Courtesy can be a great motivator and make a big difference to people’s lives by ensuring individuals are recognised and appreciated.
Is courtesy out of fashion? Sometimes people seem almost apologetic when being courteous.
The National Campaign for Courtesy believes it’s time to put courtesy at the heart of life.
Launched in 1986, the National Campaign for Courtesy is a registered charity and a not-for-profit organisation that has a loyal membership base.
The National Campaign for Courtesy stands for:
- Good manners
- Respect for self and others
- Courtesy for all
Individuals can feel helpless when so much seems wrong with the world, but small acts of courtesy can help. They all add up to make a big difference.
That’s why the National Campaign for Courtesy is launching #pleaseMAY.
During the month of May, they’re asking people to sign their pledge to undertake courteous acts each day and to share their pledge and details of their acts of courtesy on social media.
“It might not sound much, but when you feel you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders, a simple greeting or helpful gesture can make all the difference,” says Robert Zarywacz of the National Campaign for Courtesy.
“It can put things into perspective and show that you can take small steps to solve your own problems and help others too.
Acts of courtesy can be as small or big as you want and you can be courteous to family, friends, colleagues or strangers including:
- Greet a neighbour you don’t know – if they have few acquaintances, this could really lift their spirits.
- Holding doors open for others.
- Stopping to let people past on the pavement or cars out from side roads.
- Helping out colleagues at work.
- Sending a thank you email to someone when they’ve done something for us – it can be easy to forget when we’re busy.
- Simply considering the impact of our action on others and acting more considerately.
There’s no end to courtesy, so we hope as many people as possible will make May as courteous as possible.
Many of our generation feel that good manners are a thing of the past and bearing this in mind we at Mature Times would like to know your thoughts on this. So many of the traditional manners directed towards women such as opening a door for a lady, or standing up when they enter or leave a room seem outdated in this era of female emancipation.
What do you think? Should the gentleman walk on the outside of the pavement to protect his female partner? Or always give up his seat for a lady? Do women resent being treated in this way, as inferiors in need of protection or are we appreciative of this male courtesy?
What manners matter to you? Please let us know.
by Tina Foster
