Sharing good news – people making a real difference

For some reason mainstream media tends to focus almost exclusively on doom and gloom stories, highlighting all the problems in the world. And yes, we are certainly living through challenging times. But in amongst all the major crises, there is plenty to celebrate.  So, I thought it was time to share some more good news stories to help to put things in perspective.

It’s really important that we do keep our eyes and ears peeled for the good events that are all around us, so we can maintain a balanced outlook. When we do that, we can keep anxiety at bay.

This month we’re focusing on a potential source of worry for many of us, and that’s the perception that we live in a world full of scammers, thieves, drug barons and worse. The reality is that most people are decent, law-abiding folk who are compassionate, caring and supportive of others. So, let’s put a spotlight on some wonderful people who are making a positive difference in their community.

People like high-flying City lawyer Stephanie Brobbey who spent the first decade of her career advising rich people how to become even richer. She was already attuned to the wealth inequalities in the UK, when a chance conversation with a friend changed the direction of her highly successful career. Her friend told her that there are more food banks than McDonald’s outlets in the UK, a shocking statistic that galvanised her into action. She quit her role helping super-wealthy people accumulate more assets whilst minimising their tax liabilities, and founded The Good Ancestor movement. It’s an organisation whose mission is to help wealth holders who are already feeling uncomfortable about their privileged position in society, to redistribute their wealth to foster a fairer economic framework for all. The basic premise is to help these very rich people recognise when enough is enough by establishing a financial ceiling on their wealth, and to change their approach from wealth accumulation to wealth redistribution. Stephanie refers to it as wealth stewardship, an innovative step towards a fairer society.

But you don’t have to be a high-flyer to make a positive difference. Take the case of Gemma Button from Coventry who, having just got married, offered her wedding dress for free to other brides who might not be able to afford one. On a tight budget herself, she’d bought the unused dress for £90 after another bride’s wedding had been cancelled. Realising the difference the beautiful dress had made to her own wedding day, she put a post on social media offering it free to anyone else in a similar situation. She was overwhelmed with the positive feedback she received from people saying how kind she was. Several brides-to-be came forward and Gemma ensured that the dress went to someone in genuine need. What a fabulous gesture.

And how about this for the ultimate altruistic gift – donating your kidney to a total stranger. That’s what Katie James from Barry did after joining the kidney donation register. And the weird thing is, she met the future recipient, Lucy Humphrey, by chance on a beach in Wales. Lucy had been unwell with lupus for 15 years and desperately needed a kidney transplant. She visited the beach with her partner and their two dogs. Whilst there, one of their dogs kept going over to Katie who was sitting about 100 yards away and then returning to Lucy. After a while, with the dog making frequent trips between the two, Lucy invited Katie to join them, and they got talking. When Lucy mentioned she couldn’t drink because of her dialysis, the subject of kidney transplants came up and they realised they had something in common. They contacted a kidney donor coordinator the next day and it turns out Katie’s kidney was compatible, a one in 22 million chance apparently. It’s as if Lucy’s dog knew. The operation went ahead and Katie’s selfless act has given Lucy a totally new lease of life. Awesome!

I just love this heart-warming story of how small acts by total strangers can make a huge difference. Ernest Horsfall is a veteran of the Second World War. He has no immediate family, so when his 105^th birthday was approaching, the Royal British Legion charity reached out to members of the public to help him celebrate this amazing milestone. They posted a message on social media and asked people to send him a birthday card. Ernest was overwhelmed by the response – he received more than 4,000 cards from total strangers all wishing him a Happy 105^th Birthday. Greetings came from all around the world, including cards from King Charles and the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. It’s touching to realise that each and every one of the people who sent him a card went out of their way to help someone they didn’t even know have a joyful birthday. Brilliant stuff! That’s what it’s all about.

And finally, I want to share an awesome example of how to make a real difference in a time of crisis, by telling you about a local company that responded to the breakout of the war in Ukraine in the most practical way possible. Toadpit Medical Services Events Ltd is a company based on the outskirts of Ottery St Mary, a couple of miles from where I live. They provide safety and first aid support at events like Motocross, school and league rugby games, other sporting and music events across the South West. When the war in Ukraine started, medical services in the country were stretched to the limit and Toadpit company director, Scott Cheadle, realised that soldiers on the front line urgently needed additional medical and basic supplies. So he stripped out one of the company ambulances and put the word out to the local public in East Devon, appealing for out of date or unwanted medicines, first aid and hygiene supplies, and other basic items. He was overwhelmed by the response and drove the supplies to the Polish border, where medics were able to assess, sort and distribute the supplies to where they were needed most. Now, 14 months later, Scott is still making trips in vehicles crammed to the roof with medical kit donated by members of the public, local businesses and medical companies. The supplies are always gratefully received in Ukraine and are making a practical difference.

So, the next time you hear about crime and violence on the news, remember that the selection of news stories is not representative of the way most of us choose to behave. You have to work hard to find the good news stories, but once you start looking, you realise every community has plenty of heroes taking positive action to make the world a better place.