Group in the spotlight: Random Act of Kindness Black Country CIC

What started as a simple desire to help people has grown into a thriving community organisation supporting families and individuals across the Black Country.

Random Act of Kindness Black Country CIC was founded by Katie Newell, whose own experiences of caring responsibilities and supporting others in difficult circumstances inspired her to take action. What began as informal support for families facing hardship soon evolved into something bigger, driven by a belief that communities are strongest when people look out for one another.

Today, the group provide practical support to people experiencing a wide range of challenges. From helping families access essential items and emergency assistance to supporting wellbeing activities and community projects, the team works to ensure that people receive help when they need it most.

Their approach is rooted in compassion and understanding. Katie and her fellow directors bring lived experience to the group’s work, helping them understand the realities faced by many of the people they support. This creates a culture that is both practical and non-judgemental.

“We’ve all got lived experience in different things that we support,” Katie explains. “That makes a difference because you’ve got that empathy for people and it’s non-judgemental.”

A key factor in their growth and success has been a willingness to work collaboratively. Rather than seeing other groups as competitors has built strong relationships with charities, community organisations and local services across the region.

They regularly work alongside groups including Kids Clothes Project, Brierley Hill Baby Bank, cancer support charities and domestic abuse services, helping to ensure that people can access the right support at the right time. Katie is passionate about the importance of partnership working, recognising that no single organisation can meet every need on its own.

This collaborative approach extends to local businesses and volunteers too. Whether it’s a company looking to support its community through volunteering, a local organisation donating items, or an individual offering their time and expertise, Katie believes everyone has something valuable to contribute.

The group recently reached an important milestone by securing National Lottery funding and moving into its first dedicated base. After years of storing donations in garages, cars and spare spaces wherever they could be found, the new premises provide a secure foundation for future growth.

The new space will allow the team to coordinate volunteers more effectively, manage donations safely and expand the support they can offer across the Black Country. While the premises may currently be “an empty square room”, as Katie describes it, the vision for what it can become is already firmly in place.

Alongside this growth, the group continues to find creative ways to bring communities together. The team have raised enough money to organise a coach trip to Weston-Super-Mare for families, with local businesses and supporters donating items such as buckets, spades, footballs, towels and swimming costumes to help make the day special and accessible for all.

Despite the challenges that inevitably come with running a not-for-profit organisation, Katie’s advice for others considering a similar journey is straightforward: stay true to your values, be patient and focus on making a difference rather than chasing recognition.

“If you’ve got a vision and a passion for it, go for it,” she says. “Be out there and make a difference, as little or as big as you want to.”

That ethos continues to guide Random Act of Kindness Black Country as it grows. At its heart remains a simple belief that acts of kindness—however small they may seem—can have a lasting impact on people’s lives.

As Katie puts it: “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”