The year opened with national recognition for local healthcare leaders, as Coleford-based Dr Tracey Cooper was awarded an OBE in the King’s New Year Honours for services to healthcare and public health.

As chief executive of Public Health Wales, Dr Cooper said she was “thrilled” to receive the honour, while colleagues praised her leadership and contribution to public health in Wales and beyond.

The month also saw recognition for frontline care closer to home, with Dr Rowena Christmas of the Wye Valley Practice in St Briavels receiving an MBE for services to general practice.

Heritage and culture were also in focus, with Perrygrove Railway Adventure in Coleford preparing to mark 200 years of passenger rail travel as part of the nationwide Railway 200 celebrations.

Throughout January, visitors were given the chance to experience steam-powered trains every weekend, linking the Forest of Dean to the origins of rail travel and drawing attention to the area’s enduring connection with industrial and transport history.

In Cinderford, The Wesley Players returned “home” for a landmark year, staging their pantomime Snow White at The Wesley to mark the group’s 70th anniversary.

February brought a strong focus on community access and local decision-making. Plans were announced for an expanded programme of free daffodil shuttle buses to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Golden Triangle Daffodil Season.

Building on the success of the previous year, when hundreds of visitors were carried on a single minibus, the scheme was extended to cover three busy weekends in March.

Political debate also featured prominently, as Forest of Dean MP Matt Bishop welcomed the Government’s decision to press ahead with local elections in Gloucestershire, rejecting a proposal by the Conservative-led county council to delay the vote.

Mr Bishop argued that the elections should go ahead as planned in May, saying residents deserved accountability and the chance to vote on local services, including roads, transport and education.

The month ended on a more hopeful note with the announcement that Brody’s Trust had secured the purchase of the former Joys Green Primary School.

The charity revealed plans to transform the site into Brody’s Sensory Hub, a multi-sensory facility for children with complex disabilities and their families.

Inspired by the memory of Brody Baggott, the project aimed to reduce isolation, provide specialist support and create a welcoming space for families across the Forest, with fundraising and renovation work set to continue into the year.

March saw major developments in health, infrastructure and local government. In Ross-on-Wye, proposals to reinstate the town’s minor injury unit were brought forward for debate, amid growing concern about pressure on Hereford County Hospital and long ambulance handover delays.

Forest of Dean District Council approved revised regeneration plans for the Five Acres site, outlining new leisure, community and commercial facilities as part of the Levelling Up the Forest programme.

The month also brought attention to local finances, after figures showed council tax in the Forest of Dean remained lower than the England average, despite a modest rise.