7 h. 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

3 d. 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

5 d. ago 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

7 d. ago Woman nurses injured foster dog back to health and gets 'touching' gift from strangers

A woman who fostered an injured dog was rewarded for her kindness as she received a touching gift from strangers. The story has left many in tears as it's so emotional

Events

1 week ago The kindness of strangers: I was so ill I couldn’t walk when a man virtually carried me to the toilets

I was determined not to vomit in front of six lanes of traffic, so I started crawling towards a nearby parkRead more in the kindness of strangers seriesWhen I was 19, I commuted to work every morning on an express bus. It was perpetually crowded and would always be standing room only by the time I got on.One particular morning, I was feeling quite nauseous as the bus swayed around each corner. I kept telling myself to hold on another few kilometres until the bus got to my stop, and then I could make a mad dash for the nearest public toilet to throw up. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Kind stranger rescues sick street dog and gives her life 'she deserves'

A woman in her 20s shared how she came across a Pitbull covered in fleas and cowering in the street, believing the poor dog could have been out there without food and water for hours

Events

2 w. ago The kindness of strangers: I couldn’t afford a pricey hotel, then a student let me sleep on her dormitory floor

In retrospect, I can appreciate what a big chance she took. I hope the universe has repaid her many times overRead more in the kindness of strangers seriesBack in 2006, I went to Canberra for a medical school interview. I figured I would book accommodation when I arrived but when I arrived, there was a big convention in town and all the backpackers hostels and budget accommodation were fully booked.Coming from Singapore, I thought perhaps I could just sleep at the airport – but quickly found Canberra airport, unlike Singapore’s, is not open 24 hours. Not knowing quite what to do and getting a bit desperate, I caught a bus into town, then started wandering towards the casino, thinking I might spend the night in a place that was open all night. That wouldn’t put me in the ideal condition for nailing an interview the next morning, but as a broke student, I couldn’t afford a pricey hotel. Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Paddington: The Musical review – they’ve looked after this bear quite splendiferously

Savoy theatre, LondonState-of-the-art animatronics, imaginative staging, fabulous performances and some marvellous songs about marmalade make for an evening that will fill you with joy and melt your heart Here is the Peruvian bear as we have never seen him before – or so we are led to believe from the marketing of this musical, which is based on the beloved 2014 film, based on Michael Bond’s beloved books. But this is in fact exactly how we have seen him before: initially alone in Paddington station with marmalade sandwiches under his felt hat and a pleading look in his eye for strangers to be kind to outsiders such as him.This is not new fare, even if Paddington is brought to life with state-of-the-art animatronics: James Hameed is his voice and remote puppeteer, while Arti Shah is under his furry skin on stage (puppet design by Tahra Zafar). The Brown family are recognisable from the star-studded film: risk-averse dad (Adrian Der Gregorian), arty mum (Amy Ellen Richardson), adoles...

Politics

3 w. ago The kindness of strangers: a concierge gave me his mother’s opera ticket

I was travelling with my parents and discovered that Don Giovanni was being performed while we were there. I simply had to try to see itRead more in the kindness of strangers seriesAt age 20, I fell head over heels in love with opera. It happened after seeing Joseph Losey’s film adaptation of Don Giovanni. Something clicked in me. I became a fervent subscriber to the Australian Opera and saw every opera I possibly could.A few years later, I was travelling in France with my parents and discovered that Don Giovanni was being performed in Avignon while we were there, with José van Dam, who had played Leporello in the film, starring as Don Giovanni. I simply had to get a ticket to see it. Continue reading...

Politics