Your nominations for ‘Coronaheroes’ restore my faith in humanity
Last week, I wrote a column about the people I would like to see on this year’s honours list – not the usual celebrities and cronies, but the amazing key workers going out of their way to keep the country going during this coronavirus crisis. I asked readers to send me nominations, and you did not disappoint.
All week, my inbox has been flooded with amazing tales of community spirit; of people helping others and expecting nothing in return other than the promise of a hug when the social distancing measures are eventually lifted.
In these terrifying times, it is easy to believe that the world is an awful place full of bad people – people more interested in updating their social media than looking out for others. Much of this week has been taken up with discussion of “covidiots”, those people who are flouting suggestions to stay at home by hosting impromptu barbecues in public spaces, or – before the lockdown was announced on Monday evening – visiting parks and beaches en masse to celebrate Mother’s Day.
You would think from the whingeing and griping on Twitter and Facebook that we were a nation of covidiots. Brexit may seem like something from the distant past, but its divisive politics is alive and kicking even now, as we scramble to get to grips with the greatest public health crisis of a generation.
So the new Remain vs Leave is Those Who Stay At Home (the good people) vs Those Who Go
Outside (the bad people), and if you dare suggest that it’s a bit more nuanced than that – that the Government has said we are allowed out for one spot of exercise a day – you are shouted down and held accountable for untold deaths.
Look, of course there are numpties out there not doing what they are told. But there have always been numpties out there – though it is sometimes difficult to believe otherwise, the internet did not invent them.
To think that the numpties make up the majority of humans is a grave mistake. I know this won’t serve the virtue signalling purposes of those who long ago cocooned themselves in the
‘For all this talk of covidiots, our country is packed with great Britons’
self-isolation of social media, but the truth is, most people are really… well, nice.
Look at the hundreds of thousands of people who have volunteered to help the NHS this week, far outstripping the numbers needed. Listen to the millions of people who stepped outside their houses on Thursday night to clap for carers.
Read the following tales of ‘Coronaheroes’ sent in by readers, and know this: our country is packed with great Britons. So overwhelmed was I by the response to my column, that we have decided to make this a regular feature in The Telegraph. So please continue to send your nominations to the email above, marking the subject line Coronaheroes, and we will continue to publish them. And now on to today’s batch of exceptional humans…
Kerry Armstrong, the Mr Whippy ice cream vendor in North Shields. Nominated by Michael Doolan: “My wife, Pat, contracted early Alzheimer’s disease at 58. The last three and a half years of her life were spent in a care home.
“I would take her out every day for two to three hours and buy an ice cream from the van owned by Kerry – we would then sit and watch the ships sailing in and out of the River Tyne. My wife never spoke a word, and finally succumbed to breast cancer, aged 70.
“Last Saturday, Kerry and her husband, Andrew, turned up at my door with a bag of food – bacon, sausages, diced chicken, bread, mixed vegetables, etc – and categorically refused payment. Three cheers for Kerry and all the other people who have emailed or phoned to check I am OK!”
Village shops across the country – nominated by Deirdre Lay: “These are owners working every hour God sends them, driving miles to pick up supplies that have run out. They are showing the true spirit of WW2. Long may they survive.”
The children of Dacre Braithwaite Primary school in North Yorkshire – nominated by their teacher, Mrs Stokes: “What has kept me going these past few weeks has been the thoughtfulness, kindness and incredible resilience shown by the children I teach, as well as my own two daughters, age eight and 10. They are having to deal with so many grown-up issues that should never need to be faced by those so young.
“I think the children in our school have been that little bit kinder to each other. They all wrote some beautiful letters to a care home, and assured me they will be helping out at home a little bit more. I just hope that over the coming months I can help them continue to grow, develop and progress in their learning and enjoyment of life, albeit from a distance.”
Elliot the paper boy – nominated by Flora Brodie: “I don’t know Elliot’s second name, but he delivers from the local post office in the Craiglockhart area of Edinburgh. With my paper this morning was a typed slip offering help with shopping and prescription collections. I was so touched. I am filled with warmth, gratitude and pride!”
London Road dental practice in Chippenham – nominated by Bill Winward: “I received what I thought would be a standard Covid-19 email from my dentist, but it was so much better than that!
“They have offered to help by collecting and delivering groceries, replenishing toothpaste supplies – and even simply offering a listening ear if things become too overwhelming. As they said in their email: ‘If we all pull together, we will be able to ride out this storm and come out the other side stronger than before.’ ”