From New Year babies being welcomed into the world, everyone’s favourite Chris ‘Kammy’ Kamara being given Freedom of the City and, of course, the amazing success of Wakefield Trinity’s triple win to the sad passing of Pontefract lad and Leeds Rhinos legend, Rob Burrow, it’s been a year of the biggest of ups and lowest of downs.
Here we take a look back at what’s happened across the district over the last year.
1. January
It was a great, but unexpected start to 2024 for Scott and Hannah Lowrie. The Flanshaw couple welcomed their baby boy, four weeks early, on New Year’s Day. Lewis was born at Pinderfields Hospital at 5.30am and is the first baby for Scott, 31, and Hannah, 26. Hannah said: “It certainly was a great start to the New Year and very unexpected! Photo: s
2. February
The long-awaited reopening of Wetherspoons pub The Six Chimneys in Wakefield city centre took place following an extensive refurbishment and expansion project, costing £3million. The Kirkgate pub was closed five months before for redevelopment work to take place including expanding into two adjoining properties and creating an extending beer garden. Forty jobs were also been created. Photo: Scott Merrylees
3. March
On a glorious spring Sunday morning, more than 1,800 willing runners took to the streets of Wakefield to complete the Wakefield 10K in aid of Wakefield Hospice. From first time runners through to seasoned veterans, the Wakefield 10K welcomed participants from a variety of running backgrounds, with each running for their own unique reason – be it in memory of a loved one, for a personal challenge or simply to be a part of Wakefield’s largest 10K event. As well as the 10K, the event also welcomed the ‘runners of tomorrow’ to take part in the 1K Mini- Run, with entrants doubling from the previous year and seeing more than 250 children and family members completing the course ranging from toddlers to grandparents. Photo: Wakefield Hospice
4. April
The World Coal Carrying Championships was back with a bang for 2024 – a competition that has gone from strength to strength since it began in 1963. The Gawthorpe Maypole Committee organises the event every Easter Monday and it is a nod to Wakefield’s mining heritage, two men who survived the Lofthouse Colliery disaster in 1973 were invited to give out prizes. The event involves men carrying a 50kg sack of coal on their backs and women must carry 20kg across a 1,000-metre distance. The race is timed by using an original pigeon racing clock and volunteers’ stopwatches. Photo: Gerard Binks