Limerick's Pay It Forward festival harnessing 'positive energy' by celebrating kindness

THE FOURTH annual Pay It Forward Kindness Festival will take place in Limerick in the coming week, and a host of free events and activities will highlight the kindness that is ever-present throughout the city.

Details of the festival were announced at a special launch event at Chez le Fab, Arthur’s Quay this week, where Deputy Mayor Cllr Marian Hurley, and Liam Toland, ambassador for Pay It Forward, spoke of the kindness they see every day.

“Pay It Forward harnesses the positive momentum and energy of carrying out kind acts,” said Niamh Murphy, member of PIF Board of Directors.

The week of festivities will kick off with a Family Fun Day on Saturday, March 10, on Bedford Row. From 11am to 2pm, there will be face painting, children’s crafts, printmaking, animal petting, music, medical and physio consultations, kayaking on the River Shannon and a few more surprises for all to enjoy.

From Sunday 11, to Friday 15, Community Unity Days have been organised to encourage volunteers, local businesses and the people of Limerick to carry out intentional acts of kindness.

That includes little gestures such as children baking buns and delivering them to the unsung heroes of the community, handing out flowers on Mother’s Day, showing the Pay It Forward movie, free pampering and massage, and talks at local schools.

People who receive these acts of kindness will then be encouraged to carry it on in return to someone else, creating the ripple effect.

For further details on the festival, see www.pifl.ie, find Pay IT Forward  Limerick on Facebook or on Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat as @PIF_Limerick.