - and needs no budget! Anyone taking part just has to...
See below on how to set about creating your own Handful.
Poetrees are intended to bring a big smile and learning to UK students, teachers of PSHE/RE/Humanities, chaplains, families, friends. And all sorts other people may like to have a go as a group.
Handfuls & Poetrees are not so much about anyone being kind as recognising and appreciating the kindnesses that other people around offer them - raising awareness of everyday graciousness.
So it's an additional resource in teaching the life-long value of being thankful - and keeping eyes open - for example as a contribution to PSHE or RE studies. And as it's for young people of all ages, it chimes well with the annual World Kindness Day each 13 November.
You'll find full information below - including a PDF briefing.
With best wishes, and many thanks for your kindness in reading this far.
Hugh Gibbons Conductor of Just1 E-mail hughgibbons@just1.org.uk
Main web
www.just1.org.uk
with more ideas for schools at www.just1.org.uk/schools |
NB Some UK organisations
The School of Kindness See the many surprising and heart-warming stories at
Also with many resources and links for schools is
Their annual report below is an eye-opening read!
And in the USA there's a
splendid array of activities with |
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A big US-born idea made handy for small UK groups | ||
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In September
2019 The New York Times Magazine ran a poem by
Danusha Laméris (left) a poet
in California, which has had
worldwide appeal for all ages. Poet
Naomi Shihab Nye said in the Magazine: “Sometimes a poem just
strikes a precise moment. Small Kindnesses, by Danusha Laméris, feels utterly necessary for our
time — a poem celebrating minor, automatic
graciousness within a community, which can shine
a penetrating light. It’s a catalog of small
encouragements, unfolding as might a child’s
palm filled with shiny stones…” In early April 2022, as
part of celebrating National Poetry Month,
in conjunction with
The
Learning Network the NYT Magazine (left) invited
teenagers to read Danusha's Small Kindnesses, then asked:
what small kindnesses do you appreciate?
Over 1,300 young people
around the world responded in the spirit of the
original piece, “detailing sweet, fleeting
gestures their fellow humans have offered them”. The article is at
www.nytimes.com/2022/04/28/learning/small-kindnesses-poem.html. Danusha reworked a big selection as a unique collaborative poem: “All of them point toward something so important: The smallest things we do just might matter a great deal. I am moved by the realization that simply speaking a name, giving a wave, or offering a space in traffic could change someone’s whole day. Or more. I am grateful to these young poets for opening spaces of possibility for all of us. Thank you for showing us ways we might lighten the load for someone else, and for showing us how to notice the goodness already all around us every day”. Danusha is at www.danushalameris.com - with details on her books of poetry. She's also a lively presence on Facebook (www.facebook.com/danusha.lameris) and X/Twitter (@DanushaLameris).
Handfuls has the same basic idea. But instead of hundreds of examples of small kindnesses being eventually crafted into a long poem, it suggests fewer, more manageable, examples made into a simple display - maybe by using whatever's to hand by whoever wants to have a go at creating a Poetree.
This simply means printing out a couple of dozen examples on card, slicing them up, and sticking them to any suitable base you can find - cardboard box, broom handle, door, music stand, noticeboard. And on- screen or read out loud is fine, of course.
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![]() NB Facebook has quite a few fine readings, including this with 130000+ Likes by Helena Bonham Carter, arranged by Waterstones - with Small Kindnesses being one of a splendid collection of 365 Poems for Life by Allie Esiri Click on the picture or this link Video | Facebook Maybe good for sharing with a class or group? Or emulating? ![]() |
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How to create a Handful - and DIY Poetree | ||
![]() Along these lines… |
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![]() Handfuls as PDF make for an for easy read on-screen whether laptop, tablet or phone
For an open display
Poetree using a box as the trunk |
Smallish numbers make sense - to collect a manageable 20-40 or so examples. So a school Year - or Staff & Governors list - would probably be about right. And their examples can always be combined into a larger all-school Handful. NB Handfuls may possibly work best with secondary level schools, though Years 5-6 in primaries may surprise.
The same applies with other small groups of 20-30, such as friends, clubs, families, offices, teams.
Ideally, it needs a kind and imaginative person to volunteer to initiate or co-ordinate things - and tell people about the idea. This might be a student or teacher or assistant. This webpage and the briefing document (right) should help. Then...
1. Invite people to read Danusha’s
poem below or on the briefing document.
3.Compile the responses into a
document – maybe a PDF to browse on-line,
display, or read out.
4.Share the Handful inside and out
so others can enjoy – and learn from - the
examples.
And afterwards?
You might tell Danusha what you’ve done (and
better still, kindly buy her books!)
And if you send your Handful or any weblink to hughgibbons@just1.org.uk, they might form a cheerful Libraryful.
Many thanks and well done!
Hugh Gibbons
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Briefing as a PDF downloadable here or click the pic ![]() And here 's the 1-page version PDF ![]() ![]() Notice board Poetree |
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And now for that poem! | |
Small Kindnesses by Danusha Lameris |
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![]() Danusha & husband Armando as in "I like your hat" |
I’ve been thinking
about the way, when you walk |
Seen on Twitter/X @DanushaLameris |
![]() who kindly made this graphic available |
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![]() www.just1.org.uk/handfulsofkindness Contact hughgibbons@just1.org.uk |
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