Steve and Sandy England are ‘doers’ in their community. When they see that their neighbours need a little help, they just do - and never expect anything in return.
For the past four years, they've quietly made a significant impact on the lives of Louise and Lino Arruda, proving that even the smallest gestures can make the biggest difference.
“Steve and Sandy have really cared for us in the most practical and helpful ways,” Lousie explains. “They hang up our Christmas decorations, shovel the driveway and pick up our mail for us.”
Louise’s husband Lino, who has been battling cancer for eight years, found caring friends in the Englands.
From driving Lino to hospital visits, to collecting overseas visitors from the airport, the Englands went beyond the call of duty. Earlier this year, the couple supported Louise through a particularly tough moment.
“Lino had a heart attack last August,” Louise shared. “Everyone thought he was going to die… Except for Steve! He told me that Lino is going to make it. And he did.”
For Lino's 90th birthday, the Englands decorated and put up a sign outside their neighbour’s home, ‘Beep 4 Lino's 90th!’
“They have been a lifeline for us,” Louise explains. “Through COVID, they were our only social connections. If not for them, we wouldn’t be here.”
Upon hearing of the couple’s neighbourly good deeds, BradfordToday decided to recognize the Englands with a Random Act of Kindness.
“We were surprised! We had no idea,” Sandy said. “BradfordToday’s representative, Gary, arrived with gifts and sweets for us. It was very nice!”
Our generous co-sponsors, Vin Bon Bradford and Ferragine Greenhouses donated gifts to celebrate the lovely couple, and they were delighted.
Sandy humbly insisted that their actions are nothing special. “We don’t do anything that a good neighbour wouldn’t do,” she said. “We have such great neighbours - we know if we need help we can just call on someone.”
This Random Act of Kindness shows that what might seem like simple neighbourly acts to one household can have a huge positive impact on another. The Englands remind us that genuine kindness, no matter how small, has the power to transform lives.
If you know someone in the community who deserves recognition for their selfless actions, positivity in the face of hardship, or just for being a great person, you can nominate them for a Random Act of Kindness. Fill out our nomination form today!
If you would like to support our Random Acts of Kindness program, please email [email protected].
BradfordToday is proud to make a difference in our community by highlighting extraordinary individuals and organizations with our Random Acts of Kindness, a foundational piece of our BradfordToday Cares program.
The BradfordToday Cares team's mission is to create meaningful change in Bradford - and inspire others to do the same.
