Scott Mitchell pays tribute to 1 Million Minutes Dame Barbara Windsor Award winner
Scott Mitchell paid a heartfelt and emotional tribute to Nassrat Bi the winner of the 1 Million Minutes Dame Barbara Windsor Award.
Speaking publicly for the first time since his wife’s death in an emotional video, Scott told winner Nassrat: “I wanted to congratulate you on being the second recipient of the ‘Dame Barbara Windsor Award’ for Good Morning Britain’s 1 Million Minutes Awards. I was involved in this year’s judging, as I was last year, and I think when it came to you and your story nothing could have been more poignant for me at that moment because I know you assist people going through palliative care and their families. And that’s exactly what was happening to Barbara and that was exactly what was happening to me.
“I read your story and the compassion and selflessness that carers like yourself show is beyond measurable, as far as I’m concerned. It’s incredible and I don’t think there are great enough words for you. I know what it takes, now, to sit next to someone at the end of life and just have comforting reassuring words coming from the carers. To watch your loved one be comforted and be cared for and the relief that gives you and the support to the family, you will never know what it means to loved ones to be a part of that process and to be included and cared for as well as the person who is coming to the end of their life with the disease.
“I don’t know what to say to you apart from 'thank you' for your courage and your compassion. I know Barbara would have adored someone with those qualities and I can’t believe only a week ago she was still here and now she’s not. There’s the circle of life. I don’t think I can still believe it to be honest with you.
“I want to tell you one other thing about your story, which gave me the courage today to do this video for you. That’s when I was first asked, I said I thought I would be too emotional, in too much of a state to be able to do it. I remember the part of your story where your own Dad had passed away from Covid, and my condolences to you, and after a very short time off you insisted on going straight back to work, to care for other people and to care for their families and I don’t think there is a more noble quality or act than that. I’m sending you all my love and thanks for everything you do, for what all you carers do. So God bless and thank you and congratulations and please keep doing the work you do because without people like yourself Nassrat we would be very lonely and scared in our time of need.”
Kate Garraway said: “Dame Barbara was such a kind and caring campaigner who’s legacy leaves an indelible print on our fight here at GMB to end loneliness. She supported our 1 Million Minutes awards from the very start, when it was just an idea. She was kind enough to let us name an award in our honour.”