COMMENT Reading is supposed to be one of the best forms of relaxation, but this year, scanning the news hasn’t always been a delightful experience.

As I flipped through the morning papers and scrolled down the online portals, I often found myself in a state of rage as I was served with one bad (click-baiting of course) headline after the other, courtesy of the usual suspects: bigoted demagogues, corrupt politicians with mammoth egos and the inconsistent form of Arsenal Football Club.

Yet, in what has often been a harsh, dark year, there have been instances of hope that have lifted the heart, most notably, from these good Samaritans who rolled up their sleeves, got off their armchairs and went about making this country that we love a better place.