The past year has been a roller coaster of emotions with all of us having our lives turned upside down in some way.

Whatever your profession – working for the NHS, delivery services, emergency services, I don’t think that anyone could have predicted just how challenging working and living during a global pandemic could be. But we have done just that. And we should be proud.

There is no doubt that we all deserve recognition for the extraordinary work and sacrifices every single one of us have made in supporting the pandemic.

As we begin a new year, I want to say a personal thank you specifically to everyone working in education and to those who have supported our schools and colleges.

Newham Recorder: Mandeep Gill thanks everyone who has worked hard to keep schools and colleges openMandeep Gill thanks everyone who has worked hard to keep schools and colleges open (Image: NewVIc)

Thank you to everyone who felt anxious to return to work yet overcame it to support their students.

Thank you to everyone who has selflessly thrown themselves into roles and tasks which may not have been in their job description.

Thank you to everyone who has provided the much needed stability to colleagues and students alike.

Thank you to everybody. We did it. We’re still doing it. And, together, we will get through this... I am proud to be among you.

I’ve always been blown away with the work ethic of education professionals, but these last few months have truly solidified all of them as heroes. From teaching in class to teaching online, from self isolation and everything in between – our ability to keep students learning is a testament to our adaptability as a profession.

Support staff have once again demonstrated their place as the backbone of any school or college. Facilities teams have worked night and day to ensure sites are Covid-safe.

From administrators, to counsellors, to HR professionals and everyone who has worked so hard to keep our schools and colleges open, you have faced what has felt like an impossible task with such resilience and poise.

Our education professionals have more than risen to the occasion. 2021 is set to be just as challenging, but with colleagues like these – there is nothing we can’t achieve.