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Today The Independent publishes its 11th annual Happy List , celebrating 50 of the most inspirational people whose kindness, ingenuity and bravery have made Britain a better place to live.
This year’s Happy List, in partnership with GoFundMe , the largest online fundraising platform, is full of incredible, inspiring individuals nominated by readers of The Independent .
They include nine-year old Jacob Rabi-Laleh, who has handed out almost 400 bags of essentials to make like a little easier for people living on the streets.
Other heroes on the list include Emma Baines, who launched singing group Find Your Voice to bring together vulnerable people in marginalised communities, and 13-year-old schoolgirls Kyra Barboutis and Sophie Smith who are on a mission to rescue hedgehogs, including through ‘Hedgehog Hospitals in their gardens.
At a time when economic, social and political changes are leaving us uncertain about our future, and society seems more fragmented than ever, the Happy List is a moment to celebrate unsung heroes whose good deeds remind us of the best of humanity.
The Independent's Happy List 2019Show all 50 1 /50The Independent's Happy List 2019 The Independent's Happy List 2019 Tayla Falconer Tayla, a 22 year old from Doncaster, already has seven years of dedicated volunteering experience under her belt and now juggles gifting her time with a full time job. She offers one-to-one support to people with dementia through Royal Voluntary Service's Doncaster Dementia Friends Support Service (royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk). Tayla provides vital companionship to clients and does reminiscence work to add their memory, which Tayla describes as “a life changing experience that has made me less scared of getting older”.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Susanna Howard Susannah is the founding Director of Living Words (livingwords.org.uk) a charity which she created to help people experiencing isolation or living with dementia. The organisation has been running for 10 years, helping to give happiness to people with dementia, their carers and their families through its creative approach to honouring the words that people with dementia say. These words are turned into performances, books and recitals which give sufferers dignity and respect.
Ben Gilbert/Wellcome
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Steve Bedlam In 2015 Steve co-founded the Refugee Community Kitchen (refugeecommunitykitchen.com) to feed displaced peoples living on the streets of the UK and abroad. So far they have served over two million hot meals, but not only does Refugee Community Kitchen keep vulnerable people nourished, it also provides a moment in the day where people can gather and connect. The initiative’s food distribution helps to create a sense of community and also provides a safe space for medical and legal services, safeguarding groups and other support.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Simon Sansome In 2014 Simon from Leicestershire lost the use of his legs following an accident. Aged just 32, Simon was unable to access his favourite restaurants or pubs in a wheelchair, so he set up a Facebook page called Ability Access where people can highlight issues in their community. Five years later the page is now reaching seven million people a month and is the UK’s most read dedicated disability page. Simon, an avid campaigner for the disabled community, now travels around the UK interviewing disabled celebrities to highlight issues and runs a successful blog called abilityaccess.blog.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Simon Lewis Cheltenham builder and trained boxer Simon devotes all his spare time to teaching boxing to young people from deprived or difficult backgrounds. For many, Simon’s training gym is their home and place of safety, and he dedicates his free time and money to coaching those who show promise and taking them to competitions. One person who nominated Simon said: “He has a sound, down to earth was with kids whose mothers have lost control and are desperate for help. The council silently rely on Simon to manage the anti-social behaviour in his inimitable way.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Shwetal Shah Passionate about education, empowerment and role model representation, Shwetal, 27, uses the power of tech as a force for social change. She makes documentaries and organises science lectures to showcase everything from women in tech to organising meal sharing events tackling meal exclusion. Shwetal also champions youth causes and developed a video game to teach coding and real world skills to girls aged between eight and 13.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Shuranjeet Singh After experiencing mental health difficulties and feeling unable to approach the Punjabi community, Shuranjeet started Taraki (taraki.uk) in 2017, a platform for Punjabi men to speak honestly about their mental health. Taraki aims to better educate Punjabis about mental health, and to empower them with the resources required to best support people going through difficulties. Birmingham based Shuranjeet, now 23, is now trained in Mental Health First Aid, and dedicates his life to fundraising (gofundme.com/mh-first-aid-instructor-training) and helping others find their way through mental health crises.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Shonette Bason-Wood Shonette from Wynyard near Billingham is the founder of Spreading The Happiness (sth.org.uk), a registered charity which creates family hampers of food and toiletries to help fight food poverty in school holidays. Shonette, through her business Spread the Happiness (www.spreadthehappiness.co.uk) is an educator, comedienne and motivational speaker whose events around the country inspire both children and adults to be responsible for their own happiness, which then impacts on their ability to learn and for adults to work more effectively. She is described as “an incredible example of happiness in action” and a “happiness guru” who has taken her message about how to have a happy life to thousands.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Revd Sally Smith Stoke-on-Trent’s Revd Smith is the founder of Sanctus St Marks (sanctusstmarks.co.uk) a drop-in centre that aims to help the many refugees and asylum seekers who live in the area. Sanctus provides a food bank, creche, English tuition, help with case work, and baby equipment, and offers shared house accommodation for those who would otherwise have no support. One person who nominated her said: “I am proud to know Sally. She is testament to what a determined woman with a lot of empathy can achieve. So many people have had their lives made happier by her work.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Sabeha Miah East Londoner Sabeha is co-founder of Juta Shoes (jutashoes.com), a social enterprise set up to equip underemployed communities with the skills, opportunities and confidence to combat social and financial isolation. Juta Shoes runs social impact crafts workshops, teaching local women who face barriers to work to create bespoke leather shoes and accessories using sustainable and reclaimed materials for them to then sell. “Sabeha dedicates her life to supporting, uplifting and amplifying socially isolated and marginalised BAME women,” says one person who nominated her. “She's a true unsung hero and a force for good.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Roy Ashton During the 15 years that Roy from Rotherham spent caring for his wife, Audrey, who had dementia, he found that his local Dementia Cafe was a lifeline, giving him instant companionship, relief and support. After Audrey passed away 10 years ago, Roy became a volunteer in the cafe. Now aged 90, Roy continues to dedicate time every week to helping people with dementia and their carers.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Richard Barr Over the last 12 years, Richard has raised more than £55,000 for the Down’s Syndrome Association (downs-syndrome.org.uk) and Woolgrove Special Needs Academy (woolgrove.herts.sch.uk). He is currently fundraising by riding 10,000 miles from London to Mount Everest on motorbike, and has also climbed Mt Kilimanjaro and trekked the Inca Trail. Richard’s tireless work is in memory of his son Tom, who had Down’s syndrome and died when he was just seven years old. Richard wrote a book about a mouse called Tom to encourage children to challenge and believe in themselves, with all profits going to charity.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Rae Wilson A volunteering stalwart with Royal Voluntary Service (royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk), 78-year-old Rae has been supporting older people in Balfron, Stirling, for over 15 years. A former primary school teacher, Rae founded a weekly lunch club after identifying a need for somewhere for older people to meet. She also launched the fortnightly Balfron Tea & Tunes social group last year in a care home to bring residents and members of the public together. "Rae is a prime of example of how one person can make a massive and positive impact on a community,” said one of those who nominated her. “She sees volunteering as a way to put something back into the community, whilst giving her sense of purpose."
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Pauline Correy Pauline from Surbiton in Surrey was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014, and since then she has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the disease. As well as being a champion fundraiser by organising bake sales, dance competitions and bucket collections for Target Ovarian Cancer (targetovariancancer.org.uk), Pauline has spoken out about her own experience and is now a face of the charity’s campaign, it’s time to TAKE OVAR. The 73-year-old also took part in The Ovarian Cancer Walk with her whole family - including granddaughter Mia, who helped her get through her diagnosis and chemotherapy.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Patrick Vernon OBE In 2018 Patrick launched The Windrush Justice Fund during the height of the Windrush Scandal. Working with the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) and the Mayor of London, his aim was to support a range of services and activities, including groups and organisations assisting people with applications to the Windrush Taskforce and the Windrush Compensation Scheme. Patrick, 58, from Hackney, London, continues to fundraise and raise awareness, and will help up to 40 groups across the country by the end of the year (uk.gofundme.com/windrush-justice-fund).
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Pat Leacock “Pat is a pied-piper of happiness. He has a unique way of making everyone feel special, and people flock to him,” says one person who nominated Pat, 54, from East Finchley, North London. A musician and learning mentor, Pat supports children to develop skills, self confidence and happiness. He’s instrumental in making community events happen, whether its as MC at local festivals or coordinating the annual street party. Another said, I can't think of a better person to be there in someone's moment of need. He just gives, all the time. He makes others feel good and special.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Nikki Scott Described as “the most inspiring person I know”, Nikki from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire lost her husband Corporal Lee Scott in Afghanistan in 2009. She witnessed first-hand how losing a parent at such a young age impacted her two children. The following year she set up cotty's Little Soldiers (scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk), a charity dedicated to supporting young people who have lost a parent whilst serving in the British Armed Forces. Almost 10 years on, Nikki - now aged 37 - has helped over 300 bereaved children, offering bereavement support as well as holidays, vouchers and gifts.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Niall McCarroll Niall from Berkshire is a volunteer engineers at Remap (remap.org.uk), a charity which custom-makes equipment to help disabled people live more independent lives. Niall made a special speech amplifier for James, a four-year-old with a rare form of vocal cord palsy, which means his speaking voice is so quiet that it is inaudible in many situations. The finished device clips onto his glasses and means James can talk to his friends at school and make himself heard.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Nathan Shoesmith Still only 18, Nathan founded a political news media company, The Speaker (speakerpolitics.co.uk), last year to inspire and educate young people about politics, promote engagement social cohesion. He delivers talks to young people, and takes part in many local social action projects, volunteering to make the lives of local people better. Nathan has also raised over £10,000 for local and national charitable causes, helps teach swimming for a local club in the community and has volunteered to lead sports sessions in a local primary school and to dementia patients in a care home. He’s called “an inspiring young leader.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Michelle Bell “She is the most caring person I know,” said one person who nominated Michelle. “She goes out of her way to help others every day.” A survivor of domestic abuse, Michelle volunteers at charity Refuge, and runs own project called Handbags of Hope that collects bags and fills them with sanitary and hygiene essentials to distribute to women in need at homeless shelters. She also runs a body positivity page and frequently hosts events and coaching to help people to find comfort in their own skin.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Marina Constantinou Anyone undergoing radiotherapy must wear a mesh face mask, which is fastened to a bed to hold the patient in place. This can be a terrifying experience, especially for children. Marina, the Finance Manager at charity Spread a Smile (spreadasmile.org, a charity which entertains children in London hospitals with magicians, face-painters and therapy dogs) saw a way to help make this experience less scary by hand painting radiotherapy masks for young patients. Marina’s designs have included Minions, Spiderman and Sylvanian Families, and she says “I hope to turn the masks from looking terrifying to almost looking like a piece of fun dressing up. I know some of the children have accepted their treatment more readily and have not been so fearful of wearing their mask.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Lynn Hammel-Randall While suffering postnatal depression following the birth of her second child in 2006, Lynn from County Durham found there was a lack of support offered to mothers and their families. She overcame the illness and went on to have two more children, and in 2011 she developed a programme of children’s ‘messy play' sessions to help support parents. Lynn has since gone on to found a non-profit organisation called Clart About (clartabout.co.uk) aiming to both reduce post-natal depression and enhance babies and young children's development through sensory play.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Lisa Roussos Lisa lost her eight-year-old daughter Saffie-Rose in 2017’s Manchester Arena attack, and now she is determinedly making a difference to others who are caught up in similar horrors. Lisa suffered horrific injuries and endured nearly two years of rehabilitation, including learning how to walk again. She found the aftercare - both physical and mental rehabilitation - was lacking, so began fundraising to set up a charity called 22MCR (gofundme.com/22MCR), one of the first charities to help victims of terrorism which aims to support anyone in the UK affected by acts of terrorism.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Lily Gidley After Lily donated her kidney to her husband Geoff in 2010 they both became Kidney Research UK (kidneyresearchuk.org) volunteers. Ever since, Lily has dedicated her free time to raising awareness of organ donation and kidney health in schools, work places the media and anywhere else she can think of. Lily is also the chairman of the Gloucestershire Kidney Patients association and speaks to consultants and medical staff to help support them. She is described as "an absolute inspiration”, who works tirelessly to educate others about the importance of organ donation.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Leanne Howlett After recovering from severe post natal depression, Leanne was determined to help other mothers and break down the barriers to seeking help. Working in partnership with the Coventry and Warwickshire Perinatal Mental Health Team Leanne founded By Your Side (facebook.com/ByYourSidePerinatal/), a peer support and service user forum aiming to improve the help on offer. As well as providing information and creating leaflets, she also provides a weekly ‘stay and play’ session offering mums non judgmental support in a friendly and open environment. Leanne also sits on various advisory panels aiming to improve support, and organises hampers for mums who have been severely ill with post party psychiatric illnesses.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Laurence Carter Earlier this summer Laurence, from London, finished walking over 4,000 miles around the entire coast of England and Wales, raising funds for Cancer Research UK (cancerresearchuk.org). Laurence used the walk as a way to raise awareness of cervical cancer prevention, after his wife died of the disease. He walked every day - apart from the odd day off to run the Manchester Marathon - meeting hundreds of people who told him their cervical cancer stories. As well as raising over £75,000, Laurence’s mission is to promote the message that, with a full screening programme and the HPV vaccination, cervical cancer is the first cancer we can completely eradicate.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Laura Rolph-Willis In 2014 Laura was given the devastating news that her youngest son, Harry, had a life limiting, neuro-degenerative condition. Following the diagnosis Laura met many families in a similar position and found how truly inspirational the siblings were; their selfless acts, overwhelming caring ability and need to always put others before themselves. Laura set up a charity called Sponsor a Sibling (sponsorasibling.co.uk) to help and reward the siblings of unwell children sending them cards, gifts and even providing holidays.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Laura Graham After losing her mum to cancer when she was just 26, Laura from Northampton decided to reboot her life and focus on happiness. Since then she has worked with a range of organisations to promote positive wellbeing and founded The Happy Hood, a free good news magazine sharing stories of unsung heroes and kind deeds. The magazine was recently awarded lottery and local council funding to pay for another year of publishing. Laura, who works for Age UK, also dedicates her free time to helping the elderly live a better life by holding events, meet-ups and street parties to bring lonely people together.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Kyra Barboutis and Sophie Smith These two 13-year-old schoolgirls are on a mission to rescue hedgehogs in their local area of Stratford upon Avon. When property developers Taylor Wimpey put up netting over a hedge lining a 270-home development, the girls realised it would trap hedgehogs and set up a group called Hedgehog Friendly Town to get them to remove it. They were successful, and with the support of local vets, Kyra and Sophie now run a ‘hedgehog hospital’ in each of their back gardens to help rehabilitate animals. So far they’ve helped more than 400.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Jude Habib One of the many who nominated Jude said: “I don't know anyone else like Jude. She devotes so much time, energy and personal funds to helping disadvantaged people. I'm proud to know her”. By day, Jude works to create a network of media-confident spokespeople with real experience of pressing social issues facing UK society today - such as homelessness, poverty, addiction, and domestic abuse. By night Jude opens her home as a Depaul Nightstop host (uk.depaulcharity.org/NightstopUK), offering a safe space for young people who have nowhere else to go.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Joy Hibbins When Joy became suicidal in 2012 she found that she was unable to access suitable therapy. It inspired her to set up a charity, Suicide Crisis (suicidecrisis.co.uk), to provides crisis support to people in Gloucestershire. Together with a small team of colleagues, Joy volunteers to support at-risk individuals, as well as conducting research into suicide prevention. She regularly speaks at conferences, has now published two books and presented to the national advisory group on suicide. Her nominator says “Joy is the kindest person I have ever met”.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 John Lyons As General Manager of Carntyne and Riddrie Credit Union, John works hard to break down barriers to food bank access. Eight years ago the former civil servant witnessed the hurdles that left locals feeling ashamed to ask for food help, so he decided to take it into his own hands to improve the problem. By calling into the Credit Union community centre, people in need can bypass the stress of waiting for social services appointments and filling out multiple forms. John listens to people’s requirements and food bags are made on a bespoke basis, with very little going to waste, and besides food assistance he also provides nappies, formula and baby clothes from a baby bank on the same non-referral basis.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Jane Hatton In 2011 Jane founded Evenbreak (evenbreak.co.uk), a social enterprise dedicated to securing jobs for people with disabilities. She tirelessly campaigns for companies to become more inclusive and diverse, and has written a book to explain how. Jane has a degenerative spinal condition, which means she mostly works lying down with a laptop suspended above her, and her staff comprises all disabled people. One of those who put her forward for the Happy lIst said: “Jane is genuinely one of the positive, most enriching people I’ve ever met. She always put others before herself and is making a huge difference in the disability space, getting hundreds of adults into sustainable employment. A true inspiration.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Jacob Rabi Laleh After becoming concerned about the number of homeless people he’d seen in Essex, nine-year-old Jacob decided to do something to help. In 2016 he set up Jacob's Backpack Campaign (jacobsbackpackcampaign.co.uk) which aims to give anyone living on the streets a bag of essentials to make life a little bit more comfortable. Jacob has since put together more than 365 backpacks which have been distributed around Essex, London, Suffolk, Norfolk, Kent and Brighton. He aims to fill 1,000 before he is 10, and says “To think of those 1,000 smiles, I believe it will happen, because miracles happen if you believe in them.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Jack Thomson Jack, aged 10, from Gateshead started fundraising for CLIC Sargent (clicsargent.org.uk) when he was diagnosed with an untreatable brain tumour which left him mostly blind. Jack set up tombolas and cake sales, raising thousands of pounds to help other children with cancer. He also set up a tuck shop at his karate class and ran the Junior Great North Run in 2016, despite breaking his toe before the race. He is now fundraising to reach a £40,000 target, and one person who nominated him said: “Full of character and a special smile, everyone who meets Jack remembers him and his energy. He has inspired so many.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Hua Liu Four years ago mum of three Hua from Beeston, Leeds, began volunteering to help isolated elderly people in her community at local charity Health for All (healthforall.org.uk). She now runs a thriving Chinese elders group, called Lychee Red, an older mens group, Happy Panda, and a young Chinese families group -Happy Chinese Families - which all meeting weekly. Thanks to Hua, more than 100 people marginalised people are now supported each week. One person who nominated her said: “She is truly amazing and makes so many people truly happy!”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Euan Macdonald After being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2013, Euan - a powerchair user from Edinburgh - found that a lack of disabled access information made everyday life stressful. He and his sister Kiki set up charity Euan's Guide (euansguide.com), a disabled access review site. Today it is used by thousands disabled people, their family, friends and carers to find and share honest reviews of the accessibility of venues around the UK and beyond. By breaking down the barriers of exclusion with the help of other people in the same situation, Euan’s Guide helps to give everyone the freedom to explore.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Emma Baines After being made redundant in 2012, Emma from London became socially isolated and found her mental health suffered. After taking stock of what she could do to meet other people, Emma made and distributed flyers asking if anyone would join her to come together and sing. In 2013, she launched the first Find Your Voice (findyourvoice.org.uk) with seven people. Today there over 3,200 beneficiaries, including many vulnerable people living in marginalised communities. One person who nominated Emma said: “She recognised how singing can make things better. It gets people seen, heard and achieving in throughout the UK in care centres, schools, community centres and recovery units.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Ella Daish Ella, a postwoman from Cardiff, is running a campaign called Make all Menstrual Products Plastic Free (change.org/plasticfreeperiods) to fight to get plastic removed from all menstrual products. Described as “vibrant and impactful”, 26-year-old Ella started the campaign last year to stop sanitary products from contributing to the global plastic crisis. One of her many supporters says “‘Eco Elle’ is amazing, she has works so passionately and has such tenacity for this important cause.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Declan Flynn Former musician Declan grew up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and has overcome addiction issues to help set up charity Bench Outreach (benchoutreach.com), which supports homeless people in and around London. Declan is now the charity’s CEO, and one person who nominated him said: “Declan is one of life's givers, always putting other people first. He lives and breathes tackling injustice and poverty. He stands up for those who have no-one else, and he has your back whenever you need him. He is simply amazing.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 David Pugh In 1989 David, from Bristol, set up charity Newfound Friends UK (newfoundfriends.co.uk), using the skills of specially trained Newfoundland Dogs to hold sponsored ‘rescue days’ to raise funds for various children’s charities. Hundreds of willing participants have been ‘rescued’ by these four-legged heroes, helping the charity raise more than £1.4million for 47 different good causes. David, 64, and his dogs are also regular visitors to hospices and hospitals to help spread some joy, comfort and happiness children and their families.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Chris Fleet “He has a passion for helping those most in need, and deserves recognition for the continuous work he puts into supporting our community,” says one person who nominated therapist Chris from Torbay, South Devon. He volunteers at Exeter prison every week, where he gives inmates free therapy to help with addiction and mental health issues. Chris, 55, also runs The Devon Clinic which gives parents in financial hardship free therapy sessions to help with stress.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Carrie Gracie An international editor at the BBC, Carrie thought she was being paid equally, until she learnt male colleagues doing the same job were earning at least 50% more. To help others fight their employers - especially those who can’t afford legal support - Carrie used a donation of her backdated pay from the BBC to help the Fawcett Society to launch an Equal Pay Advice Service (fawcettsociety.org.uk/equal- pay-advice-service). Carrie’s GoFundMe campaign to continue the work has so far raised over £10,000 and still taking donations (uk.gofundme.com/equalpaynow).
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The Independent's Happy List 2019 Cal Major After moving to Devon to work as a vet, surfer Cal became acutely aware of the plastic on beaches. She joined forces with Surfers Against Sewage, running beach cleans in my local community and talking to people about what we were finding. In 2016 she set up the Paddle Against Plastic campaign (paddleagainstplastic.com), using stand up paddleboarding expeditions adventures to capture peoples’ imagination to highlight the issue of plastic pollution and to promote positive change by proposing simple solutions.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Beth Moore Beth co-founded Jersey Recovery College (Recovery.je), a community-based independent mental health charity. It offers education and training opportunities to people experiencing mental health difficulties and the family, friends and professionals who support them. The courses support adults to enhance their knowledge and understanding of mental health conditions, recovery, wellbeing and life skills. All the courses are free and work to provide hope, opportunity and empowerment to the students. Every course is co-designed and delivered by a peer trainer, with lived experience, and a co-trainer, with professional expertise in the topic area.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Andrew Haglington After becoming seriously ill in the 1990s Andrew from Tavistock found it hard to make friends, so he set up the Devon Social Group (devonsocialgroup.com) as a way for people to connect. Since then, Andrew, 58, has hosted thousands of events and helped people to feel confident enough to get talking and make new connections. “Andrew gives his all to help others be happy,” says one person who put him forward for the Happy List. “His hard work and dedication have benefited a huge number of people. There have been romances and even children born as a result of him bringing people together”.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Amanda Sdairia Described as “a true angel”, Amanda from Middlesborough works free of charge giving visa advice to families and couples separated due to immigration issues. Through her Facebook group 'I love my foreign spouse' she supports and advises people navigating changing legislation to help them be reunited and ultimately live together in the UK. One of the many who nominated her says: “Amanda has been a rock for thousands in despair and living apart from their spouse or children. She is incredibly knowledgeable - easily as good as an immigration lawyer - and so many people love and appreciate her. Their gratitude and admiration is beyond words.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Abi Abdel-aal Abi runs two Homes from Home for charity The Sick Children’s Trust in Cambridge, giving families with a seriously ill child in hospital a warm and comfortable place to stay and a friendly ear to listen. After joining the charity in 2014, Abi quickly became one of the charity's most dedicated team members, but in the last year she has gone beyond the call of duty. Abi ran the houses single handedly - supporting 784 families last year. Not only did Abi, 46, ensure no family lacked the vital support they needed she also fundraised over £192,000.
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Winston Goode After 20 years experience working with young, marginalised people, Londoner Winston set up Juvenis (juvenis.org.uk), a charity offering bespoke support and training to young people who are having difficulties at school, at home or in the community. Winston’s nurturing vision is for young people to have more than one chance to fulfil their potential and engage with employment, education or training. One of the many who nominated him says: “Winston takes so much time to promote causes and drive social change. His work is driven by his want for young people to lead happy and fulfilled lives. I’ve never known someone who does so much great work yet is so unsung, and I can’t think of a bigger hero.”
The Independent's Happy List 2019 Di Stillwell Di has been volunteering at St Catherine’s Hospice (stch.org.uk) in Crawley, West Sussex, for over 31 years, supporting patients by taking part in activities, keeping them company and serving lunch. To celebrate her recent 80th birthday, Di did a tandem skydive to raise money for the hospice. It’s a challenge she’s always wanted to do in memory of both of her late husbands who were cared for at St Catherine’s, and all the patients and families who she’s come in to contact with. Di raised an incredible £2,000 to help other people receive expert end of life care and support and make sure they don’t have to face death and loss alone.
Amid news feeds dominated by cynicism, disappointment and disgrace, the Happy List champions those who too often go unrecognised.
Founded in 2008 as an antidote to awards that celebrate wealth or celebrity, the Happy List acknowledges people that give rather than take, doing extraordinary things without their own personal gain in mind.
The 50 individuals below have been carefully handpicked and researched from appeals across social media and scores of nominations from readers of The Independent . As ever, the list is completely unranked and appears in no particular order.
Christian Broughton, editor of The Independent , said: “We are living in a time of great uncertainty, which makes it all the more valuable to shine a light on remarkable people who simply strive to make Britain a better place.
“All of those on the Happy List give back to society rather than take from it, and what makes it even more special is that the nominations come from you, our readers.
“Everyone featured should be very proud of the difference they have made”.
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