Why we want to say a #BigThankYou

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Two words have never been more important. Thank You.

It is a small gesture that we must never take for granted - and often it is the hardest phrase to say.

As a nation we have faced one of the biggest challenges to test our resolve and resilience in the face of a silent killer we have never battled before.

Since March 23 - and even longer for some of our most vulnerable - we have been parted from our loved ones, shielded the defenceless and formed a protective ring around the National Health Service so that it can help those who need it the most.

It has come at a cost and there has been a tragic price to pay as coronavirus sweeps the country.

Sadly thousands of loved ones have succumbed to the virus, leaving many families struggling to compound their loss as they grieve alone.

It has been incredibly tough - we are living in extraordinary times.

Yet it is during times of great crisis that human compassion truly comes to the fore.

At the outbreak of World War Two the Royal Voluntary Service was founded as a million women came forward to support those in need.

And that spirit of kindness, compassion and selflessness has reigned true today.

A single action from another can make such a tremendous difference.

For those making the ultimate sacrifice on the frontline in our hospitals their decisions - under a pressure they have never faced before - truly mean the difference between life and death.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people across the country answered the call to join the nation’s volunteer army to support the National Health Service and become a lifeline to those who were unable to leave their homes.

For others it can be a simple remarkable act of kindness that has resonated with them: be it a trip to the shop, a friendly wave to a vulnerable neighbour or a rainbow in a window.

And we have been with you every single step of the way, sharing those stories of resilience and brilliance in our communities.

We are surrounded by a nation of unsung heroes.

Why we want to say a #BigThankYou - and how you can too