On one of the coldest days, during the winter of 2014/15, Lynne Misner, Small Acts of Kindness Founder and CEO, found herself with a broken boiler and no immediate fix available. She endured days of cold and misery until the problem could be resolved.

As she wrapped up under blankets to keep warm, she happened to read an article about how many older people spend every winter feeling as cold as she was now. Mostly living alone, they often could not afford to heat their homes adequately or had the perception that it was frivolous to do so. The negative impact such cold conditions could have on both their physical and mental wellbeing were potentially devastating.

Having been a volunteer, working with older people, Lynne had seen first hand the effects being lonely and isolated could have and so felt compelled to do something.

After researching the most effective way for older people to keep warm, Lynne created the concept of ‘Warm in Winter’ gift bags, which would be filled with essential, practical items such as a blanket, hat, gloves and hot drinks. Literature was also included providing information that signposted recipients to support, services  and activities, helping them to break out of the cycle of cold and loneliness. 

After sourcing these supplies, friends and volunteers helped her to pack the first 50 Warm in Winter gift bags and, with the help of local care organisations, vulnerable members of the community were identified, who would be the first recipients. 

Almost immediately Lynne started to receive heart-warming letters of thanks from people who were genuinely surprised that someone cared enough to give them such a gift. The gift bags were clearly making a difference to their lives. 

From this, Small Acts of Kindness was born. The following year, around 1000 gift bags were packed and distributed, a figure that has been increasing ever since.

Lynne gave up her full-time job in 2017 to run Small Acts of Kindness, which was registered as a charity in early 2018, by which time over 9,000 Warm in Winter gift bags had been sourced, packed and distributed across Hertfordshire.

While the Warm in Winter gift bags are at the heart of what we do, our work centres around reducing loneliness and isolation for vulnerable older people by connecting communities with kindness.  In 2020, during the Covid pandemic we began working in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council and HertsHelp, sourcing and packing ‘Bags of Kindness’ which were then distributed to clinically extremely vulnerable people, many of whom were shielding, feeling lonely and isolated. Following its success, we continue to deliver this project, funded by Hertfordshire County Council reaching thousands of vulnerable residents across Hertfordshire.

In 2021, Small Acts of Kindness was honoured to receive The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.  

Further expansion came in 2022 when we extended our reach into Bedfordshire. This was made possible through funding from The Fore, which helps the development of innovative young charities and social enterprises.

In 2023 we were approached to deliver other projects for Hertfordshire County Council, utilising our expertise and skills to source and pack gift bags for vulnerable groups. 

Our yearly reviews

To find out more about our journey, please download our yearly reviews and impact reports below.

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2017

2016

Award winning

  

We are honoured that others recognise our achievements and the impact of our work and we are delighted to have received the following prestigious awards:

• Highly Commended -  'Small Charity Big Achiever' Third Sector Awards 2025

• Finalist - 'Not-for-profit Business of the Year' SME Bedfordshire Business Awards 2025

• Highly Commended - 'Community Champion' Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards 2025 

• 'Caring in the Community' mylocal HERO Award 2024 - Lynne Misner, CEO

• Special Mention Big Syn International Film Festival 2024 - 'A Small Act'

• Gold Winner 'Corporate Leader of the Year' National Business Women's Awards 2024

• Silver Winner 'Southern England Business Woman of the Year' National Business Women's Awards 2024 

• Silver Winner Smiley Charity Film Awards 2024 - 'A Small Act'

• Silver Winner 'Community Business of the Year' SME National Business Awards 2023

• Gold Winner 'Community Business of the Year' SME Hertfordshire Business Awards 2023

• Hertfordshire Excellence in Public Health Award 2022

• Finalist - Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards 2022

• The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2021 (press release)

• Hertfordshire High Sheriff’s Award 2021

• Finalist - 'Community Champion' Best Business Woman Award 

• Finalist - Watford Borough Council Audentior Awards

• Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards Community Champion 2019

• Hertfordshire High Sheriff’s Award 2017

• Age UK Spirit of Age Awards 2017

• Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award - Lynne Misner, CEO

• British Citizen Award for Service to the Community - Lynne Misner, CEO