It’s rainy, you might be hungover, or even glum about the amount of chocolates you’ve eaten, wine consumed or kids toys you need to find a home for. The Christmas celebrations for 2024 are winding down now that 2025 has started – albeit with a grey sky.
It can feel sometimes like the news is all bad. There are wars, children dying, road accidents, flooding and natural disasters, but there is plenty of good news too. A gloomy bank holiday might not be the most enthusing start to the year, but when it can all seem a bit glum, there are still lots of brilliant things to make you smile.
There are glorious, award-winning restaurants where you can book a table, jaw-dropping walks to blow away those cobwebs, award-winning beaches and agenda-setting TV programmes made here. And more than anything brilliant people here in Wales who do brilliant things, here’s a look at some of those from 2024.
‘It could only happen to me’
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It is a video that has gone the world over featuring Anne Hughes, the woman whose coat got stuck in the electric shutters at her local shop and lifted her high off the ground. The 71-year-old was sent airborne as she was waiting outside the shop for it to open, and was still holding onto her shopping trolley when she was lifted off the ground when her winter coat was hooked.
A shopkeeper quickly came to help her outside the Best One store in Tonteg, near Pontypridd, South Wales. The worker held her in his arms and brought her back to the ground while another worker slowly lowered the shutter. Able to see the funny side, she said afterwards: “It could only happen to me.”
A wonderful sister
Sharelle has been so brave throughout everything
(Image: Joanna Williams)
Sharelle Gilley, from Seven Sisters in Neath, had originally been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in 2020 after she woke up with a nose bleed that would not stop. Within days the family were told she had cancer and she was started on a year-long chemotherapy treatment programme. Then after two years of remission she began to feel unwell. Aged seven, she returned to hospital. Her dad turned to his partner and said he knew it, “the cancer is back”.
Devastatingly, he was right.
One of Sharelle’s only hopes was a bone marrow transplant and stem cell transplant. So Sharelle’s parents and her four siblings got tested right away, and fortunately, Sharelle’s 10-year-old sister Shantia came back as a 100% sibling match.
Her 10-year-old sister’s reaction? “Yes, yes yes, I want to, I’m going to save her.” What an incredible girl.
An emotional reunion
Martyn got to meet the stranger who saved his life
(Image: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board)
When Martyn Price was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2019, he was told he only had one to two years left to live. The only way he would survive was to receive a stem cell transplant.
But none of his siblings were a match so the task to find a stranger began. He had to start chemo without there being a match, but one was then found – in Sweden. Rules surrounding donors and transplants mean two years have to pass before any contact, but Martyn wanted to get in touch with his donor to thank them.
In August 2024 he was lucky enough to meet the stranger who saved his life. Oscar Jansson, 28, travelled from his home in Sweden to meet Martyn and his family and see where Martyn received his life-saving transplant and the medical team that made it all possible. You can see their amazing story in full here.
The man who ended up in Ireland
Chris Ellery
(Image: Kenzie Ellery)
The signs did not bode well. A man who had gone out on a fishing trip in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, had failed to return home and his family raised the alarm. There was a major emergency search launched involving hundreds of volunteers from five different RNLI stations looking for Chris Ellery. You can only imagine the distress his loved ones faced, and the risk those searching for him put themselves in and what they dropped to be part of that search.
But, it was a story with an incredible ending. Not only was Mr Ellery found safe and well, he was found in Ireland. Mr Ellery set up a fundraising page for the RNLI as a way of saying thanks to the teams who helped in the search. In a Facebook post sharing the page, he said: “One day I will share the difficult journey I experienced across the Irish Sea, but for now I will focus on the positive and lighter side of my time in Ireland. I arrived on the shores of Kilmichael Point, a beautiful remote part of Ireland. Then while walking to a local Guarda police station, a kind soul called Shay pulled up in his car and asked if I would like a lift, telling me the nearest station was 26km away but was happy to take me to the station in Baltinglass.”
Selfless heroes
Sabrina Butler was determined to help others – despite her own home being flooded too.
(Image: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service)
The stories of homes and businesses gutted by flooding in December were heartbreaking. People lost everything. But what happened, once again, was an amazing community effort. People were out with sandbags, and then brushes, cleaning items were donated and people shared food and drinks.
Control room operator and on-call firefighter Sabrina Butler was one of those who put her community first. Despite her own home being flooded she continued to work in the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service control room, while her partner and grandfather were dealing with the flooding at home. Sabrina said at the time. “The whole ground floor of my house was flooded. My fridge was floating around the kitchen, but I left my partner and my grandfather at home to deal with the clean-up operation whilst I went to work and stayed in the control room to assist. The calls kept coming, and I knew I had to be there.”
A global superstar with a heart
It’s safe to say Taylor made a long-lasting impression on Cardiff
(Image: Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images f)
Taylor Swift may have left mountains of memories for the people who saw her on her Eras tour at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in June, but she also left another lasting legacy.
After her tour had left the city, Cardiff Foodbank, which is based in Splott, got a call from her team telling them she had made a huge donation. Coming at a time when donations dry up, it was particularly welcome and the money provided emergency food parcels for 925 people.
You, our readers
Hundreds of toys were delivered to Canolfan Pentre thanks to the WalesOnline readers
(Image: Rob Norman/HayMan Media)
This year we ran our second toy appeal to be able to help those less fortunate at Christmas. The aim was simple – we set up an Amazon wishlist and asked you to buy items from it, and then gave those to Canolfan Pentre, a community centre in Rhondda. They made sure they went to the most vulnerable kids who otherwise wouldn’t have got a Christmas present.
Last year we had about 800 gifts, this year you blew that out of the water with 1,349 items bought from Amazon and more donated in other ways. We had great support from people like Haven, Veezu, Effective Communication and so many of you donated items big and small. You made us incredibly proud.
A heroic feat
On the final climb the fundraisers pushed the wheelchairs of two men to the top with them
(Image: MNDEFIANCE)
At 6pm on a Friday night in April a group of men got together, not for a drink to toast the end of the week but to begin an incredible feat. In the following 24 hours they climbed Pen-y-Fan 10 times. On their final climb they found the strength to push Mark Williams and Ed Slater to the summit in their wheelchairs. Former rugby player Ed and Mark were both diagnosed with MND around two years ago and Mark since launched MNDEFIANCE, which helps to support families affected by the disease.
Their aim was to raise awareness, but also thousands of pounds – and they did both. See the inspiration pictures here.
To Switzerland!
Wales’ Hannah Cain (centre right), Rhiannon Roberts (second right), Jess Fishlock (left) and team-mates celebrate
(Image: PA Wire)
In December, Wales’ women made history in Dublin, securing a place at a major championship for the very first time. Their appearance at Euro 2025 in Switzerland will, former professional footballer Laura McAllister said, inspire the nation. The pictures of an utterly joyful night are here.
The most excited little girl
Ruby Davies from Ysgol Gynradd Gymunedol Swiss Valley in Llanelli won the individual recitation competition for Year 5 and 6 Welsh learners at this year’s Eisteddfod yr Urdd in Meifod, Powys
(Image: Lynne Davies)
Ruby Davies from Ysgol Gynradd Gymunedol Swiss Valley in Llanelli won the individual recitation competition for Year 5 and 6 Welsh learners at this year’s Eisteddfod yr Urdd in Meifod, Powys. A good achievement for her, but lots of kids do great things in competitions, yes?
Well, yes, but this little girl stole the hearts of the nation when, in an interview after her victory, she was just so infectiously excited. Following her win, the young star was interviewed by presenter Mari Lovgreen and it went viral. “I’m so happy,” she said. The presenter then congratulated the young star in Welsh. Ruby continued: “I love performing as well”. Mari replied: “Well, you’re very good at it”. In response, Ruby agreed and said: “Yes, I am”, which received some cheers and laughter from the crowd. She then got to meet Prince William too.
Da iawn ti Ruby!
Glass ceilings being smashed
Wales’ First Minister Eluned Morgan
(Image: John Myers)
This year in politics hasn’t all been plain sailing but there have been some milestones in terms of women, LGBT+ people and people of colour in Wales smashing glass ceilings. Wales elected its first black leader in Vaughan Gething, who was replaced by its first female leader, Eluned Morgan. In Westminster, Kanishka Narayan became Wales’ first MP of colour and shared his amazing story from sleeping on the floor of his parent’s one-bed flat to Westminster. Emma Wools became the first black Police and Crime Commissioner. In Westminster, the LGBT parliamentary Labour group boasted its largest group of out Labour MPs ever, including new Welsh MP Cardiff West’s Alex Barros-Curtis as well as established figures like Chris Bryant, Gerald Davies and Nia Griffith with a great picture you can see on X.
The ending we all dreamed of
The cast of Gavin and Stacey came together one last time
(Image: Tom Jackson/BBC/PA)
It could so easily have been a disappointment but Wales’ greatest export (sorry Tom and Shirley) came to an end in 2024 and in style. The finale had everything, it was sweet, kind and funny – everything Gavin & Stacey had been known for.
It is a series that has put Wales on the map, and continues to do so, with tourists following in the steps of Gavin, Stacey, Nessa and Bryn.
With no spoilers – here’s our review in full.