IF one positive is to come from the coronavirus, it's a newfound sense of innovation.
Businesses, charities and manufacturers have had to develop new ways of working, while community groups have had to get creative to help vulnerable people during lockdown.
People have even been inventive in the way they show their gratitude to health and care workers, producing countless heartwarming moments.
That does not mean, however, that all of the new ideas are good ones.
Take Ben Fogle’s latest brainwave, for instance.
The daytime TV regular, presumably taking a cue from weekly claps for life-saving NHS workers, promoted an ingenious way to celebrate something else which has the ability to unite people across the UK … the Queen’s birthday.
Unfortunately for Fogle, people across the UK seem more likely to be united in hysterics than anything else.
He tweeted: “It’s the Queens birthday next Tuesday. Let’s throw her a surprise. At 9am 21st April, we are calling on the whole country to sing Happy Birthday from our windows and doorsteps. Let our song bring good cheer not just to Her Majesty but to the whole nation #singforthequeen”
It’s the Queens birthday next Tuesday. Let’s throw her a surprise. At 9am 21st April, we are calling on the whole country to sing Happy Birthday from our windows and doorsteps. Let our song bring good cheer not just to Her Majesty but to the whole nation #singforthequeen pic.twitter.com/867EbD9PVg
— Ben Fogle (@Benfogle) April 16, 2020
His name was soon trending on Twitter, but that was where the good news ended for Ben.
“Oh mate, you've had a nightmare here...” read one reply.
National video creator Sarah Mackie provided one of the more eloquent responses.
— Sarah Mackie (@lumi_1984) April 16, 2020
One Twitter user had a more popular suggestion: “Or let's shout out ‘give health care workers PPE’ as loud as we all can instead.”
Someone else suggested: “At 9am on the 21st April we are calling on the whole country to laugh from their windows and doorsteps at what a ridiculous idea this is.”
A nurse commented: “I’ll be working. I’ll be well into a 12.5h shift as a staff nurse. And you won’t hear men through the PPE.”
“It's all been sorted Ben, Matt Hancock is giving her a badge,” read one comment.
And it wasn’t long until photoshops began to appear.
— BeldamLascar (@BeldamLascar) April 16, 2020
Citing perhaps Fogle’s biggest rival to the title of most ill-advised coronavirus campaign, another commenter said: “This idea is worse than the imagine video.”
Comedian Limmy offered a more succinct response.
AAAHAHAHAHA! https://t.co/6RbbCngrnR
— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) April 16, 2020
Fogle later said the idea came from his 9-year-old daughter, who wanted to "bring cheer and happiness to the whole country".
Yet most onlookers remained unconvinced by the idea. Here are a few of the other top replies…
— Alan White (@aljwhite) April 16, 2020
— mnrrnt2 and 78 others (@mnrrntt) April 16, 2020
I’ll wash my hands for 20 seconds instead.
— Sandy Lobban (@sandylobban) April 16, 2020
— John (@AmblingJohn) April 16, 2020
— 🏴 Jim (@JayAlexTee) April 16, 2020
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