Here at The Courier we, like thousands of others in Ballarat, spent the vast majority of time working from our home offices, our lounge rooms and sometimes even our couches.

It was a move many feared would be difficult to complete, but like so many people throughout the world, the flexibility shown at times of crisis was something of which everybody could be proud.

But what about the people who didn't have that luxury?

What about those who kept fronting up to work, often on the front line of fighting the virus itself, to keep Ballarat ticking along throughout the pandemic?

This weekend, The Courier's weekend edition shines the light on some of the people who often go unrecognised throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Featured are some people who have rightfully earned praise such as doctors, paramedics and teachers.

But there are many people who kept this city moving in less obvious ways, people who often go unnoticed and often found themselves in potentially precarious positions.

What about the taxi driver, the bus driver, the construction worker, the hospice volunteer, the pharmacist, the groundskeeper?

These are the people who didn't have the option of setting up the laptop at home and joining Zoom meetings throughout the day.

Instead, their job was to go about business as normal, often in situations that could have potentially resulted in more exposure to COVID-19.

But still, day after day, they fronted up and did what they did best to ensure Ballarat kept moving as much as possible.

Over the next week this newspaper will be highlighting these people and telling their stories.

It's just our little way of saying "thank you".

And, maybe if you come across any of them (or other people in similar roles) you can say "thank you" as well.