Spirit of meningitis teen lives on in red letter day for kindness

A woman who has carried out an act of kindness every day since the death of her nephew almost a year ago is encouraging people across Scotland to follow suit on what she has dubbed the 'Big Day of Kindness'.
Kyle, who lost his mother less than two years before he diedKyle, who lost his mother less than two years before he died
Kyle, who lost his mother less than two years before he died

Vicki Dale, from Glasgow, has signed up hundreds of people to carry out kind deeds on 23 October – and is urging more people to join her campaign.

Her 14-year-old nephew, Kyle, from East Renfrewshire, died in December from a rare form of meningitis, less than two years after his mother lost her battle with cancer.

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Dale has carried out an act of kindness every day since her nephew’s death, charting the deeds on her Facebook page. Her acts range from leaving money in a vending machine for the next person who uses it to handing out cough sweets to an unwell builder working on a neighbour’s house.

Vicki Dale, who has carried out an act of kindness every day since Kyle's death. Picture: John DevlinVicki Dale, who has carried out an act of kindness every day since Kyle's death. Picture: John Devlin
Vicki Dale, who has carried out an act of kindness every day since Kyle's death. Picture: John Devlin

Dale said: “The day of 23 October would have been Kyle’s 15th birthday. His death was a big shock for us as a family, especially so soon after his mother’s death. The Big Day of Kindness came about because I wanted to be optimistic. Kyle himself was a very helpful and a very kind young man and always made time for friends and family.

“That was one thing we heard back when we got message from his friends and people who knew him, just how kind he was.”

Dale started carrying out daily acts of kindness from 1 January, but decided to extend her project after encouragement from friends. She said: “I think everyone will have their own take on what kindness is and what they’d like to do for their own act, so I’ve tried not to be too prescriptive.

“Ultimately it’s about encouraging people to be considerate in their actions on, or around, the 23rd as a form of celebration of Kyle’s life. It’s important that we encourage the next generation to be kind as I think we’re in a kind of no man’s land at the moment in how to interact with each other.”

Dale has already recruited 230 people to take part in the event, as well as more than 30 schools across Scotland and local playgroups and colleges.

She said: “The whole project is a way to promote positivity and kindness throughout our different communities. It’s because of people’s kindness that I’ve even got as far as I have. It’s just things like being positive and telling someone they look nice that day – or holding a door open for someone.”