LONDON -- You don't have to have a superpower to be a hero, you know.
The following people -- who range from no-nonsense pensioners to stigma-conquering artists -- are all proof of this. They're the people who stood up for others, stood up for what they believe in, or who simply just stood up and did something nice in 2015.
Virtual high-fives all round for the following 14 everyday British heroes...
1. The badass pensioner who defended a woman on the tube.
Scott Sparrow took to Facebook to share the story of a heroic older lady he'd witnessed sticking up for a woman who was insulted by a random man on the London Underground.
2. The kind humans who sheltered this bedraggled pooch from the rain.
When one unlucky German Shepherd was caught in a sudden downpour while waiting for its owner to return from the shops, an impressively kind couple stopped to shelter him from the rain. How nice is that?
3. This barber, who was determined to help a little boy with autism get his hair cut.
To help a little boy with autism who was scared to have his hair cut, barber James Williams lay down on the floor next to him to help him relax.
4. The man who defended a woman he saw being groped on a London bus.
London student Kaitlyn Regehr was travelling on a bus in London when she was groped by a stranger. After another man stood up for her and said something in her defence, she thanked him publicly on Facebook and asked people to share the story so she could track him down and buy him a drink. A week later, she found him.
5. The former British soldier who shut down anyone expecting him to be anti-Muslim.
Chris Herbert, who had a leg amputated after he was injured in Iraq, shared an epic open letter on Facebook slamming anyone "expecting racism" from him just because he's a veteran.
6. The British Muslim schoolgirl who spoke out against prejudice.
15-year-old Isra Mohammed delivered a brilliant speech during a school assembly on Islamophobia, in which she described her own experiences with prejudice and explained what everyone needs to do to stop it from happening.
7. The guy who started the campaign to send "Britain's loneliest schoolboy" Christmas cards.
After a news story spread across the UK about 10-year-old Aron Anderson -- literally the only pupil at the school on the remote Scottish island on which he lives -- a kindly Redditor organised a campaign encouraging people to send him Christmas cards.
8. The Scottish islanders who clubbed together to help an unlucky bride.
Residents of the Scottish island of Orkney banded together to save Lucia Sessions' wedding day after her luggage -- including one fairly important wedding dress -- got lost en route to the island. The hotel Sessions was staying in explained her situation on Facebook, and before long various people had lent her the items she needed for her big day.
9. The artist fighting mental health stigma by drawing monsters.
Real Monsters, by Toby Allen, is a series of images that depict various mental illnesses as monsters. Allen has two aims: to raise awareness and to help people think about mental health conditions in a different light.
10. The woman knitting hats to help out homeless greyhounds.
Jan Brown, a.k.a. Knitty Jan, is a double hero; not only does she warm up dogs with her cosy knitted headwear (which she sells online), but she also donates some of her business' profits to a homeless greyhound charity.
11. The nurses who organised a Frozen sing-a-long for this little girl.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));So this didn't quite go as I had pictured in my head but we all had fun and as always Millie is showing chemo won't bring her down!!I must thank the lovely girls from the night shift last night in schiehallion for being good sports and making Millie's day!. You are all amazing!!Posted by Millie's Journey on Friday, November 6, 2015
Nurses at Glasgow's New Royal Hospital for Sick Children organised a surprise treat for a little girl in the form of a Frozen sing-a-long. Millie, who was undergoing chemotherapy at the hospital at the time, joined them in a heart-warming rendition of "Let it Go".
12. The bagpiper who shut down a hate preacher.
A bystander captured the moment when some bagpipes triumphed over a preacher who was apparently speaking negatively about gay marriage in the streets of Scotland.
13. The woman who set up a funding campaign to help this disabled pensioner after he was mugged.
On hearing about disabled pensioner Alan Barnes being attacked outside his home, Katie Cutler set up a funding page and raised over £330,000 ($489,000) to help him relocate with his sister.
14. The guy who dressed as Forrest Gump and ran over 1000 miles.
Ewan Gordon raised over £9000 ($14,000) after he ran the length of Great Britain dressed as Forrest Gump. Gordon was running for Thomas Laurie, a little boy who died of Cockayne Syndrome; the money he raised went to charities that provide support for those suffering from the disease.