WHAT price an act of kindness? About £13 it turns out!

Eight weeks ago, a fund was set up by a friendly Glasgow businessman who simply wanted to help. The fund would take donations from punters and use them to give free lifts (a Glasgow taxi) to NHS staff working on the frontline in Glasgow.

The fund aimed to raise £10,000, which seemed a pretty tall order at a time when pennies are a prisoner for everyone.

However, we all know the people of Glasgow will always help in an hour of need and so it turned out.

Here’s the story in numbers.

At the time of writing, some £9245 has been donated to the fund.

At the time of writing £9146 of that has been used to help give NHS staff in the city a free trip to or from work in a Glasgow taxi.

That money came from 313 generous donations, from £5 to £1000.

That money has helped NHS staff more than 700 times over.

That’s 700 acts of kindness, 700 moments when these people have felt better than they would have without this fund.

These have been men and women, from north, south, east and west, working in hospitals across the city.

That money has made a difference. And it’s been a pleasure to have driven a couple of those passengers who have benefitted.

As donations to the fund have slowed in recent weeks so too has its usage – meaning the fund will close by the end of this week.

With Glasgow and Scotland seemingly preparing to very gradually “unlock”, our attentions and energies will begin to slowly turn elsewhere.

We will face new challenges and hurdles as we try to strike the balance of reopening society while not risking the health of citizens

Taxi drivers will continue to have a role to play, as a safe transport option for key workers, for the vulnerable, for people young and old.

We will all do well to retain the spirit of kindness and community which made the fund such a success.

Acts of kindness can be delivered every day and in many different ways after all.