Walk for a kinder world
By BEV JORDAN
Danny Mayson-Kinder is hoping that hundreds of people will be out walking next weekend (November 13 to 15) with kindness in their heart.
She is launching the first Walk for a Kinder World through her family’s charity flyhighbillie. The charity was founded in the name of her 12-year-old daughter Billie who died after a tragic accident in May 2016 at Pitt Town.
Danny said she hoped people would embrace Walk for a Kinder World. “It is very different from most sponsored events in that it’s not only about the distance walked or the money raised, it’s also about people doing something kind for someone else.
“We want everyone to be involved, young and old. This is a great way for families and friends to walk together, even if they are in separate states or countries. It’s also a perfect activity for schools.”
It is the latest in a series of B Kinder events organised by the flyhighbillie charity. “Billie was an extraordinary young girl in that she had the gift of giving,” said her mum Danny. “Billie just “got” people. She had so much empathy and compassion and above all she was kind.”
Danny said that Billie had always wanted to write a book so after she died, her family collated all Billie’s poems, artworks and stories and put them together in a book called “hope”. More than 8000 copies have been sold so far.
Danny said she received so much incredible feedback after hope was published and it instigated so many questions from children that she produced an interactive workbook using Billie’s poems and art to enable youngsters to understand the need for kindness, compassion and empathy to combat bullying and anxiety and suicide.
“It’s written by a child so children really relate to it.” she said. The result was a series of b kinder workbooks which are being used in schools across Australia and overseas.
A b kinder day (based on Billie’s name, the initial B and her surname, Kinder) was also established on June 22. The first b kinder day in 2018 involved four schools including Billie’s former School Arndell Anglican College.
In 2019 in it involved 40 schools including Pitt Town Early Learning Centre, Glenhaven Public School and Arndell.
This year, despite Covid, 52 schools took part in b kinder day and over 30,000 of Billie’s kindness cards were sent around the world.
Danny said she hoped people will embrace Walk for a Kinder World on the weekend of November 13.
“It’s about going for a walk, even if it’s only around the garden and doing something kind for someone else. It’s about connecting kindness one step at a time,” said Danny.
You can Register, create a page, and invite friends and family to sponsor you at fundraise.flyhighbillie.org
SUGGESTIONS
• Offer to collect the neighbours’ groceries
• Drop a kind note in someone’s letter box
• Pick up litter along the way
• Take your elderly relatives for a short walk
• Smile at someone along your walk
• Take someone’s dog for a walk
