Inspirational East Lancashire solicitor is lifting people's spirits and spreading kindness by simply being nice

As people are confined to their homes due to lockdown, Jenna Atkinson, who is a family solicitor at Harrison Drury, in Clitheroe, has been spreading joy with her "Be a Little Kinder" campaign.

During a New Year trip to New York Jenna, who lives in Bolton, came up with the idea of picking someone at random each week and surprising them with an act of kindness. Her ideas ranged from little notes and postcards with words of encouragement or praise to small pamper products and books with positive messages.

The 31-year-old explains: "I started the campaign at the beginning of 2020. Each week I choose a connection – whether that be a business connection, a friend or a stranger and have sent on a message, card, small gift to surprise them with an act of kindness. I have done this every week, but am now trying to do this every other day in light of the pandemic to make people’s days a bit brighter. My granddad used to write to my grandma when he was in the navy and the messages were so beautiful and personal, and I think these kinds of gestures, particularly at the moment can really make a difference to people’s days. My nana and grandma were two of my biggest inspirations growing up and if I can be half as kind as they were to people, I will be leading a good life."

Jenna, who has just been nominated as a finalist in the Woman in the Law category of this year’s She Inspire Awards, is hoping perhaps 2020, and in light of the global coronavirus pandemic, people can challenge themselves to focus on being nice and kind.

Jenna, who is a member of the Pink Link networking group of businesswoman, added: "The focus behind the campaign was really that we can often get so busy in our day-to-day lives, that we often lose sight of what really matters. I am sure the COVID-19 pandemic is making people focus on what does matter, and that health and happiness really are everything. I have sent pamper hampers, messages of encouragement and even before all this I was trying to promote the message actively that we should all take that time in our week to be a little kinder, as kindness is one of the things that really does matter and a little act can make someone’s day or week.

"Kindness is something I am really passionate about promoting, not only in business, but generally and this campaign is something I really hope I can spread the word of more locally around Lancashire to get more and more of us on board with the campaign. I want to keep people’s spirits up. I have heard a lot of people lately saying they cannot wait to return to 'normality'. I do hope 'normality' will change, that we will cherish all we have around us day to day, value human connection more, value everything we have and that all of us will be a little kinder."

Jenna went on to say: "Kindness can have such a good effect on the world, so although the campaign is simple, the message is key."