The Argus' Pride of Gwent awards were held last week, in which a plethora of dedicated volunteers were hailed for their hard work during the pandemic. Here we highlight just some of them.

THE 999 Hero Award, sponsored by Monmouthshire County Council, honours people who have saved a life or acted bravely in an emergency situation.

Ben Jones and Tim Blacklock were everyday people going about their business when they came across a young woman in distress on a bridge and set about doing all they could to help her.

South Wales Argus:

Ben Jones (L) and Tim Blacklock (R)

The bravery and courage of the men, who had never met before, prompted an inspector from Gwent Police to nominate them for the 999 Hero Award.

Ben was driving a bus and Tim was in a car with his family driving along the dual carriageway towards Cwmbran when both noticed the woman at the bridge. Ben climbed over the railings to try and encourage her to move to safety, while Tim held the person by her shoulders and gently spoke to her, full in the knowledge that he risked ending up on the busy road beneath.

Meanwhile Tim’s wife Paula tried to alert passing traffic to the dangerous situation and daughter Arwen tried to help the young woman by speaking to her.

“It all happened in April not long after the first lockdown,” said Ben, who is now working as a delivery driver. “I was driving a Stagecoach bus over the bridge when I saw that something was going on.

“I spoke to a man and learned that the girl was in a bad way.

“To be honest, nothing went through my mind. What happened next just happened.”

Tim, who works part time at Goytre Wharf and is studying for advanced accounting qualifications, said he happened to look up as he was driving along and saw a girl sitting on the wrong side of the barrier.

“I held on to her for a very long time, talking to her,” he explained. “It seemed like hours. We all have our demons and things we struggle with. Doing something disastrous can change everything for the rest of a life and I wanted to try and stop that happening.”

The men were nominated by Inspector Hannah Lawton.“This was an extremely volatile situation which could have had fatal results,”she said. “They remained with the woman until officers arrived and continued to assist at the scene.”

Monmouthshire County Council is proud to be sponsoring the Pride of Gwent Awards. “Across Monmouthshire so many neighbours, volunteers and frontline workers have been helping each other through these challenging times. These awards celebrate the kind, supportive, wonderful people who have done everything they can to put others first.

Monmouthshire is a stunning, rural county with spectacular views from the hills through to the Gwent Levels and expansive coastal plain on the shores of the River Severn. Its borders are part of the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This spectacular location has enabled people to exercise daily, enjoy the gorgeous views and fresh air during really difficult times.

Here’s a big thanks to all of the amazing people who have been tremendous in supporting each other – that’s something to be incredibly proud of.”

South Wales Argus: Monmouthshire County Council