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Doctor Community Hero

1676. Haider Ali

Dr Haider Ali, from Manchester, is a GP who has spent his spare time delivering over 1,000 care packages of food and toiletries to frontline key workers.

Dr Ali was motivated to deliver care packages to NHS workers after the death of his colleague Dr Saad Al-Dubbaisi, of Garden City Medical Practice, Bury. He initially donated over £10,000 of his own money to buy toiletries and food supplies and contacted large retailers such as Asda, Tesco and Marks & Spencer who have since matched his donations. Dr Ali attached his personal phone number to each package in case any frontline worker needed support or a friendly person to talk to and has so far received hundreds of calls. 

In a personal letter to Haider, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“One of the most uplifting aspects of the last eighteen months is how people have gone above and beyond to help others in need. I was astonished to learn of your efforts beyond the demands of your day job as a General Practitioner, donating £10,000 of your own money and delivering care packages to colleagues across Greater Manchester.

“By leaving your phone number in those care packages, you have also been a listening ear for your colleagues who needed someone to talk to. You have given much comfort to so many.”

Haider said: 

“I am surprised, delighted and extremely grateful to receive the Points of Light Award from the Prime Minister. 

This all started with wanting to do something nice, kind and thoughtful to support my colleagues at the front line and snowballed into a larger project over months where with the help of others I was able to spread positivity, support and care to many across the North West of England and beyond. 

This prestigious award does not belong to me alone, but to all the men and women of the country who came together as one big community to support each other, from clapping for NHS workers, to the shopkeepers and supermarket workers, public transport workers and to us health care professionals in the NHS. 

I hope this goes to show that you should never give up no matter how dark the circumstances appear, as together, as a nation, there is nothing we cannot overcome. 

I hope that this inspires others in the community to continue showing the best of humanity, our ability to care for each other.”

The daily Points of Light award recognises outstanding individual volunteers - people who are making a change in their community.

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