SOMETIMES it is the small gesture that means the most. To open my laptop last Saturday and find a message that read: ‘we’re grateful you are keeping the paper going and really enjoying the familiar routine of picking it up on a Saturday’. Robyn, you made my day.

We in The Irish Field are also grateful to our advertisers and readers for your support. In common with almost all sectors of business, this is a time of great pressure for the world of media. Yet, never in recent times has the media had such an important role to play. Thankfully we are in a position to give our readers a copy to buy each weekend, and from the feedback we are getting you appreciate our efforts.

Wherever racing is happening, we are still there. We have all the latest news, and our extensive range of features are going down a treat. I also made the decision, when this crisis occurred, to turn our fortnightly health column into a weekly one. Again, I have been contacted by many to say how they are thankful for this.

By standing together, in whatever form that takes, we can see this through. It is difficult, challenging, worrying. It also brings out the best in people and it is stimulating innovation. Communities are bonding like never before, and I predict that we will all be stronger when this ends. We need to see this race to the finish.

We have been highlighting one form of community spirit that has burned brightly in recent weeks, that of supporting front line personnel through various fundraising initiatives. Please continue to give what you can – every €5 makes a difference. Many other charities have had their fundraising efforts hit with a sledgehammer, and must not be forgotten.

Last week we featured the efforts of the Jack & Jill Foundation to raise much needed funding. The particular initiative highlighted, called Incognito, takes place this coming Friday at 10am, and it is online. I learned subsequently that the charity is down about €500,000 in funding for this year – a massive blow for work that is beyond measure in terms of money, helping children with neurological conditions and their families.

So, as we head into another week when we are hopefully closer to a brighter day, please reach out to support a charity of your choice. If you choose Jack & Jill, go online to www.incognito.ie (not .com as we published last week) and for your donation you might even find you own a piece of art by Peter Curling or Bruce Springsteen.