Year in review
Before you press play on Auld Lang Syne, we recall some of the most memorable moments of 2022
Yep, believe it or not, there were plenty of causes for celebration – from bright blue butterflies to a 10-mile queue. So banish that ‘cost of living crisis’ earworm, open the cut-price prosecco and soak up the positivity.
1 A FINE LINE
For a few days in September, the nation seemed to unite over the loss of the Queen. Young and old took to the streets to pay their respects. In true British fashion, we were happy to form an orderly queue along the banks of the Thames. Many famous faces were spotted among the thousands waiting in a line that reached 10 miles long at one point. They included David Beckham, Susanna Reid, Sharon Osbourne, Dame Kelly Holmes and James Blunt. Strangers swapped stories and sandwiches, and at least two may have found love, prompting headlines about ‘Queuepid’s arrow’.
2 WHALES BACK
Nearly 40 years ago, commercial whaling was banned, as several species were on the verge of extinction. Now, happily for the giant mammals and the oceans they live in, their population is on the up once more. Fin whales have been sighted feeding en masse off Antarctica’s Elephant Island in numbers higher than marine biologists had imagined possible.
3 RUNNING AHEAD
A snearly 50,000 runners pounded the streets of the capital during the London Marathon in October, keen observers may have noticed more mature women among the participants than ever before. In fact, the number of women over 50 finishing Britain’s most famous road race has jumped by 56% in the past four years, making older female runners the fastest growing group. And the number of female runners aged 60 to 69 has almost doubled. Recent research from Denmark concluded that women are better than men at running marathons because they are more able to run at a controlled, consistent pace – something men apparently find more difficult…
4 OPEN ARMS
W hen Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the distressing scenes of people fleeing their homes prompted big-hearted Brits to donate money, clothing and bedding, as well as signing up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme, offering shelter to refugees.
5 HAPPY HOLIDAYS
A fter two years of putting travel plans on hold, courtesy of COVID-19, our cages were finally opened and we were set free. The Caribbean and Maldives were among the most searched-for destinations but, with winter fuel bills in mind, most of us chose the coas
