The qualities which mark a true leader have been easy to lose sight of in recent weeks.
Courage, clear-sightedness, empathy, sacrifice - the very best are those who inspire us, who make us want to be better ourselves.
In a beleaguered Britain buffeted by chaos and confusion we begin to despair they even exist.
Yet tonight, from dark clouds of economic and political turmoil and clashing egos, stepped a group of unassuming, perhaps unlikely folk, exhibiting all those qualities and then some at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, with TSB.
Rainbows have formed a potent symbol of hope in recent years; during the pandemic, streaking rainy skies after the death of Queen Elizabeth II - a stateswoman whose core moral compass revolved around those traits, and who received a powerful round of applause at the ceremony.
But tonight, it was the Pride of Britain winners who became the rainbow.
These men, women and children gathered at London’s Grosvenor House didn’t necessarily look like leaders. Some were elderly, some kids; not all possessed polish, or a slick way with words.
Their smiles were sometimes shy at the praise of presenters Carol Vorderman and Ashley Banjo, and the fierce applause of a 1000-strong celebrity crowd emotionally clutching balled tissues.
Yet what our award winners all had in spades was that courage, that clear-sightedness, that selflessness. And with it they returned our pride.
Dames Joan Collins and Kelly Holmes, Sir Mo Farah, TV’s Holly Willoughby and Susanna Reid, Hollywood’s Idris Elba and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, were amid the famous faces. But they knew they would not remain centre stage for long.
That was reserved for the true stars, like mum-of-four Michelle Dornelly, 52, the TSB Community Hero.
If anyone could give a lesson on leadership it would be her.
Amid a rudderless economic crisis, struggling on Universal Credit payments herself, she has galvanised her neighbours in Hackney, east London, where half of kids live in poverty.
She saw their hand-wringing, their choice between heating or filling their “children’s bellies”, and spearheaded the Hackney Community Food Hub.
With a volunteer army she collects surplus food, stacks her living room full of it, and has fed more than 100,000 people.
She’s had just one weekend off in three years. “I eat, breathe and sleep this,” she said. “It’s my purpose.” Selflessness nailed right there.
Her win was revealed on a giant billboard near her home, bringing the mum to tears. Those tears continued on stage, despite her indomitable smile, her golden glitter eyeshadow, rendering her speechless.
Dame Mary Berry and the Repair Shop’s Jay Blades, from Hackney, presented her award. “You inspire me to keep going,” said Jay, removing his cap.
The mum was gifted a family holiday - the relief in her shaking, laughing body was visceral.
Then take a 15-year-old, the Teenager of Courage, Lucy Montgomery, from Armagh, Northern Ireland, whose bravery and level head is truly breathtaking.
This slight teen, clutching her blue satin cuffs with nerves, took away the collective breath of a pin-drop silent room.
Paddleboarding with an eight-year-old friend, she risked her own life to save his when strong currents swept him away, then rescued her dad, Graham, a non-swimmer, who had tried to help. “No,” she laughed, when asked if she was a hero.
Over and over, it was these youngest winners who lit the way.
Not least the littlest, Elizabeth Soffe, eight, who insists “being kind” is the most important thing.
The Child of Courage winner was just six-months-old when she nearly died in a cot fire, suffering third degree burns over 60% of her body. She has undergone more than 70 operations.
Yet last year, she ran a marathon in 26 days, completing a mile every day in her local park, plus 73 laps of her garden during Covid isolation, raising £202,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
F1 star Daniel Ricciardo, who surprised her with her award, remarked, staggered, on this “drive and determination” in one so little.
Likewise, Tobias Garbutt Weller, 11, from Sheffield, GMB Young Fundraiser of the Year.
He lives with autism and cerebral palsy, using a walking frame, yet has completed two marathons, an Iron Man - which took a year - and a sponsored walk to raise more than £158,000.
He is nicknamed ‘Captain’ after Captain Tom Moore, but has more than earned the title.
The cheeky character clasped his hands in delight with a huge beam as he went on stage.
As Susana Reid and Ben Shepherd looked awestruck, his mum said she was “bursting with pride”. We all were.
Pride of Britain wouldn’t be Pride of Britain without these qualities echoing from ages eight to 82.
Jill Allen-King, the Lifetime Achievement winner from Southend-On-Sea, lost her sight due to childhood Measles and later, glaucoma.
She has spent the past five decades campaigning tirelessly to improve the lives of blind and partially-sighted people.
The gamechanger, responsible for braille on bus buttons and textured pedestrian crossings, has a MBE, an OBE, but hasn’t stopped.
Her black labrador guide dog Jagger received some of the loudest ‘awws’ of the night, but couldn’t quite upstage the tiny but formidable Jill who smiled broadly to raucous applause.
“I want to sit back and relax, but there is still so much to campaign for,” she said, after ticking host Banjo off for his lack of ballroom dance training, and cha cha cha-ing on stage.
Paul O’Grady presented her award - giving both she and Jagger a kiss. “You don’t give up ever, do you?” he said.
There were those in positions of authority who went above and beyond, and beyond again.
Leading Seaman David Groves, 32, back at sea, so represented by his wife Leanne, and Able Seaman Alex Harvey, 28, won Outstanding Bravery Awards for leading a mission to rescue 27 from a burning cargo ship, the Grande America.
And PC James Willetts, 25, and PC Leon Mittoo, 34, from the West Midlands, scooped the This Morning Emergency Services Award for their courage in facing down a knifeman in a packed mall.
The two rookie officers were stabbed repeatedly. Their bodycam footage chilled the room.
“I just did everything I could,” said PC Mittoo.
That, there, is what marked out every winner.
England’s Lionesses, who scooped Euro 2022 glory, were no exception, picking up a special Inspiration Award.
They gifted belief to a nation of girls.
”Thank you very much for inspiring my daughter,” said David Beckham, speaking for every parent.
Although it was perhaps the presentation of medals by Brent Girls football team, little Lionesses to be, which moved the team most.
But it was perhaps those winners completely untrained, unprepared, who prompted the wettest eyes.
While the nation cheered for daughters inspired, it was three men who all lost their daughters to suicide, who moved us most deeply of all.
No one would have blamed them for retreating, for breaking. But rather than coil into their grief, Andy Airey, 61, Mike Palmer, 57, and Tim Owen, 52, united to form Dads Walking, raising over £1million for suicide prevention charity Papyrus by covering over 800 miles.
The Special Recognition award was rightly theirs, these men with “lion hearts”, the title of the rousing closing song sung by Joel Corry and Tom Grennan.
Their efforts are “about hope”, Mike told us.
Tonight we all felt hope again.
Watch the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with TSB on Thursday 27th October, ITV, 8pm.
