Efforts to honour the fallen can inspire us to a better future, says Sheffield business leader

Remembrance Sunday was marked with a small, socially-distanced service in Sheffield city centre

The ceremonies went ahead albeit on a reduced scale and so many people updated their social media profiles to include the symbolic poppies.

This is a critical period in our own morale and the collective resolve to beat Covid.

We can take much inspiration from the fact front-line workers who were there in first wave are there for us again.

Schoolchildren enjoying the company of their mates also lift us by their innocence of the wider issues.

Our senior citizens too continue to show their stoicism that has sustained them during previous challenges and Poppy Day highlighted the ultimate sacrifices many made to give us the freedoms we enjoy today.

The support we got from not only family, friends and neighbours was most welcome and it was heart- warming to see the hundreds of volunteers who came to help too.

That kindness is now embedded and will endure long after coronavirus is history.

We have all found different ways of both protecting ourselves and hope to live our lives less fearful, while still respecting the dangers of the pandemic.

While appreciating the support of others, we have also become more aware of our own responsibilities to protect ourselves and loved ones being shown by the increase in preventative measures like personal hygiene, social distancing and wearing masks.

It is not yet universal, but not smoking in public places took a while to be a permanent feature.

We were all, including the Government, caught on the back foot at the outbreak and are all now better prepared both individually, organisationally and in our NHS to protect the young and most vulnerable.

The optimism now being shown by long-awaited vaccines will motivate us to rebuild our lives and our economy with the same passion we did after the War.

The poppies remind us there is life to be had after tragedy and the togetherness engendered during it will give us all the incentives we need to build a better city, taking nothing for granted, prepared for the unexpected and determined to live healthier safer lives, caring for each other and addressing the health inequalities that can add or subtract 10 years of your lifespan depending where you live.

Remember the sacrifices we endured and make future generations proud of us.

We should take that opportunity to make a healthy difference.