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50 PLUS MAGAZINE
T wittering O n BY ANGELA KELLY Everyday heroes for challenging times IF there’s one thing that the coronavirus pandemic has taught us it is to re-think our heroes. The currency has become severely devalued in recent years as petulant superstars of sport, individuals paid ridiculous sums to promote products to the gullible and vacuous reality TV so-called celebrities all achieve iconic status. Not only are those on the NHS frontline now rightly recognised for their everyday commitment to doing their very best – and far more – for us all, but the cream has definitely risen to the top as far as humanity is concerned. Care home workers who isolated themselves for months to ensure their charges survived in isolation. Needlewomen, and men, who spent much of their lockdown sewing scrubs for health workers. Restaurants, already out of pocket over lockdown closures, opened their hearts and their kitchens to provide meals for frontline key workers. They all shone at a dark time in our national history. Who previously would have picked out Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford as a spokesman for a generation? Yet, he displayed consistent bravery in speaking out about poverty in families. His determination, sincerity and willingness to relate his own experiences as a youngster pricked the social conscience of everyone – including Boris Johnson who ensured needy children had meals over the Summer. Rashford’s quiet manner and determination were one of the most affecting things about this strange and challenging time. There were heroes in every community, though. Ordinary people who insisted on helping vulnerable residents with meals, shopping, phone calls and caring. They did this quietly, without fanfares, as simple acts of consistent human kindness that made you renew your faith in others. Values don’t make headlines these days – they’re not a fashionable cause. But, discovering that, behind the depressing news stories of violence, selfishness and greed, 6
there was still a vital layer of real decency and morality among a huge swathe of the population has both broadened and narrowed our definition of a “hero”. With luck, we won’t make the same mistakes of recognition again.
The royals who do justice to the name WE’VE been so busy focussing on certain worrying members of the royal family recently that we’ve forgotten just what the strengths are of “the firm.” The year seems to have been taken up with stories of Prince Andrew’s alleged darker side and the triviality that is the new life of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan. As a result, we’ve looked away from a couple of stalwarts of the monarchy that offer enduring reassurance. While the Queen continues to do an amazing job as head of our nation, confounding both her age and familial distractions and the Cambridges show their regal class, two others have quietly come to the fore. Prince Charles, our future King, has slowly and rather charmingly won over the public by simply continuing to do what the House of Windsor does so well: be royal. He has always come across as a gentle soul, a lover of nature, possibly a bit flaky and at times slightly out of touch. However, as he’s grown older and settled into his second marriage to Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, he has endeared himself to more people. Now, we can even see him as King Charles III. The other, very underestimated member of the royal family to canter up on the rails is his sister, Princess Anne. She was 70 this year and definitely more like the Queen in her stoicism. She has been described as “single-minded, fearless, driven, devoted to duty and loyal” and is known as probably the hardest working royal. She puts in 500 engagements a year on behalf of 300 charities but her secret may be that she compartmentalises her working and private lives, regularly returning to her Gloucestershire home.
The Queen’s only daughter was the first British royal to compete in the Olympics and won BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1971. As self-confessed non-conformists like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex show their feelings by storming out of the royal family, Princess Anne has remained within it and put her personal stamp on the job. She won’t be Queen but, I believe, would definitely have made a good one. She considers being a member of the royal family a job like any other and simply gets on with it – without a bribe, seedy headlines or a tantrum in sight.
Zoom away the gloom this Autumn NOT very long ago if you’d said you were going on a Zoom meeting most people would assume that drugs were involved. Now, we all understand this useful form of tech communication and Zoom is used by a surprising cross-section of people – from groups of friends to boardroom chief execs. The fact that it’s free is also a major plus for everyone. However, if you have Zoomed in recent months, you’ll know just how distracting people’s home backgrounds can be – and how competitive it’s now become to have the best. While some choose an office, a pleasant living room, a bedroom or even (on fine days) the garden for their Zoom meetings, others have opted to create a virtual background of palm trees gently wafting in the breeze or other sunshine vistas. There are even companies now which will design your individual background especially for you. My favourite is still shelves of book – some of which are recognisable and a useful additional guide to the personality of the Zoomer. Personally, I’ve got a large collage of family photos on my background wall but am considering a tropical virtual backdrop to cheer up all my Zoomees. Of course, I could also complement this with a suitably impressive outfit. And, as I only have to worry about showing my top half during online meetings, it could be as exotic as I like. Mind you, I’m not sure how fellow businessmen and women in my networking group would take to that. It could certainly take Zooming to a whole new level!
