Nicole Tierney was astonished when her children came running in with a plain envelope with ‘random act of kindness – pay it forward’ written on the front of the envelope
Image: Nicole Tierney)
A struggling single mum-of-two has thanked a random stranger who posted £100 through her door.
Nicole Tierney had been relying on food banks to get through the summer holidays.
She was astonished when her children came running in with a plain envelope with ‘random act of kindness – pay it forward’ written on the front.
But she more shocked to open it and find £100 inside and wants to let the “incredible person” know how much difference it has made to her family.
The single mum of Hatherley, Cheltenham, says she has struggled to make sure five-year-old Mia and Austin, aged four, could enjoy the summer holidays on a tight budget.
She told Gloucestershire Live : “I still can hardly believe this is happening to me and I can’t stop staring at it.
(
Image:
Nicole Tierney)
“I have no idea who did it but I want them to know how much this £100 means to us.
“I am a solo mum of two and it’s been really hard, especially during the school holidays. You want to take the kids out but you can’t afford it.
“We are part of the holiday scheme run by the council for low-income families and between that, foodbanks and all sorts of other things we have managed to get by, but this £100 will make a massive, difference.
“I want the person who did such an incredible thing to know how much it means to us and show other people how much positivity and good there is in this world.”
(
Image:
Nicole Tierney)
The 30-year-old asked around her mum friends and they don’t have a clue who posted it either.
Asked what she will do with the money Nicole said: “I don’t know yet, I think I’ll just sit and stare at it for a bit longer.
“To be honest I’ll probably just do a big food shop.”
After receiving the money she wrote an open letter on Facebook which has attracted national attention.
In the post, she thanked the anonymous sender for their kindness.
She wrote: “To the incredible person who posted this through my letterbox this morning.
The Mirror is committed to more hopeful news.
We recognise the news agenda can sometimes feel overwhelmingly negative.
And while it’s our job to keep you informed and hold those in power to account, we are making a commitment to also report more hopeful news.
We will celebrate the people, places and movements that are bringing good into the world and, more than that, we will dig beneath the surface of important issues with the aim of finding hope.
We will be firm in our convictions – but always fair-minded.
By sharing solutions to problems, we can do more good and feel better about the world around us.
Because we believe you deserve it. #mirrormorehopeful
“We don’t often give enough credit to the good in this world, there’s so much hate and hostility that we regularly forget just how wonderful some people can be.
“This £100 means so much to me and my family.
“I’ve been a solo mamma bear for over five years and struggled a lot with finances, leading to me not being able to give my sprogs all that they deserve.
“For someone to be so insanely thoughtful to give £100 of their own money to a stranger.
“It honestly has restored my faith in humanity – thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ve spent all day thinking of ways to pay it forward.”