Reassuring to know that people always want to help

Yet again, the people of Portsmouth have proved that the city’s heart is in the right place. Within hours of fire sweeping through a city apartment block, neighbours and friends have rallied around to help mum of five Dana Myers who lost all her possessions in the blaze.

The most heartbreaking aspect is that her only mementos of the twins she was expecting in 2010 but who were delivered still-born, have been destroyed.

Possessions like that can never be replaced, but how fantastic for Dana, in her hour of need, to be reassured that there are people who care.

By all accounts she has been having a rough time of late. She spent much of 2020 needing medical treatment for a persistent case of tuberculosis and then spent part of 2021 recovering from a motorcycle accident that left deep bruising across her back.

We daily report the unhappier sides of life. We cannot pretend that there is not crime and poverty here, like everywhere, but, time and time again the people of our great city prove that they are the salt of the earth, and they will do anything to help others in need if they can.

It is certainly something that came to the fore during the pandemic. We daily reported efforts of people helping each other, ensuring that the hardship of others was eased during lockdown.

And when Russia invaded Ukraine, people in this area pulled out all the stops to collect and deliver as much aid as possible.

Whenever The News reports a misfortune, we can be sure that the next day the follow-up will be that someone wants to help.

Dana’s friend Candice Moss, said: ‘I’m 100 per cent confident of the community in Buckland – everyone in Portsmouth, if there’s something dire going on, I know that people will rally around.’

We know Portsmouth won’t let Dana down.