I have to start by saying that I have never worn a ‘hoodie’ and doubt I ever will. However, there have been over the last few weeks times where, given what has been going on, an ability to pull one over one’s head and close out the world, could have seemed quite comforting. The challenge however, is that simply acting like a cartoon Ostrich burying their head in the sand, changes nothing, what you fear will still be there when you peek out again.

That being said, I have to admit that I haven’t had a particularly tough lockdown. With the exception of the death of a friend from Covid very early on, the hard and brutal impact being felt by so many, has remained somewhat distant, for which I am most thankful. Like the rumbling of distant guns from my Army days, one has obviously been very aware, yes alert and at times anxious, but relatively untouched. Nestling in a rural home, with lots of space and a loving family there is no reason for feeling sorry for oneself – at all.

However, the often-unrelenting negativity of the news; Covid, rioting, cultural clashes, racial tensions, record unemployment, shop closures…there is no need to go on, can make even the most optimistic of us struggle to stay positive all the time. It is a reality that often the negative stories are so much more impactful and amplified that they simply drown out many of the good things being done in the present and the positive thinking and sense of opportunities for the future.

Of course, I am not suggesting all life can be sweet, but as this magazine has shown, itself as an output of our not being able to hold our normal events, positive things can emerge from challenging times. Over the last few months we have seen leaders across all sectors, join ONE magazine to enlighten, inspire and inform us, as they have shared their concerns but also their optimism that things can get better.

This ‘Fusion’ edition is no different and we bring together an eclectic mix of positive, purpose powered people leaders in their respective fields. They cover our planet’s sustainability, the quality of our air, how we can learn from the NHS, what it has been like as a mother in lockdown, how new thinking in finance can transform as well as learning of inspiring charities and luxury brands creating new ethical credentials.

In these times, I hope that our efforts with our friends to collate such content, has helped in some small way, to stop you pulling up your real or imaginary ‘hoodie’. It is so vital that you don’t, because you, the people in our ONE HUNDRED network, are the very ones who bring such positivity into the world to act as an antidote to its ills. Our collective responsibility as people who care for the world we live in, must be to stay engaged in order to play our role, fulfil our purpose and contribute to people and or the planet in the way in which we believe we are uniquely capable of doing.

Finally as someone who has been involved in a great many initiatives, who thrives on connecting with people and ideas, meeting others and engaging at events etc., I have personally found it hard to be remote from my fellow ‘Like-minded, right minded’ network, even with Zoom technology. The unexpected meeting, the random calls, the working breakfasts and after work drinks have vanished, as of course they have for so many. In essence my personal connection with other people, many of the contributors and yourselves, has fizzled, rather than fused. This is a challenge we all face, but to live, to truly feel alive and relevant, I believe we must make an effort to stay connected with each other and with fresh thinking.

‘Fusion’, as defined by the dictionary is ‘the process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity’. I believe that ‘single entity’ which we all are fused together in, is humanity and with that aim we should feel as ONE.
I hope you enjoy this edition, sharing as we do great ideas from good people and in our little way hope we have helped keep the fusion alive in you.