4 h. ago Kindness of strangers: stranded on a tiny Indonesian island, a local took us under her wing

Noticing how out of place we looked, she asked in English if she could help us Read more in the kindness of strangers seriesIn 1996, I travelled around Indonesia with my then-boyfriend. We’d been exploring Surabaya when we heard about an island off the coast called Madura that could be reached via ferry. It didn’t turn up in any of the tourist guides, which appealed to us, being adventurous types. We knew Madura wouldn’t be touristy, but expected there’d be some streets to explore and somewhere to sit down and have a cup of tea.As soon as Madura came into sight, we realised our visit may not have been a great idea. We were expecting to see houses and buildings dot the shore, as well as the hawkers who’d typically crowd around piers in Indonesia with food and wares to sell. There was none of that. It was just a pier next to a tiny village. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago The kindness of strangers: alone in the crowd at Glastonbury, a stranger hugged me tight while I cried about my dead dad

As I sobbed to U2, she would hug me tighter as we swayed to the musicRead more in the kindness of strangers seriesMy father died when I was 19, after a short and sharp fight with cancer. Unsure of what to do or how to proceed with life, I took a year off university and went backpacking through Europe. The other side of the world seemed like a good place to be.I ended up at the music festival Glastonbury in 2011. It was a great lineup that year but there was one act on the bill that really caught my eye: U2. They were my dad’s favourite band, so it seemed only right that I should go and see them. Of course, U2 aren’t exactly a massive draw for people my age, so I ended up alone in the massive crowd at the main stage while my friends saw other bands. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Animal shelter nearly puts down dog before stranger makes life

The dog had just one day left before he was scheduled to be put down. Now five years later things have taken a different turn and it's all down to a kind stranger's act

Politics

9 d. ago Toby Carvery sad moment sparks wave of heartwarming gestures

A 93-year-old widow shared how a sad moment in a Toby Carvery restaurant in Hale Village, Cheshire, on Boxing Day led to a sweet outpouring of kindness from strangers

Events

2 w. ago Kindness of strangers: I was ill and about to miss my flight when a well

I was running an hour late and couldn’t think clearly. I was in despair that I might miss my plane homeRead more in the kindness of strangers seriesTwelve years ago, I was in Queanbeyan to see a specialist for my chronic health condition. I was headed home to Queensland early the next morning and had set my alarm to wake me for the taxi I had ordered to the airport. But when I woke up, I realised that I had forgotten to allow for daylight savings. I was now running an hour late to the airport, with no taxi to get me there.I ordered another taxi and made my way out to wait in front of the motel, in despair that I might miss my flight. I stood on the dark footpath and spoke on the phone to my sister in Queensland about how I had missed my taxi and how unwell I felt. My health condition can affect my ability to think clearly, and I was telling her how my brain just wasn’t working that day. Then the taxi arrived – phew. Except, as the driver told me when I opened the door to get in, it ...

Politics

2 w. ago Homeless man 'ages backwards 20 years' after stranger's kind gesture

When a caring stranger helped a homeless man out, he managed to turn back the clock 20 years. The act of kindness has since gone viral across social media

Events

2 w. ago Homeless man 'looks 20 years younger' after kind stranger's heartwarming gesture

People were left with 'goosebumps' after a homeless man's incredible transformation which left him looking '20 years younger' – and it's all because of one bloke's kind gesture

Events

2 w. ago Sexual aggression, abusive comments and a screaming row between one man and his VERY drunk girlfriend... what I saw on just another harrowing night for female PCs

Women are used to this kind of over-familiarity from strangers. But these women are in black combat trousers, tough black boots and stab vests.

Events

3 w. ago Pope Leo calls for kindness to strangers and the poor in Christmas message

Refusing to help those in need is tantamount to rejecting God himself, says pontiff during Christmas Eve massPope Leo has told Christians that the Christmas story should remind them of their duty to help the poor and strangers.In his Christmas Eve sermon, the pope said the story of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn showed followers that refusing to help those in need was tantamount to rejecting God himself. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago A kind man took his elderly mum her food shopping and two strangers killed him

The young father's family, including his two-year-old daughter, have been left broken

Events

4 w. ago The kindness of strangers: a boy picked up my spilled shopping when I was too pregnant to reach the ground

I’d turned around for a second but that was all it took for my trolley to start rolling away. Before I could react, it tipped overRead more in the kindness of strangers seriesI was heavily pregnant with twins and doing the weekly grocery shop for our already-large family. Doing much of anything when you’re that big isn’t fun, especially as I was battling issues including constant, intermittent contractions. Bending over to load groceries into the boot was sure to set the contractions off, so I was already dreading getting everything into the car.I wheeled my shopping trolley out to the car park, then got my keys out to open the car and put my handbag on the passenger seat. I’d turned around for a second but that was all it took for my trolley to start rolling away. Before I could react, it had shot away from me and tipped over, spilling its contents across the ground. Continue reading...

Economics

last month What’s the nicest thing a stranger has done for you? This year more than 50 people gave me their answer

While every story has been unique in loveliness, I’ve found that many share a similar pulseRead our kindness of strangers series hereEarlier this year, I had a phone call with a woman named Debbie about one of her toughest days as a parent. While she was carting her two sick toddlers to buy medicine, one abruptly vomited across the floor of the local shopping mall. A passing stranger stopped, grabbed a roll of paper towel from the display in front of the chemist, and sopped up the mess – then went inside to pay for what she’d used, insisting on footing the bill. It was a small but lovely act that spoke to the decency of other people.Working as a journalist often involves speaking to people on, or about, the worst day of their life. But for the past year I have had the tremendous pleasure of interviewing Australians (and the occasional Briton) about something very different – the acts of kindness they’ve received from a total stranger. Guardian Australia asked readers to send in thes...

Politics