This post has nothing directly to do with ICT4D or Development, but I think it’s a nice little story about why we should all make sure we DO those little good deeds that sometimes occur to us but often end up being forgotten about and ignored…

A few weeks back I stumbled across a Facebook post from Crisis (a major UK homeless charity) saying they’d lost one of the buildings they planned to use as a Christmas homeless shelter and were looking for alternative accomodation for 300 rough-sleepers throughout the holiday period.

I thought to myself… I know of a charity that unfortunately recently went into administration, but had been running programmes at a couple of large buildings in Central London.

Now I ALMOST didn’t bother acting on this, thinking it was a bit of a longshot, but on a whim I sent an email to a friend who is involved with the largest centre, Downside Fisher in Lambeth, just suggesting maybe Downside and Crisis might have a chat.  I then thought no more about it until…

A few days into the New Year I recieved an email – they had spoken, Crisis had used the building (keeping at least 300 homeless people from sleeping rough on the streets over Christmas), and overall everyone was extremely happy with its success and it may even become an annual arrangement.  All from one email, which I very nearly didn’t bother doing.

Kind of heartwarming I think, and a reminder not to forget those little things we all so often do forget!