Oxford has been named the kindest city in the UK.
A national poll of a wide range of UK adults asked them to rate their hometown when it comes to friendliness, good deeds and community spirit, with the university city of OXFORD coming out on top.
(Pictured above: Susan Hanson and Robert Siddaway record scenes for Crossroads on an Oxford lake in 1974)
Just over two-thirds of Oxonians also felt the city excelled in being sociable, while over half deemed it charitable and supportive. Belfast, which came second in the list, was considered helpful by 42 per cent of its residents while half of those from third-placed Brighton feel their hometown is friendly.
Commissioned by Babybel, the research is part of wider campaign in partnership with Comic Relief to encourage everyday heroism and small acts of kindness. To find out if Oxford really lives up to its name, Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks took to the streets to get to know its residents a bit better.
This Red Nose Day, the French cheese brand is celebrating little gestures by sharing fun and inspiring ways to raise money for the charity in addition to making a 5p donation from every pack.
A spokesperson for Babybel:
“It’s been really interesting to find out which city has officially been crowned the kindest. Also, how the nation rates their hometown for attributes such as helpfulness and being charitable – it’s lovely to know that these things are still abundant amongst communities across the UK.”
Across the UK, strangers opening doors (28 per cent), being said ‘good morning’ to in the street (27 per cent) and a neighbour taking a parcel in when they’re not home (26 per cent) are the acts people regularly encounter in their hometown.
The study also found 44 per cent of adults wouldn’t want to live anywhere else than their hometown, with 32 per cent choosing to live where they do because of its kindness. While nearly three in 10 often visit other cities and think they don’t seem as ‘kind and caring’ as their own.It emerged the average adult carries out two acts of kindness a day, with two thirds feeling happy when they’ve done their bit.
For 43 per cent, their main motivation for being kind is because it makes them feel good while almost half believe it helps society at large and everyone should do it.
Top 10 ‘Kindest Places’
1. Oxford
2. Belfast
3. Brighton
4. Glasgow
5. Edinburgh
6. Liverpool
7. Newcastle
8. Cambridge
9. Birmingham
10. Norwich
A poll of 2000 UK residents assisted this survey.
