The Importance of Looking Out For Each Other: Our Pay it Forward Board

At ICM, we have always believed in the power of community action, and with the cost of living crisis an ever looming presence in so many of our lives, now more than ever it is becoming increasingly clear that small acts of kindness can make a big difference.

That’s why we’re so delighted by the success of our Pay it Forward board in the Roots Community Café. 

Inspired by similar boards and traditions around the globe, we set up our Pay It Forward board because it aligns with our ethos as a community café. For those not familiar with this type of initiative, a Pay it Forward board allows customers to pay in advance for a stranger’s food or drink.

Contributions e.g. Coffee and a cake or a hot lunch are written on a tag, with the option of adding a personal message.

These tags are then hung on the board for any future customers to use it to pay for an item from our menu, no judgement or questions asked. 

When generosity sparks further generosity, beautiful things happen, and it reminds us of the inherent compassion that exists around us. 

Being able to nurture positive connections between people, and creating a space where people’s needs are met is what makes Roots so special, and we are so proud of our wonderful staff and the compassionate customers willing to pay a little extra to spread joy and comfort in our café. 

We would like to thank everyone who has made use of the board, be it contributing to others, or accepting a stranger’s kind gesture. If you have used our board in any way, we would love to hear from you.

Let’s keep spreading kindness together.