A mum has taken to social media to share a moving story of a random act of kindness she experienced at the hands of a stranger in Manchester city centre yesterday.
Mother-of-two Chelsea Ann Robinson was walking down Market Street yesterday afternoon with her son Kian when she was approached by a lady she did not know who asked if the young boy liked teddy bears, and while Chelsea understandably found herself a little unsure at the reasoning behind the question at first, the stranger’s response left her “feeling emotional”.
Chelsea said she had “never felt so much kindness as we just received”.
Retelling the encounter in a now-viral post on Facebook, Chelsea said: “I’ve never felt so much kindness as we just received 5 minutes ago.
“To this wonderful lady, thank you,
ADVERTISEMENT
“We were just making our way across town when we were approached and Kian was asked if he liked teddy bears? My natural response was, ‘well yeah but why?’ And she explained that her baby would have been 8 years old and every year she buys 2 bears and travels 70 miles to Manchester to gift one to a child of similar age that her sweet baby would have been [and] the other is kept by herself and the family.”
Chelsea also admitted that the stranger’s gesture came “at a time of need” after experiencing a difficult year herself, and revealed that her son had also sadly lost his father too. She continued: “After all we’ve been through this year, especially for my precious little Kian losing his dad, I felt we had such a connection even in that brief moment.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I believe that angels come around in a time of need and this certainly was that.”
How beautiful is this?
Given the nature of the touching story and the poignancy of the stranger’s act, the post has gone on to resonate with thousands of people, amassing well over 7.3K interactions, thousands of shares, and hundreds of comments by members of the public up and down the country who praised the stranger for her touching gift, and sent well wishes and messages of support to all involved.
ADVERTISEMENT
One person commented: “Everything happens for a reason, you were meant to meet this lady, I promise you [and] I’m so happy he loves his bear.”
Another said: “Yes there are earthy angels, I believe that. What a beautiful kind gesture from this lady to give to this little man.”
A third added: “Beautiful – nothing more pure than human kindness”.
This is what Manchester is all about.
Trending
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’
Emily Sergeant
Call yourself a clever clogs? The BBC is currently looking for contestants to take part in what is widely considered the hardest quiz show on TV.
That’s right – Only Connect is back for another series on BBC Two.
Presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and first broadcast all the way back in 2008, Only Connect takes TV quizzing to the next level, as it sees two teams compete against each other by finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues.
In this quiz show – which viewers have dubbed one of the most challenging there is – knowledge only takes you so far, as the ability to think laterally is also deemed ‘vitally important’.
A casting call for the upcoming 2027 series has been shared on the BBC website, with people from Greater Manchester encouraged to apply.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’ / Credit: BBC
The casting call reads: “The popular BBC Two quiz show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell returns for a new series in 2027.
“Only Connect is seeking teams of three players OR single applicants or teams of two looking for like-minded teammates to pool their combined wits to solve fiendish conundrums and vexing puzzles.
“This is the quiz series where, as in life itself, knowledge will only take you so far: patience and lateral thinking are also vital. It’s all about making connections between things which may appear, at first glance, not to be connected at all.”
Reckon you’ve got what it takes then? Applications are now open, and all applicants must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK or Channel Islands.
Massive student night returns to Trafford Centre next month with up to 50% off on big brands
Emily Sergeant
Students can get themselves up to 50% off on food, activities, and loads of big-name brands at the Trafford Centre next month.
With thousands of new and returning students starting to arrive for the new academic year at Greater Manchester‘s universities, one of the region’s biggest student nights will be making a long-awaited comeback for one night only next month – and there’ll be loads of exclusive offers and free entertainment to make the most of across the evening.
Taking over the Trafford Centre in early October, the popular one-off student night is happening in partnership with Student Beans, and gives cash-strapped students the chance to shop a variety of incredible discounts all under one roof.
Just some of the big brands offering big discounts include 25% off at Levi’s and Boux Avenue, 20% off at Gymshark, Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch, and 15% off at KIKO, Rituals, and Sephora.
It’s not just retail brands you’ll be able to save some pennies on either, as many of the Trafford Centre’s restaurants and cafes will also be offering discounts and freebies on the night too.
Alongside the offers, students can expect plenty of live entertainment and in-store experiences throughout the evening, including a DJ set and drinks at Calvin Klein, in-store fitness challenges and at Gymshark, an exclusive piercing event at Lovisa, and a Beauty Hub takeover at Sephora.
There’ll also be ‘spin-to-win’ opportunities at places like schuh, River Island, and YO! Sushi.
Massive student night returns to Trafford Centre next month with up to 50% off on big brands / Credit: Supplied
“Student Night is one of the highlights of our autumn calendar, and we’re excited to welcome students for an evening of brilliant offers and feel-good experiences,” explained Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at the Trafford Centre.
“Whether they are updating their wardrobe, stocking up on beauty favourites, grabbing a bite to eat or enjoying the atmosphere with friends, there is plenty to discover across the centre.
“With simple transport links from Manchester city centre and across the region, Trafford Centre is the perfect place for a student night out.”
The Trafford Centre’s Student Night is happening on Thursday 1 October from 6-10pm, and students can now reserve themselves a spot by registering online HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
21st December 2020 
