A schoolboy is on a mission to prevent suicide in the wake of Caroline Flack’s death – by handing out bunches of daffodils to strangers.
Caring Oliver Allen, nine, decided to hand out the blooms to spread kindness after hearing about the death of the former Love Island presenter.
A note is attached to the springtime flowers, which he left on strangers’ doorsteps and handed out with his mum to delighted passersby in his hometown.
The message reads: “In a world where we could be anything, be kind.”
One person to benefit from Oliver’s act of kindness was Sarah Rogers, who said: “Whoever left these outside my house, thank you and god bless.”
She added: “We should all follow this person’s example and do just one random act of kindness for someone, no matter how big or small.”
Oliver, of Rochford, Essex, came up with the idea himself after hearing about the presenter’s death on the news.
His grandmother, Dawn Avery, said: “He handed out about ten bunches of daffodils and hand wrote the messages himself. One lady was in tears and another lady received them and passed them onto someone else in her own act of kindness.”
The 49-year-old added: “I am unbelievably proud of him. For a nine-year-old to do that is so thoughtful. He looks after small children at school and helps me with my shopping. He has a mature head on young shoulders.”
Dawn thinks Oliver, who is also a talented footballer, has developed a kind nature thanks to his mum Kayleigh-Eloise Avery, who works as a hospital sister in Essex.
The grandmother added that young people today are facing unparalleled strains on their mental health and called for others to make the effort to be kind.
She said: “We want that generation to make people feel special and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. Many youngsters are desperate and don’t know where to turn, but just one small kind act changes someone’s day completely.”