Good news stories from Gwent this week

Here we take a look at the good - or just nice - stories from Gwent that we reported on over the past week.

“I’ve got my life back and I couldn’t be happier.” A man from Garndiffaith has lost almost nine stone in less than a year after being diagnosed with Type Two Diabetes and is now keeping the condition at bay.

A woman from Lliswerry who suffers from a chronic pain condition is showing how she is using art to get through it – and hopes others can be inspired by her example.

A Newport man who loved bowls has managed to start playing again thanks to dedicated volunteers and friends – despite being left blind after a stroke.

A Caerphilly man lost five stone to represent Wales in a football match at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium as part of the Men v Fat programme.

He has Parkinson’s and cancer, but this 75-year-old man won’t let it stop him from supporting others with illnesses.

There was some fun when Santa switched on Cwmbran’s Christmas lights. Its official – Christmas 2019 is underway in Cwmbran.

Four decades after he died in an IRA attack, the family of Gwent man Paul Fryer finally got to visit his grave. A service was held to remember the guardsman in Risca old cemetery.

Five residents have had a nice boost before Christmas – winning a £30,000 prize on the Postcode Lottery.

Monmouth School for Girls took part in a parade in London and wowed the crowds with a brilliant dance routine. A dragon was designed by the Monmouth School for Boys and was the focal feature of the performance.

Young farmers from Abergavenny and surrounding areas teamed up to cycle along the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal, raising more than £300,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK along the way. This 25-mile ride was one of a few events that the group did over the summer months – they also braved the ice bucket challenge and did a 13-mile hike on a castle walk.

Newport Mind’s fantastic work around mental health in young people has been rewarded by them being invited to speak at an international psychology conference in Belgium. They will be representing Wales at the student conference.

A primary school held a touching Remembrance Day service after spending time researching their town’s war dead. In a combined project with the school’s caretaker, Trinant Primary School’s mixed Year Five and Six class found all the names of the war dead and researched their lives while their caretaker created silhouettes for each, which stood pride of place in the school’s grounds for the Remembrance Ceremony where they laid poppy wreaths.

Two care homes teamed up with an arts service for dementia friendly craft project that saw the residents and their families design poppies. There were hundreds made and they are now displayed in a beautiful way in Ebbw Vale’s library, spanning a six-metre balcony.

This Newport man with multiple sclerosis is using his charity to help disabled people in Kenya set up their own businesses. Trevor Palmer has been helping people across the world since 2004 with his ResponsABLE Assistance charity. Mr Palmer said: "Social welfare as we know it doesn't exist in the rural region [of Kenya] where we work. It's almost impossible for people with disabilities."

A charity quiz night in Chepstow raised more than £2,000 for local disabled charity Chepstow and District Mencap. The quizmaster was Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay and 30 teams took part.

Joan Watkins from Malpas celebrated her 100th birthday with her family. This woman has had a fantastic life, living independently until just five years ago. She has worked for a range of businesses, including at the Pilkington Glassworks in New Inn during the Second World War.