Margaret Heffernan

"I really had no desire to be on television. Having worked in TV as a producer, I knew how boring filming can be, and I'm not an intrinsically extrovert person. However, I was attracted to The Secret Millionaire because it is the only thing I've seen on TV that shows business people in a good light. I'm a big believer that business is one more way to make the world a better place. I know lots of other people who feel the same way, and I'm truly sick of seeing the business community portrayed as only greedy, rapacious, immoral and crass.

Many of the companies I've run have changed peoples' lives for the better and that, to me, is the whole point.

Although I have made a lot of money, I may be a little unusual in that I don't spend it. I still insist that, as a family, we live off of what we earn - from what my husband makes as an academic and from I make from writing and giving speeches around the world. I think this helps to keep us reasonably grounded. Where we are really lucky is that we don't have any debt and I think that is privilege enough.

One of the most striking things about the whole experience was discovering just how generous people can be. I dropped into their lives out of the blue, they didn't know me from anywhere, and yet they welcomed me into their lives and their homes while asking very few questions. I think that's just fantastic.

I don't think you have to be a millionaire to make a difference. We can all do something. I see so many people who feel that just keeping up with the shopping and the school run is all that they can manage. And maybe, for a few, that's true. But for most people, there's always a little time that can be found to help others. It doesn't take much. Sure, I was lucky. I was able to rearrange my life to clear 10 days and to write some big cheques. But everybody can find a day here, an afternoon there, to help out. And the volunteer network is fantastic – there are so many interesting opportunities and they don't require a lifetime's commitment or a specialised skill. And they offer a fantastic way to get beyond the people you know and the places you see in your daily life.

I think what has really stuck with me is that recognition that, all over the country, there are people doing great work out of the goodness of their heart and their refusal to be powerless. And I think anyone watching them has to think: well if they can do it, so can I.

I have a mantra (which bores my kids to death) which is this: You can't just consume; you have to contribute. I firmly believe that, if you are lucky enough to be born in the developed world, to have an education and reasonable security, then you are among the most privileged on earth. And so you have to give something back".

Margaret Heffernan's website
mheffernan.com

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