Uplifting news: ‘Touching’ NHS applause and Liam Payne’s food bank donation

The nation came together to celebrate the NHS and Liam Payne made a sizeable donation to the Trussell Trust charity in Friday’s news.

Here is a look at some of the day’s more uplifting stories you might have missed.

– That has given us a boost – doctor on ‘touching’ NHS applause from public

Up and down the country, members of the public put their hands together for NHS workers and others who have been battling the coronavirus pandemic and Tom, 42, a consultant anaesthetist, heard it on his way home from work at a London hospital.

“It was really touching to hear the applause,” he told the PA news agency.

“We’re all so worried about whether we’re going to be able to be there for all the patients who are going to need us over the coming weeks and months, and knowing that the public have got our backs was much needed.”

– ‘When they need us, we’ll be there’ – Football turns attention to communities

Football clubs from top flight to grassroots level have been providing vital services to their local communities after the domestic season was halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Professional clubs such as Crystal Palace, Blackburn and Port Vale among others have been using their resources to help fans, while smaller community clubs such as Uttoxeter Town, who ply their trade in the 10th tier of English football, are doing their best to help those in need.

Jonathan Landells, the club’s development officer, told the PA news agency: “There are people desperate to get things delivered so we came up (with) the plan by putting out the idea that the bus was available on a Covid-19 Facebook group locally.

“Various people came up with different ideas and the one that we thought was most workable was distributing prescriptions to the elderly and vulnerable that can’t get out because of the current situation.

“When they need us, we will be there.”

– Liam Payne helps provide more than 360,000 meals with charity donation

The One Direction star has donated to the Trussell Trust charity to support more than 100 food bank centres in Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry, Sheffield, Nottingham and Bristol as they continue to provide help to people in crisis.

The donation will help the food banks provide hundreds of thousands of meals as the charity warned more people are likely to need a food bank’s help as a result of the pandemic, particularly those who are not eligible for sick pay or have unstable jobs.

Payne’s donation will enable the Trussell Trust to launch a crisis fund for food banks to help with recruiting additional staff, hiring delivery vehicles or extra space, or, if necessary and available, buying food.

– Self-isolating cancer patients given iPads to keep in touch with family

Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff said the donation of 10 tablet computers by training provider ACT Training was helping keep both patients and visitors safe by using video-chat apps.

The company said it had decided to help out on Wednesday after hearing patients, some terminally ill, were having difficulty keeping in touch with their loved ones.

ACT’s director of operations, Louise Williams, told the PA news agency: “To be able to help patients at the centre remain connected to their loved ones during this difficult time was something we felt was absolutely essential.”

– Pygmy goats get extra attention from zookeepers as they’re missing visitors

The goats are used to interacting with guests in the children’s section of the zoo, and have been waiting at the gate every morning anticipating the arrival of a stream of people.

But because the zoo is currently closed to visitors during the coronavirus pandemic, no guests are arriving and their ears were being left unscratched.

Senior keeper Tara Humphrey told the PA news agency: “We’ve all been taking it in turns to regularly visit the zoo’s pygmy goats at our children’s zoo, Animal Adventure, to give them some extra attention.

“They’ve been waiting patiently at the gate every day for their usual ear scratches from visitors so we’re doing our bit to make it up to them.”