1,651 smiles, how simple acts of kindness brought the home improvement industry together this September

Doughnuts for the office. Making a round of tea. Going the extra mile for a customer or colleague. Spending an afternoon helping an elderly relative. Checking in on a friend who might be having a difficult time.

Throughout September, people across the home improvement and home enhancement industry logged 1,651 moments of kindness as part of Rainy Day Trust’s Thousand Smiles September campaign.

The original target was 1,000 smiles. Together, the industry reached 1,651.

The idea behind the campaign was deliberately simple. It has been a challenging year across the sector, and we know that many people may be dealing with pressures that those around them simply don’t see. Thousand Smiles September set out to bring people together in a positive and accessible way, encouraging us to notice those little opportunities to do something kind for someone else and reminding us just how valuable human connection can be.

Teams were encouraged to complete one random act of kindness each day and log their smiles on a live leaderboard. Organisations across the industry really embraced the challenge, with balloons, T-shirts, team activities, plenty of friendly competition and, of course, lots of smiles along the way.

For many participants, kindness became part of their daily routine, with some logging a smile on almost every day of the month. Alongside the challenge, participants could also take part in a series of short wellbeing videos and quizzes.

And perhaps that is one of the loveliest things to come from Thousand Smiles September. Small acts of kindness can become a habit. Taking an extra moment to check in with someone, offer some help or simply make somebody smile doesn’t have to stop because September has ended.

The campaign also raised vital funds that will go straight back into supporting people within the industry, helping Rainy Day Trust provide counselling and other support to those who need it.

This year has been tough for so many people in our industry, and we know a lot of them are carrying more than they let on. Thousand Smiles September was our way of bringing everyone together around something simple: noticing each other. A coffee, a kind word, a box of doughnuts on a Monday morning, going the extra mile for a customer. None of it is complicated, but every one of those 1,651 smiles was a moment where someone felt seen. Watching teams embrace it, share their kindness every day and have fun doing it has been incredibly special. Thank you to everyone who took part, and to Simpson Strong-Tie for supporting us to make it happen.

Anna Skeats

CEO, Rainy Day Trust

Rainy Day Trust’s Annual Challenge Series will return with Mad March Million in March 2027. Organisations interested in taking part or supporting the campaign can contact info@rainydaytrust.org.uk.