More than 16,000 people yesterday turned out en masse to take part in the President's Charity Fun Run to raise money for this year's L-Istrina to help those who need to support.

The event was sponsored by Banif Bank, which for the last six years, has thrown its weight behind this noble cause. Each participant paid €10 for a jersey to take part in the run or walk. The sight of more than 16,000 people clad in purple, either walking or running towards Valletta was impressive, to say the least.

It says a lot when a people who more often than not like to polarise and snipe at each other's views come  together for an event like this. And it is also refreshing to see the leader of the Labour Party and the leader of the Opposition put aside partisan politics for just a few hours (certainly not a whole day) to give their support to the charity drive.

But more than anything, it is heartening to see how many people push themselves to try and do something worthwhile for someone else.

We Maltese are sometimes a strange lot. We are so generous, yet so hard on each other. But when it comes to raising money for those less fortunate than ourselves, we seem to galvanise and get ourselves sorted.

The Fun Run was the brainchild of former President George Abela, but President Marie Louise Colerio Preca, in her own inimitable way, has taken up the baton from her predecessor and has come up trumps.

She might not be the fitness fanatic that Dr Abela was, but President Colerio Preca is certainly a trailblazer. She goes from meeting to meeting and her mission is singular - help those who need it, or use her position to secure that help. In between a flurry of meetings and engagements, the President also took part in a breast cancer awareness walk last Sunday. She was ready to kick off the formal heels once again yesterday to walk once again. To see her in the throng of people in her element is nothing short of inspiring. Banif Bank, of course, deserves praise too for throwing its clout behind the mission and drumming up the financial support to help. But above all, the biggest thanks in all this should go to the people who took part. People banded together in many ways.

Some did it at the workplace, some did it with their friends, some did it with their families. But the message was clear. Maltese people are ready to do their bit to help others who need it. And perhaps it is time to sit up and take notice. There are many who need help in our country. We have battered mothers, families with medical problems, families who have nowhere to live and many more cases where people need help. But this year, we should perhaps turn our attention to those immigrants who have lost wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, daughters and sons; who end up on our shores .The President has pledged to work for their cause. We should look up to the beacon she is holding aloft.