This is the week of my father’s funeral. The last year has taken a lot of people from our families and I now understand the complicated mixture of feelings that crop up.

I was lucky enough to be interviewed on many radio stations over the last few weeks. I have an ebook out that is filled with topical comedy from 2020, which means my father gets many mentions in it. It has been strange when interviewers have asked me how he is doing and I have to break the news of what happened.

In general people’s response has been so kind, probably because so many people know what this grief is like. Not all messages have been so nice. I have had a fair few interactions of social media telling me that my father, who died of Covid-19, didn’t die of it, because it’s not real.

I used to find the deniers amusing but when you have seen a death certificate with Covid-19 written right there in Box 9 you start to lose patience with that keyboard warriors.

I try to not let it bother me because that’s what the internet is like. I also got into an online spat with a Flat Earther recently who told me that gravity didn’t exist, which is good news if I ever fall off a cliff.

So my new new year’s resolution is to concentrate on the acts of kindness I have seen. There are people I haven’t talked to since secondary school who heard the news and reached out with fond memories of dad. Catching up with lost friends has been such a welcome distraction. If you know if someone who has lost someone, reach out too. It will be very kind of you.

Even positive news has warmed my heart, like the police officers in North Swindon who found that someone had left chocolate bars for them on their police car (pictured below).

After so many news stories about police getting abuse for breaking up illegal house parties it’s nice to hear about someone thinking of others. Plus, any act of kindness that involves chocolate is endorsed by me.

That was a nice gift because the wrappers were still intact. Back in my GWR breakfast show days a listener turned up with three cheeses that he had made. I appreciated the sentiment but I challenge anyone to risk a home-made cheese from a stranger.

I left them in the radio station’s office fridge. I like to think I was paying the good deed forwards.

Whatever it is, if you see a chance to be kind, I say pounce on it.