As we settle in to what has been a highly anticipated new year, we want to recognise three people that had a positive impact in 2020, in what was arguably the most challenging year of our lifetime.
As life changed and the country adapted to new ways of living, some people saw it as an opportunity to help, campaign and fight for things they believed in. They stood out and went above and beyond to make a difference.
Joe Wicks
As a mum of two primary school aged children, when families across the country were told they would be home-schooling, I was overwhelmed. I felt terrified. I was fortunate that I still had work but that meant delivering coverage, meeting deadlines, attending meetings (virtually of course). Nothing day-to-day from a work perspective had significantly changed for me - other than having two children with me all day, every day, that needed to be taught.
I spent that first weekend of lockdown in March carefully planning my lessons for the week ahead. How would I work and teach? And then Joe came along…. He announced that he would live stream ‘PE With Joe’ at 9am every weekday morning. Now, sadly, 9am didn’t fit in with our timetable but 2pm did so we would catch up each afternoon. It burnt off energy for my two pupils and it gave me some head space. But you know what the best thing about all of this was, the consistency. Each day the three of us had the familiarity of Joe’s voice. My children knew that at 2pm they got their PE kit on and it marked the end of the day for us. It felt like we were all in it together. He did that until the end of the summer term. What dedication. And now, he’s back. Here to help us all once again.
Joe had almost a million families attending his classes and smashed the world record for the largest streamed workout on YouTube. I have no doubt his lessons will be as popular this time round too.
He’s subsequently gone on to sell merchandise for charity, and every now and again throws in a class just for old times’ sake! He helped so many families at one of the toughest times and I speak on behalf of many parents, particularly those who were working dung that time, when I say thank you. I have a feeling 2021 will be your year – you’ve made yourself too popular now!
Marcus Rashford
Before his campaign to put a stop to child hunger in England, if you heard his name, it was football you thought of. Some may not have even known his name. But that all changed when he stood up and made himself be heard off the pitch (for the right reasons) and quickly became a national hero. He shouldn’t have had to fight for this cause; no child should ever go hungry in this country, but the sad fact is they do, and Marcus made everyone aware of it.
He launched a petition to end child food poverty when government scrapped free school meals during half term but what makes this young man so heroic is that he is only 23 years old and he showed such maturity as he put himself out there to help.
His passion was palpable. He isn’t a natural lobbyist, he talks with his feet remember, that’s his bread and butter. But here he was speaking to news media, not sports, about his challenging experiences growing up. He described how he would collect his Christmas dinner from food banks and his honesty captured the nation. The support he received was incredible.
The petition gained over a million signatures and forced a second government U-turn when they announced a winter grant scheme for families in need. This helped so many and businesses, individuals (myself and Carie included) continue to pitch in and help local families. There is a real sense of togetherness in this positive step change and it’s all down to one man’s grit, determination and his Twitter platform.
James Watt
James Watt is the CEO of independent Scottish brewer, BrewDog. You’d typically find them making beer – the clue is in the name. But when the pandemic hit, they took it upon themselves to help and one weekend in April they started making hand sanitiser for the NHS. A product they admit they knew nothing about!
At the time, right at the start of the pandemic, James was fighting to protect as many jobs as possible with pubs closed across the country; but his commitment to be a force for good drove him to help. The hand sanitiser was produced in the company’s distillery and they supplied NHS frontline workers and charities.
To further help, they shared what they had learned along the way and offered tips for other businesses looking to do the same.
When so many businesses were on their knees, facing huge amounts of uncertainty, this guy pivoted. And he pivoted well.