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Pay it Forward Day now in 30 countries and makes its debut in the UK this April
Pay it Forward Day now in 30 countries and makes its debut in the UK this April
April 2011
This is the first year the UK is officially celebrating Pay it Forward Day on the 28th April 2011 when people will be invited to join a worldwide movement in performing random acts of kindness to 3 or more people and asking those people to do the same. Last year, over 250,000 people in 30 countries took part in Pay it Forward Day and this year, the organisers are hoping to inspire over 3 million acts of kindness.
The idea comes from the novel, and subsequent film starring Kevin Spacey, Pay it Forward which tells the story of a young boy who does 3 good deeds for others in need. All the child asks in return is that they pass on the good deed to three other people and keep the cycle going.
Research shows that such acts of kindness spread rapidly from person to person. A study published in March 2010* by researchers from Harvard and the University of California concludes that when people benefit from kindness they "pay it forward" by helping others who were not originally involved, and this creates a cascade of co-operation that influences dozens more in a social network.
The Consortium, the leading independent supplier to education in the UK, is proud to be a major supporter of Pay it Forward Day. Melanie Teal, Chief Executive commented “We are delighted to support Pay it Forward Day in the UK and help to raise awareness of this warm and engaging concept that is gaining momentum around the world”.
For more information on how you can participate in Pay it Forward Day, visit www.payitforwardday.co.uk
* Study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA in March 2010 by researchers from the Universities of California, San Diego and Harvard.