14th September 2026
From a letter to the Times September 2026
Sir, When the Dunbar lifeboat launched on 21st December 1971 in a force 10 gale to help a young man who had been face down in the water for several minutes, its crew did not know, and did not ask, who the person was... He was simply a human being in trouble. The fact that their action granted me a wonderful life I would otherwise not have had is a minor point. The important point is that in dedicating itself to the saving of human life the crew of the lifeboat restored my faith in humanity. Greater love hath no person than to risk their life for someone they do not know.
It is often said that everyone remembers where they were when the attacks of 9/11 happened. I realise, of course, that many of you sitting in front of me today were not yet born, and some of those behind me were very young at the time as well. In September 2001, Mrs Punt and I had been married for only a month, and I had just started a new job at a school in Cambridge.
On that Tuesday afternoon, during lesson time, I looked through my office window, which overlooked a sixth form common room, and was surprised to see that a television was on, which it was not supposed to be. A small crowd of pupils were staring up at the TV on the wall. One of the iconic Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York was on fire after being struck by a plane. I went to join them and then, as though we were watching special effects in a film, a second plane appeared and crashed into the second tower.
Tragically, nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks, but if you read the accounts of the day or are able to visit the 9/11 Memorial, you can find any number of remarkable stories of courage and where individuals have put themselves at risk to help others.
Many of the firefighters who died on 9/11 were climbing up the towers as thousands of people who worked there were running down. The fire fighters’ instinct was to run towards danger because other people needed help. When the buildings collapsed, 343 lost their lives, having put service ahead of safety.
Another example came in the form of United Airlines Flight 93. The plane had been hijacked and, after receiving phone calls informing them that other aircraft had already been used in attacks, passengers and crew decided to resist.
They confronted the hijackers, preventing the aircraft from reaching its intended target. The plane crashed in Pennsylvania, killing everyone on board, but their actions almost certainly saved many more lives.
Years after 9-11, President Barack Obama reflected: "Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honour those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11."
The reading that Jana shared a few moments ago has nothing directly to do with 9/11. It comes from a letter published in The Times last week by a retired headteacher. He was praising the work of volunteer lifeboat crews because, more than fifty years ago, their actions saved him from drowning and therefore enabled him to go on and enjoy a long and happy life.
The lifeboat volunteers had no idea who he was, anything about his background or the life he might go on to lead. They simply knew that someone needed help. Like the firefighters who entered the Twin Towers or the passengers who stood up on Flight 93, they acted because they saw a need and chose to put others first.
I have mentioned before that I have a little book at home called Courage written by former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. It contains eight stories about his heroes who he says demonstrated real courage. In the introduction, Gordon Brown writes about his chosen eight, they chose to act when others stood by and made sacrifices that were worthwhile and noble. Social disapproval, physical pain and even the risk of death mattered far less to them than personal belief and moral purpose…. courage can transform our world.
I hope very much that nobody sitting here today will ever face circumstances in which their choices involve the risk of death. But every one of us will face moments when it is easier to stand by than to step forward, easier to remain silent than to speak up, and easier to think about our needs in that moment, rather than the needs of others
Courage is not simply about dramatic acts in moments of crisis. More often, it is about choosing to help, choosing to speak up when something is wrong, and choosing to do the right thing when someone else is in need.
Indeed, we can all be heroic in the little things of everyday life. We can welcome someone who feels excluded, get alongside someone who is struggling, or speak up when we see something that is not right. Often courage begins with the simple recognition another human being needs our help.
Often this quiet, humble heroism is the greatest heroism of all. And if Gordon Brown is right, then those courageous choices, however small they may seem at the time, can help to transform our community