A business owner is trying to lift the taboo of 'asking for help' with her random acts of kindness - including a pay it forward scheme and randomly refunding customers' transactions.

Jennie Wright, who runs Molly Moo's Ice cream parlor on St Mary’s Chare street in Hexham, is trying to remove the stigma of people asking for help as many face problems with rising costs of electricity, gas and food.

"I was inspired to start the pay it forward board after a conversation on a local Hexham page where we discussing ways to help people during Covid restrictions and a local lady gave me the idea," Jennie said.

"It was at a time when there was the uproar that the government was refusing to provide support for kids on free school meals and businesses and communities were rallying to help by providing them with lunches etc.

"I reflected that it wasn’t just those on benefits that were struggling as lots of people were on a reduced income or even worse losing their jobs and livelihoods.

"This inspired me to introduce the pay it forward board and made it clear it was available to everyone."

Two years later and Jennie is still trying to help those in need. 

She said: "I was inspired into starting our latest act of kindness which will see us refund at least two random transactions per week by a lovely customer who left this wonderful croqueted elephant in the parlor one afternoon to be found.

"I was thinking about introducing our own random acts of kindness so the refund idea was born.

"With so much negativity in the world right now it’s lovely to concentrate on the good in people and spread smiles where we can."

"There has been far too much division in the world and yet when all is said and done are all human beings and the board has proved that humanity exists in abundance throughout Hexham and our lovely customers."