As a nation, we are humble. Brits are simply not a braggy people and have a tendency to downplay achievements, sometimes to the point of self-deprecation. Many of us are hopeless when it comes to self-promotion or celebrating our triumphs.
Following a national call-out for nominations, leading ready-to-drink protein shake brand, For Goodness Shakes, has identified eight unsung heroes worthy of the spotlight and is bringing them out of the shadows and into a dedicated ‘Portraits of Today’s Everyday Heroes’ exhibition to showcase their personal successes, whilst also helping to provide inspiration for those on their own journeys of growth.
With an inspiring story, Sophia Badhan, 23, from Birmingham, West Midlands, stood out as an Everyday Hero having turned personal struggles into a force for good. Her campaigning and fundraising to raise awareness of mental health issues, help others feel less alone, and remove stigmas that serve to perpetuate that isolation has earned her a number of impressive accolades (read Sophia’s full story below).
Portraits of Today’s Everyday Heroes, open for one month only at the Mash Paddle Brewery in Bermondsey, London, from Friday 14 February–Thursday 13 March 2025, is an initiative inspired by a collaboration between For Goodness Shakes - fuelling everyone’s inner hero for over 20 years - and Marvel Studios, to mark the release of the hotly anticipated Captain America: Brave New World, this 14 February.
Echoing the movie themes of resilience, perseverance, grit, strength and evolution, the For Goodness Shakes’ real-life Everyday Heroes selected to feature in the exhibition have shown determination, have achieved goals despite the odds, have demonstrated kindness, generosity or selflessness, or have worked hard to bring about change or help others. Their efforts and accomplishments represent those that are carried out every day by millions of Brits and serve as an inspiration to us all to persevere, do good, and be the best versions of ourselves.
“Selecting our heroes was such a difficult task,” says Philippa Milburn, Brand Manager at For Goodness Shakes. “We received so many inspiring and heartening nominations, which, as well as triggering lots of emotion, brought a tangible sense of optimism and hope.
“Our Everyday Heroes’ stories are a true reflection of the incredible things Brits do every single day, and an important reminder of the power of humanity, of integrity, of courage, of determination, of kindness, and of community, at a time when our news feeds can feel overwhelmingly distressing.
“And that’s exactly what we wanted to achieve with this project; to demonstrate that we can all be heroes and can all make a difference to benefit or support others’ lives and experiences or our own.”
Alongside the Bermondsey exhibition, the portraits - shot by photographer, David Wren - and individual Everyday Hero stories feature in a dedicated web gallery on the For Goodness Shakes website. Visitors to the page can also donate to social action charity, Volunteering Matters, which brings people together to overcome some of society's most complex issues through the power of volunteering.
“Our charity partner for the Everyday heroes project, Volunteering Matters,” adds Milburn, “aligns so perfectly with the themes of the campaign. Helping individuals and communities thrive through the vital contribution of place-based volunteering, their work is proactively creating the Everyday Heroes of tomorrow.”
The framed portraits hung in the gallery will be gifted to the Everyday Heroes featured in them once the exhibition comes to a close on 13 March.
Sophia’s story.
Sophia has struggled with mental health issues from a young age, starting whilst she was still in primary school. At 15 Sophia tried to take her own life after hiding most of her struggles from those around her. She had felt let down and dismissed by the systems that should have protected her.
Whilst in hospital she was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and an eating disorder. During her treatment in hospital she began to understand that she had been dealing with something alone that the mental health systems around her should have seen and wanted to ensure this didn’t happen to another young person like her.
When she left hospital she fiercely advocated for herself and was eventually allowed to return to school full time. However, she didn’t stop there. She was determined to raise awareness for the issues she had been dealing with so that others would know they are not alone and that there didn’t need to be a stigma around these topics. In school she ran an assembly for eating disorder awareness week where she shared her story and faced head-on the rumors that had been circulating since her absence. After the assembly she was thanked by multiple students for breaking a wall of silence and one student even confided that she was going to seek help for her own issues now too.
Whilst completing a full course of A Levels Sophia ran a campaign for eating disorder awareness at school and set up charity fundraisers. She also created a session plan for year 7 students on early intervention and wellbeing so that they wouldn’t fall through the cracks like she did. She was appointed the school’s first ever Wellbeing Prefect and 6 years later the role and the sessions are going strong.
When she was 19, Sophia received the prestigious Diana Award and has also been awarded the British Citizen Award for services to healthcare. She continues to be active in social action work throughout her university degree and today, as an #iwill ambassador, whilst working full time.
Sophia says, “I now know that you can’t help others if you don’t first help yourself. I know I have to look after myself too, so I make sure to go for a walk every day and have total me-time on the weekends.”
“I had to grow up quickly during my time in hospital but everything I have been through and survived has given me whole new confidence. When I was very little I was so chatty and loud and then I became withdrawn, so speaking out and helping others has helped me find myself again."
“Use your voice, because you’re stronger and more powerful than you can even imagine – you are capable of anything you set your mind to! Give yourself the space to make mistakes and learn from them - you don't have to be perfect, and the only thing holding you back is you.”