As we head into 2023, it's time to reflect on the year we leave behind - and there's no denying it's been a tough one for so many. As the cost of living crisis continues to affect families up and down the country, exacerbated by unimaginable scenes of war and turmoil in Ukraine, the UK, along with the rest of the world, enters the new year with a dark cloud hanging above.
Britain mourned its much-loved monarch in September as political turmoil rumbled on leading to our third prime minister in the space of a few weeks. Meanwhile, the cost of gas and electricity skyrocketed leaving families fearing their bills, the price of fuel hit an eyewatering record of nearly £2 a litre and thousands of workers went on strike to demand better pay.
But while it's all too easy to dismiss the year's headlines as 'doom and gloom', we shouldn't forget the things we have celebrated this year - in the UK and elsewhere in the world.
READ MORE: The biggest breaking news stories from Greater Manchester in 2022
The first year with no Covid restrictions in two years brought Brits more freedom and a return to the events that had been missed so much such as the Notting Hill carnival and the Edinburgh Fringe. Meanwhile, England's incredible Lionesses won the hearts of the nation with their inspiring Euros victory, becoming heroes to young female footballers.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine brought horror to the European nation, but it was met with a remarkable outpouring of support which saw people open up their homes to fleeing refugees and donate millions of pounds to aid charities. In the science world, we celebrated a huge breakthrough in Alzheimer's treatment, while the largest and most powerful telescope ever built has given us images of space more detailed than ever before.
Here, we have rounded up 11 positive news stories to celebrate as 2022 comes to an end.
Lionesses bring it home for England after 56 years
Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses brought it home and made history in July by becoming European football champions. The England women’s team achieved a 2-1 extra-time victory over Germany, which was watched by a crowd of more than 87,000 people at Wembley and millions more on television.
Prince William was among those supporting from the sidelines, and after the match he said it had been “wonderful to see history in the making”, while captain Leah Williamson dubbed it “the proudest moment of my life”. The Lionesses’ triumph marked the first major tournament title for England since 1966.
What’s more, Arsenal forward Beth Mead, 27, capped off her incredible year by being voted the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year for 2022. She played a crucial part in England’s triumph, scoring six goals and providing five assists, and was also chosen as UEFA’s player of the tournament.
The Lionesses’ win was symbolic of a new chapter in sport for women and girls. The number of female players registered with the Football Association has risen by 12.5 per cent in the aftermath of their Euro win.
The late Queen also praised the team on the day of the victory, July 31, saying their “success goes far beyond the trophy”. She told the team: “You have all set an example that will be an inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations. It is my hope that you will be as proud of the impact you have had on your sport as you are of the result today.”
PA photographer Joe Giddens, who captured an iconic shot of Chloe Kelly after scoring the winning goal, said the picture showed “just what it meant” to the team to take the trophy home. “Chloe Kelly removing her shirt and swinging her shirt around her head became the iconic image inspiring women and girls around the world,” he said.
Brits open their homes to refugees forced out of Ukraine
When Vladimir Putin launched his deadly invasion of Ukraine back in February, millions of people were forced to flee their towns and cities in search of safety. The ongoing war triggered the worst humanitarian crisis seen in decades, but it also saw a wave of support spreaiing across Europe and beyond.
More than £390 million has been raised by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which is helping charities deliver food, warmth, clean water and medical care to people in Ukraine. Meanwhile, families across the world have opened up their homes to Ukrainian refugees, helping them to start a new life away from the conflict.
In the UK, tens of thousands of people have provided homes for people from Ukraine as part of visa schemes launched by the British government. The Ukraine Family Scheme allows fleeing Ukrainians to join family members based in the UK, while the Homes for Ukraine scheme allows people in the UK to sponsor Ukrainians, providing them with somewhere to live for a minimum of six months.
In the six months after the war started, more than 115,000 Ukrainians had arrived in the UK under the visa schemes, including around 81,700 refugees under the sponsorship scheme. As of December 20, the total number of visas granted under the sponsorship scheme has hit nearly 147,00, the latest Home Office figures show.
Households who host Ukrainian refugees are given a ‘thank you’ payment of £350 a month for the first year, which is now set to increase to £500 a month after 12 months of sponsorship following an announcement from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) earlier this month.
In cases where sponsorship arrangements cannot continue, the government has said it will give councils across the UK £150 million to help Ukrainians move into their own homes and reduce the risk of homelessness.
Scientists celebrate a major breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research
In November, experts hailed the “beginning of the end” in the search for effective Alzheimer’s treatments after a new drug reduced memory decline among patients with early stages of the disease. Experts said the study offers long-awaited proof that Alzheimer’s disease can be treated.
Lecanemab, which is designed to target and clear amyloid – one of the proteins that builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s – was found to slow decline in patients’ memory and thinking. The phase three clinical trial results were reported by Eisai, a Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company that has partnered with US biotech firm Biogen to develop lecanemab.
Eisai reported initial results in September from a trial on 1,795 participants with early Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists found that after 18 months the drug slowed the disease progression by 27 per cent compared with patients taking the placebo.
Professor John Hardy, group leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, said: “This trial is an important first step, and I truly believe it represents the beginning of the end. The amyloid theory has been around for 30 years so this has been a long time coming.”
He added: “The first step is the hardest, and we now know exactly what we need to do to develop effective drugs. It’s exciting to think that future work will build on this, and we will soon have life-changing treatments to tackle this disease.”
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, and has been diagnosed in hundreds of thousands of people in the UK. According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, it affects around six in every 10 people with dementia in this country.
Blackpool footballer finds 'courage' to come out as gay
In May, 17-year-old footballer Jake Daniels came out as gay, marking a significant moment for professional football. The Blackpool forward is currently the UK’s only active male professional footballer to do so and follows in the footsteps of Norwich striker Justin Fashanu in 1990.
Daniels said on the Blackpool club website he had been inspired by other sportsmen to reveal his sexuality. “It’s a step into the unknown being one of the first footballers in this country to reveal my sexuality,” he said. “But I’ve been inspired by Josh Cavallo (Adelaide defender), Matt Morton (Thetford manager) and athletes from other sports, like Tom Daley, to have the courage and determination to drive change.”
He said the subject of being gay or bi in men’s football “is still a taboo”, adding that people “see being gay as being weak” and sexuality is “an easy thing for people to target”.
He said: “The way I see it is that I am playing football and they are shouting stuff at me, but they are paying to watch me play football and I am living my life and making money from it. So shout what you want, it’s not going to make a difference.”
He added: “I am hoping that by coming out, I can be a role model, to help others come out if they want to. I am only 17 but I am clear that this is what I want to do and if, by me coming out, other people look at me and feel maybe they can do it as well, that would be brilliant.”
The teenager was widely praised for telling his story, particularly given the focus on the issue of homophobia in football this year with the World Cup being held in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal. Former England striker Gary Lineker told the Daily Mirror he knows of two gay Premier League players, saying they had been “very close” to coming out before now.
The pundit said he had hoped Daniels’ coming out would prompt other players to do the same. “I’m sure it’s very difficult,” he said. “But I think what we’ve seen so far is that the feedback and the response, it will be incredibly positive.”
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori released from Iranian detention
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was finally reunited with her family in the UK after a traumatic six-year detention in Iran. The British-Iranian charity worker was welcomed home by her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, who campaigned tirelessly for her release, and their seven-year-old daughter Gabriella in March this year.
She was released along with fellow dual-national Anoosheh Ashoori after Britain finally agreed to settle a £400 million debt dating back to the 1970s.
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained for six years after being accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government, while Mr Ashoori, who was detained in the notorious Evin prison for almost five years, was accused of spying. Both consistently and vigorously denied the allegations.
The two former detainees touched down at RAF Brize Norton in the early hours of March 17, and a video posted on social media showed Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe hugging and kissing her young daughter while Mr Ashoori’s family sobbed with joy.
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe used her first public appearance following her release to highlight the continued detention of British-US national and wildlife conservationist Morad Tahbaz, who was released on furlough on the same day she was freed then taken back into prison after just 48 hours.
In the wake of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Mr Ashoori’s release, the Foreign Affairs Committee launched a wider investigation into “state-level hostage situations”. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt told the committee that the government should not look back on the situation with “any pride”. While answering how the government’s approach to helping families affected by hostage-taking changed during his time in office, Mr Hunt said the length of time it took for the pair to be released was a “terrible injustice”.
“Even though we are all delighted that Nazanin and Anoosheh are home, I don’t think the British state can look on the totality of what happened with any pride at all,” he said. “We weren’t responsible for the wrong being committed, that was wholly Iran’s fault. But I think that we have to be honest, including myself, as foreign secretary, that it took too long to resolve this situation.”
Brits start to embrace the four-day working week
More and more businesses have started offering four-day working weeks to their employees in a shift that could pave the way for major change in the UK. The world’s biggest four-day working week pilot is currently underway in the UK, with workers earning 100 per cent pay for 80 per cent of the time.
More than 70 companies and 3,300 workers are taking part in the scheme, which launched in June. A survey taken at the halfway point of the six-month pilot showed that 86 per cent of the companies taking part are likely to consider retaining the policy.
Research also suggests that the number of jobs offering a four-day week has increased in recent months. Jobs site CV-Library said adverts for four-day week positions had jumped by around 90 per cent in the year up to July, especially for work in sectors such as charities, sales, distribution and catering.
Joe O’Connor, chief executive of 4 Day Week Global, the organisation behind the pilot scheme, said: “The UK is at the crest of a wave of global momentum behind the four-day week. As we emerge from the pandemic, more and more companies are recognising that the new frontier for competition is quality of life, and that reduced-hour, output-focused working is the vehicle to give them a competitive edge. The impact of the ‘great resignation’ is now proving that workers from a diverse range of industries can produce better outcomes while working shorter and smarter.”
Proposals to bring forward a four-day working week, reducing official working hours from 48 to 32, from Labour cleared their first parliamentary hurdle in October. However, Conservative former minister Sir Christopher Chope warned the measures would be “very hotly opposed” by the Tories and the Bill is unlikely to make further progress without government support.
UK takes second place at Eurovision Song Contest
In May, pop sensation Sam Ryder won the nation’s hearts when he secured second place at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. The 33-year-old lost out to Kalush Orchestra, the entry for Ukraine, who wowed crowds in Turin, Italy, with a song called Stefania.
Tiktok star Sam topped the national jury vote with 283 points, beating favourites Spain and Sweden, and delivering the UK’s best result in 20 years. His entry, the uplifting pop song Space Man, became a huge hit following his performance and peaked at number 2 in the UK charts.
Usually, the winning country has the honour of hosting the following year’s contest. But after Ukraine’s win, Eurovision organiser the European Broadcasting Union decided the event could not be held in the war-torn country.
In July it was confirmed that the UK would host the competition next year as the runner-up. A number of UK cities threw their hat into the ring and it was announced in October that the competition will take place in Liverpool, with the grand final on Saturday May 13.
Despite coming second place, Sam has had a huge year in 2022. He got to perform his entry at the late Queen’s Platinum Party at the Palace in June and saw his debut album top the UK charts in December.
Festival season returns
This year saw the UK’s social calendar bulging at the seams after two years of coronavirus restrictions stripped back staple summer events. Glastonbury, the Edinburgh Fringe and Notting Hill carnival all returned for the summer, bringing thousands of people across the country together.
After a three-year break, Glastonbury Festival finally celebrated its 50th-anniversary event, with Billie Eilish and Sir Paul McCartney among the headline acts.The festival’s return to Worthy Farm saw a number of memorable moments including Lily Allen joining American pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo on stage, an on-screen address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Eilish’s history-making set as she became the festival’s youngest ever solo headliner.
In August, the Edinburgh International Festival, the festival Fringe and the Tattoo all returned to the Scottish city after the pandemic saw events scaled back or cancelled completely during 2021. The three-week festival is known for launching the careers of some of the country’s best-loved comedians. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Friends star David Schwimmer, comedian Eddie Izzard, and Dame Emma Thompson have all seen the Fringe advance their careers in past years.
The August Bank Holiday weekend also saw the return of the Notting Hill carnival in London. Young and old descended on the streets of west London for the long-standing celebration of Caribbean heritage, with many dressed in colourful, sparkling costumes.
Scotland makes world history in tackling period poverty
Scotland became the first country in the world to protect the right to free period products in law after new legislation came into force in August. The Period Products Act means councils and education providers are now legally required to make free sanitary products, such as tampons and pads, available to those who need them.
On average, people spend around £10 a month on tampons and pads, and some struggle to afford the cost. A survey in May revealed that nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of people who menstruate in the UK said they or their family had struggled to afford period products in the last year.
The legislation was proposed by Labour MSP Monica Lennon and it was unanimously backed in the Scottish Parliament in 2020. As the new laws came into force, Ms Lennon said: “This is another big milestone for period dignity campaigners and grassroots movements which shows the difference that progressive and bold political choices can make. As the cost-of-living crisis takes hold, the Period Products Act is a beacon of hope which shows what can be achieved when politicians come together for the good of the people we serve.”
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “Providing access to free period products is fundamental to equality and dignity, and removes the financial barriers to accessing them. This is more important than ever at a time when people are making difficult choices due to the cost of living crisis and we never want anyone to be in a position where they cannot access period products.”
Astronomers get an unprecedented look at ancient galaxies
Images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and the most powerful telescope ever built, were released this year, giving scientists the most detailed picture of the cosmos they have ever seen.
The telescope lifted off on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on Christmas Day last year on its mission to unlock the secrets of the universe. The first picture, known as Webb’s First Deep Field, showcased a galaxy cluster called SMACS 0723 as it appeared 4.6 billion years ago.
Nasa administrator Bill Nelson said the picture was not only the first full-colour image from the telescope, but also the “deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant Universe, so far”.
Researchers are learning more about galaxies’ masses, ages, histories and compositions than ever before thanks to Webb’s ability to view the earliest galaxies in the Universe.
Using a technique known as spectroscopy, which measures light to determine the speed and composition of objects in space, scientists have managed to work out the age of four galaxies, which existed more than 13 billion years ago, and are the earliest known to date. They found that the galaxies were present around 350 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was just 2 per cent of its current age.
Baby bison born as animals reintroduced for climate change initiative
In environmental news, 2022 saw bison reintroduced to ancient British woodland in a bid to help tackle the nature and climate crises. In September, rangers were greeted by the UK’s first bison calf as part of the “groundbreaking” rewilding project, which launched in July.
Three female bison were released into West Blean and Thornden Woods, near Canterbury, for the Wilder Blean project, an initiative by the Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust. The new calf, also a female, was unexpected for the rangers, as bison conceal their pregnancies to avoid being hunted by predators.
European bison, the continent’s largest land mammal, are the closest living relative to ancient steppe bison that would have once roamed Britain and naturally managed the habitat, according to conservationists. The bison were released into a fenced enclosure to help restore the woods with their natural behaviour – grazing, felling trees, eating bark and taking dust baths – which will open the canopy and create new spaces for other wildlife.
The aim of the project is to restore complex habitats to help nature thrive and be more able to cope with climate change, and store more carbon in woodland to reduce the emissions driving up temperatures. The animals will change the forest away from a monoculture and create wetter areas that will not only store carbon but reduce flood risk, conservationists said.
European Bison were on the brink of extinction after the First World War, but numbers are now thought to have risen to more than 9,000.
READ NEXT:
- New Years Honours list 2023: The UK's community heroes, charity champions and campaigners recognised this year
- 20 key money dates and changes due in 2023 and how they affect you
- The 15 best restaurants in Manchester - from Michelin-star institutions to under-the-radar favourites
- All the strike dates for January 2023 as industrial action continues into new year
- The new laws and rules that will come into force in 2023
