“Kindness, It’s Up to Us” To Make The World A More Gracious Place

Hi Huneybees,

The Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) kicks off its 2016 media campaign today to encourage kindness and graciousness, with a brand new theme. Kindness, It’s Up to Us challenges Singaporeans to not only acknowledge that a nation of kindness starts with every individual, but to make the conscious decision to act out our innate kindness despite our reservations.   

  

An emotionally-charged short film, titled Sum of Our Moments, will be the first to roll out on Channels 5, 8, Suria and Vasantham on Monday, 28 March. The 60-second spot explores the dilemma faced by a soft-spoken young man, Lee, as he witnesses the scene of verbal abuse towards a service staff. As he deliberates his decision to intervene, a series of flashbacks show he has suffered for standing up to school bullies in his growing up years. While the painful experience remains etched in his mind, it does not hinder him from stepping in and calming the enraged customer down, to reach an amicable resolution. The full-length clip is available for viewing on the SKM’s Facebook and YouTube channel, KindnessSG, with a longer version available at a later date.  This year’s campaign will start from 28 March and will continue through to the end of May.   

  

The spot is complemented by a widespread of consistent messages on print and radio, as well as out-of-home (OOH) channels (see appendices). In keeping with the theme of Kindness, It’s Up to Us, the advertising will feature everyday situations familiar to most Singaporeans that call for an active display of kindness, to further encourage Singaporeans to choose kindness over the more common reaction of being a passive bystander or social media commentator in situations such as those highlighted.  

  

“We are heartened to see more and more people getting involved in pro-social activities and carrying out acts of kindness, but one significant barrier to getting people to act out their innate kindness is still the belief that ‘I better mind my own business and not get myself into trouble. By amplifying the decisions for kindness we can make in everyday scenarios, we hope to inspire and remind each other that it takes each and every one of us to choose to do the kind thing, to make kindness, graciousness and consideration values that our nation will be known for.”  --- Dr. William Wan, General Secretary, Singapore Kindness Movement

  

  

Kindness Day SG 2016  

  

The fourth edition of the annual Kindness Day SG, which falls on the second last Friday of May (20 May 2016), will bring Singaporeans across sectors together to celebrate kindness and graciousness in our society. This includes school children within their respective schools, the Ground Up Movements (GUMs) supported by SKM as well as corporate partners.  

  

Leading up to Kindness Day SG, several GUMs will be activating a series of purposeful acts of kindness. Through the GUMs’ involvement, SKM will reach out to various communities including sports enthusiasts, migrant workers, the elderly and low income households, as well as night shift workers. These activities will take place mostly on the weekends throughout the month of May and the public are welcome to join in.    

  

You can watch Sum of Our Moments on the SKM’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/KindnessSG. For more information of SKM’s Kindness, It’s Up to Us campaign and upcoming activities, please visit http://www.kindness.sg.  

  

For more updates:   

Singapore Kindness Movement - Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube  

  

  

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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I LOVE DURIANS!!! - Durian Mobilisation 2014

Hi Huneybees,

Here I am revealing me weakest link - DURIANS! I can never resist anything with a durian topping and whenever it is durian season, you will be finding me hoarding basket-loads of durian home to enjoy with my family.

So naturally, you will find me at the Durian Mobilisation 2014 at Telok Ayer Green Community Centre! This year, hubby and I joined 350 people enjoying the "King of Fruits". Everyone sat together to share their stories of when they had durians, shared interesting stories and it was a lovely lead up to building friendships and bringing the nation closer together!

The event was co-organised by the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) and prominent food blogger Dr Leslie Tay, of ieatishootipost.sg. Now into its seventh year, and fourteenth edition, the durian degustation was first started by Dr Tay in 2008 to help durian lovers gain a deeper appreciation for the different varieties. This annual gathering has since grown into an event where firm friendships are  initiated  as  durian  lovers come  together  to  taste,  learn and  share their stories and opinions about the fruit.

Beneficiaries from The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund were invited to join in at the event and enjoy the durian feast with the participants. Part of the proceeds will be donated to charity organisations Goducate, which is a non-profit that seeks to provide  a  better  life  for  needy  children by  empowering  them  with  education,  and Prison Fellowship Singapore, a charity  that  runs programmes  to help prisoners and ex-offenders, as well as their families.

There were 2 varieties of the durians to be eaten that night - the buttery Mao Shan Wang  猫山王 and the fleshy D24. Every durian was opened, checked for quality before being served to us, all thanks to Ah Seng Durian.

The Mao Shan Wang is named after Gua Musang town, the main fruit trading centre in Kelantan, Malaysia. The cultivar is originally from the town of Tanah Merah, also in Kelantan. The texture of thick Mao Shan Wang flesh is rich and creamy, sweet to the palette and it is easily identifiable by the characteristic brownish 5-arm "starfish" at the base of the Mao Shan Wang. The arms warp around the base of the durian and run up to the middle of the shell as if it is trying to hold it together tightly.

This young Jedi has leanrt the art of opening and sharing the durian...

Whilst the D24 durian on the other hand is has a stem shorter than a Mao Shan Wang, greener shell on the outside but the flesh is a paler yellow shade. The seeds are big and the light, fluffy texture that can be likened to low-fat margarine. It may taste a little bitter, but it also comes with a tinge of sweetness to balance things up.

Well, durians can make your body constitution heaty, so it was lovely that they even arranged for mangosteen for us to counteract the effect. Another way if you don't want to have sore throat the next day, simply drink water from the durian shells you can even add a dash of salt to go with it.

And a last tip for those who don't want the durian lingering "fragrance" on your fingers, you can simply use the durian seed as a soap and wash those fingers in the water filled shells as well. See, that's how useful and tasty the "King of Fruits' is!

If you have not tried durians before, all I can say is "WHY NOT?!" You have got to try it and I bet you will fall in love with them like me! So here's leaving you with more photographs from that evening...

For more information, please visit www.kindness.sg.
You can find Ah Seng Durian at BLK 20 Ghim Moh Market, #01-197, Singapore 270020.

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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The Kindness Café Is Now Opened For More Kindness!

Hi Huneybees,

Queuing up for my cuppa Kindness coffee...

Being kind never stops. So what if Kindness Day SG is already over? It's always nicer to have someone saying "thank you", "please" or being gracious and nice to you right?

So why not make it a better day for those around you? Today, Monday Blues were all gone as the unique Kindness Café opens its doors. It is a part of the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM)’s Kindness Day SG 2014 celebrations and it will be at One Raffles Place from 9 to 11 June 2014 (Monday to Wednesday) from 11:30am to 2:30pm. 

The public leaving messages of kindness at the designated wall of Kindness Cafe

Patrons got their coffee fix (the coffee was specially made and brewed from a mix of 3 different types of coffee beans) at discounted prices when the order is placed with accompanying kindness. You may also use the post-it notes provided to surprise someone by writing them a kind message.

The mobile café aims to promote kindness through simple acts of courtesy, particularly pertinent to the service industry where mutual respect and courtesy between service staff and customers can foster a more positive service culture in Singapore.

You will each get a fortune cookie with a kindness message on the embedded slip of paper and if you pay extra complements to the servers, you will also receive a complimentary bread from SKM’s partner Gardenia to go along with the coffee! Told you it pays well to be kind! =D

So, here a few more tips of kindness you can use at the workplace, be kinder and more gracious to others around you:

• Say ‘Thank You!’ to your colleague who held the door open for you, helped carry your things, or taught you how to use the new printer.
• Cheer up your colleague. Sometimes, personal problems can’t help but find their way into the work place. Cheer up a colleague who might be going through a tough time.
• Apologise when in the wrong. It isn’t easy to apologise, but it has to be done. Drop your colleague an apology note if you really can’t do it face to face.

Hopefully these tips can help you spread your kindness, and remember, there is always a way to make others happy with just one simple act! Thank you for being kind!

P.S. The cafe will also be set up at the National Library Board Atrium on 14 and 15 June from 11:30am to 2:30pm too!

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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