Residents of the island received a token of kindness from members of the Women’s Institute (WI) this week.

Flowers were handed out to the public in different areas of the island to mark World Kindness Day, an occasion that was introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement.

Members of the WI’s different branches were outside Marks and Spencer in Douglas and Ramsey Courthouse where they gave passerbys posies.

Aileen Rampton, from the Parkfield WI, was accompanied by Louise Whitelegg from Methodist Women of Britain and other WI members who handed out lollipops along with the flowers.

She said: ’It was really nice to give out something and to put a smile on someone’s face. Some people gave us a hug saying it was "really nice and thank you".

’Some people had good reactions, and others were quite sceptical which we were surprised about. I suppose in this day and age nobody gets something for nothing.

’We had 75 posies and 150 lollipops which were all gone within half an hour.’

Bride WI members, who were outside the Ramsey Courthouse, had donated towards the purchase of the posies.