Well Done Brits – you've proved you have that fighting spirit!
Thank you for all the fantastic entries for our competition to find Britain's Biggest Fighters – we had an amazing response!
We can be proud of the truly inspiring individuals who manage to carry on fighting, never letting their family, friends or work colleagues down. And just for the record, we can forget man flu. It's a myth. Our latest research shows that a hefty 64 per cent of men won't give in to colds and flu this winter and will fight the nasty symptoms and carry on life as normal.
The Worker
- Name: Betty Ellis
- Prize: 7 night 4 star holiday in Egypt
At 68, when most people just want to put their feet up, Betty Ellis is out in all weathers making sure local children get to school safely.
Betty has been a lollipop lady at St Silas Primary School in Liverpool for 33 years and says she has no intention of stopping. "I love my job and look forward to seeing the children every day," says Betty, who has three children herself and is now Granny to two little girls.
When Betty first took the job she was paid just £5.50 a week for turning out in her uniform come rain or shine. "I'm lucky because I'm pretty healthy. Sometimes my legs get a bit tired, and I do get colds like everyone else. But I try to keep going because I don't want to let everyone down." "People ask me every day when I am giving up, and I tell them I will give up when I want to," she says firmly.
The Family
- Name: Paul Phillips
- Prize: 7 night break to Center Parcs
Once his own family of five had grown up and left home, Paul Phillips could simply have sat back and enjoyed some peace and quiet. Instead, he has become a foster Dad to four more kids, and two years ago gave up his job as a steelworker to be with them 24 hours a day.
"All of the children except the baby have special needs so looking after them is a full time job.
It can be very exhausting and your social life goes to the wall. But it is very rewarding," says Paul. "Being a foster parent, you know the children are depending on you so you can't afford to give in and lie down if you have a cold or feel a bit under the weather. We will always reach for Beechams to help us battle our way through," he adds.
The Entrepreneur
- Name: Bridget Deptford
- Prize: 5 night holiday to India
Bridget Deptford's life changed utterly in 2004 when her husband Tony suffered a stroke and died at the age of just 50. "I was 46 and left to look after our two children and help run the business, which imports specialised machinery for vegetable farming" says Bridget.
She was nominated by her friend who sums up her busy life with these words: "Bridget manages to juggle work and family yet still devotes her spare time to charities and helps out at many charity events.I don't have time to sit and think," says Bridget, "I have always been a busy person. Of course our family gets colds and sniffles like everyone else, but I don't let these slow me down, there's always too much to do."