During the past few weeks we have all changed as a nation. I would like to think we have become better people.

All communities have rallied round to help each other at these desperate times – something that has to be applauded.

But then there is this need to bask in the reflected glory of others.

The NHS has become the new go-to brand and the past few weeks a number of things happened. We decided it was first and foremost important to hand over a countless amount of non-essential goods to frontline workers.

I’m sure this was really appreciated by those working long hours to help us through this crisis. But then these is another part of me that senses this was a waste of resources.

From Easter eggs to Pizzas we thought we were helping. I have spoken to countless NHS workers who were being inundated with these items over and over when all they really wanted to was to be able to do their jobs and be protected when they were doing it.

The government has been guilty in detracting our attention away from their failings in being able to provide essential protective equipment. Instead, we lined up in our hundreds to give them cakes, burgers and almost any other things we could find to help to appease our own egos.

That is what it was really about though wasn’t it?

We want to donate these goods to help feed our egos. If this was not the case then why on almost every occasion was someone stood there with frontline workers posing for a picture to tell everyone else what a wonderful human being they were?

I know there will those amongst us who will scoff at my pessimism but would these things ever have been donated if there was no picture opportunity at the end of it? Social media has helped fuel this incessant need for attention and we are all too happy to applaud it.

I am sure all that pizza, chips and curry we have handed over could have gone to much better use. How about donating it to the foodbank or those struggling to make ends meet? Why not find someone on your street who could do with this meal at this time?

When is comes to self-glorifying our good deeds we take things to a whole new level.

During Ramadan the very same Muslim charities who go into overdrive to make us part with our money for worthwhile causes will now try to latch on to the latest cause. It doesn’t matter what the cause is – it matters that you knew that it is us who are doing it.

The thing I find particularly revolting is how many of us want to be seen as doing charitable work and pretend not to crave the attention. But without ‘friends’ leaving positive comments about our ‘good deed’ we don’t think we have achieved the purpose.

I would go as far as to say many people wouldn’t donate anything if they couldn’t tell anyone about it.

Why not donate something this time round and not tell anyone about it. Let’s give something to those who actually need it rather than what makes the best ten second PR exercise for our ‘brand’? And most of all why not just hand over something and NOT take the customary picture. See how that makes you feel.