A Valentine’s Day tribute to Dame Esther Rantzen

This is a lovely tribute to a Dame–Dame Esther Rantzen. Our UK Readers will know her from her TV journalism work, as presenter of That’s Life! on BBC TV for 21 years, and who was instrumental in the founding and popularization of both ChildLine and The Silver Line older adult helplines. She is also a supporter of Alertacall Ltd., noted when the company was awarded the Queen’s Award For Enterprise: Innovation [TTA 12 May 22]. 

James Batchelor, their founder and CEO, penned a lovely post on his personal blog to her:

A brief excerpt:

In her association with Alertacall, just as with Childline, The Silver Line, and the around 50 other charities she is involved with, Esther is genuinely invested in trying to change the world for the better.

Esther is the real deal.

Her celebrity may be what catches your attention but it is the fact she works so hard for causes she truly cares about which has made me, and so many others, admire her over the years. I will repeat it again, she is the real deal.

He also lauds her ability to galvanize action through her appearances and communications, listening and leading through example.

If she wants something to happen, Esther will also commit to it entirely. What’s more she will make sure you are committed to it with an equal tenacity, hold you to account and ensure you follow through on your promises. 

James notes many other ways Dame Esther has made the world a better place. Please comment below! A “love letter” to Dame Esther Rantzen

Alertacall receives Queen’s Award For Enterprise: Innovation

One of the items that whizzed by this Editor while she was in Pepper the Robot mode was the highly prestigious Queen’s Award For Enterprise: Innovation, awarded to one of the pioneering companies in UK telecare, Alertacall Ltd.  Their CEO and founder, James Batchelor, is an old friend of TTA from early days with Editor Emeritus Steve. (Editor Donna hadn’t even thought of marketing health tech at that time.)

Alertacall provides tablet touchscreen connectivity to the housing, care markets, and personal markets, from OKEachDay checkins to smart home systems controlled by the touchscreen.

Alertacall was founded in 2004 by James, the original inventor of the “I am okay” button. Like many of us in those days, he had a personal inspiration for being engaged with creating a better way to support older adults in their home–Eveline, his own staunchly independent grandmother. She was, in James’ words “a shop keeper for much of her life, and a B+B operator up until her early eighties. After the death of 2 husbands – the first of whom was detained as a Prisoner of War in WW2, she learned to drive in her late 50s, travelled the world on her own and was an inspiration to many with her grit and determination to live on her own, and under her own terms for as long as possible.”

Also, James’ gracious note from LinkedIn, posting on the Queen’s Award:

We won this Queen’s Award because of the great technology we have created for sheltered and supported housing to help independent older people, women fleeing domestic violence and people who are disabled – to feel safe, connected and informed.

This award really is testimony to that innovation, but more so to the incredible team I have the joy of working with each day. This is an award for them and their phenomenal care of our customers.

In July I’ll be attending a winners reception at Buckingham Palace with HRH The Prince Of Wales – on behalf of those team members. My grandma, Eveline, who was the inspiration for Alertacall would have been pretty excited by that I think.

A lot of you run your own businesses, and some of you might have started those from scratch. So you’ll understand that external, independent validation is rare, and a great feeling when it comes.

Many of you have also been a positive part of our journey – and if so thank you, sincerely.

Dame Esther Rantzen DBE, the well-known British journalist and TV presenter of That’s Life! on the BBC for 21 years, who was instrumental in the founding and popularization of both ChildLine and The Silver Line helplines, is a supporter of Alertacall. Her statement is attached here.

Our warmest congratulations to James and the Alertacall team!

Alertacall announcement.