Nominees, friends and families gathered in Brecon’s Guildhall last night to celebrate the Best of Brecon Awards 2024.

The awards, which are now in their fourth year, celebrate the work of volunteers and community groups in Brecon.

Across eight categories this year, the awards recognise the remarkable volunteers and organisations that go above and beyond - and make a positive difference to the community.

Nominees were put forward by the public before a team of judges had the difficult task of selecting the winners.

Newly installed Mayor of Brecon Cllr John Powell and Deputy Mayor Cllr Marie Matthews were on hand to keep the evening running smoothly.

Guests for the evening included High Sheriff of Powys, Kathryn Silk, who took time to speak about the profound difference that volunteers can make, and the power of community.

The awards are organised by Brecon Town Council, with support from Brecon Volunteer Bureau and the Brecon & Radnor Express.

The audience was also treated to musical performances from Zach Skinner, Edward Carr and Henry Carr, to break up the evening.

Speaking to the audience, Cllr John Powell, Mayor of Brecon said: “To all our nominees - I extend my deepest gratitude for your dedication and service.

“You are the lifeblood of our community and we thank you for all of the work that you have done in the past and will continue to do in the future.”

The winners on the night were as follows:

Cai, who is seven years old, received three separate nominations. Cai was recognised for his work with charity, Helping Our Homeless Wales. For the past two years, Cai has helped his mum with collections for the charity, come rain or shine. He greets everyone with a smile and has impeccable manners. He also helped his mum deliver Christmas meals locally the day before Christmas Eve.

Reverend Anna has made a huge impact on the town through her involvement in the community. She has been involved in the Frazz parade, children’s craft workshops and activities, the Halloween evening in 2022 and the unforgettable and ambitious Christmas Eve event last year. She has the quality of getting people to work together to achieve great things.

Brecon Mountain Rescue Team received three nominations for this award. Every team member provides an invaluable service to the community and visitors to the area, on a voluntary basis. They not only provide a rescue service for the mountains and rural areas, but often also assist with searches in towns and around rivers with missing persons. Many of the members are also first responders within their community.

Michael was instrumental in the organisation and execution of Brecon’s first Pride. He single-handedly designed the logo for the event and dealt with the majority of the social media work and publicity - including dealing with some prejudice and unfriendly backlash towards the event. Brecon Pride was a huge success and he is involved in this year’s event again on a voluntary basis.

Andy has been Chairman and Trustee of the Board of Theatr Brycheiniog for the past two years. He has spent a vast amount of time and effort carrying out his duties, far and above the norm. He saw the theatre through a challenging period with a lack of a director and the Arts Council of Wales’ major five-year review into funding. Andy was also at the forefront of arrangements for King Charles’ visit to the theatre last year. He has helped organise Brecon Pride and was also one of the founders of ITV Pride and the network’s first chair.

This small team of volunteers work tirelessly to keep the shop open six days a week to help raise funds for cats, including covering the cost of spaying and neutering strays and farm cats to prevent unwanted births. The shop is also a friendly and welcoming place, offering a safe place for people to have a chat and connect with others. In the background, the team also helps sort out donations rom house clearances and helps redistribute the item to recycling or re-use with minimal waste.

Gelert was one of the two dogs at Two Dogs Coffee Roasting Company. He was a star - welcoming customers into the shop and often sitting at a table with them. He expected fuss and treats from the customers, and gave love and cwtches in return. He could often be seen wandering The Struet - when it was closed - as if he owned it! Gelert sadly passed away in January and has been missed by his owners, staff and customers. His owners would like to thank everyone for their kind messages and condolences.

Punch has achieved so much in Brecon and was the recipient of this year’s final award. She has brought a first-class art gallery to Brecon with changing exhibitions. She founded and organises the Brecon Choir festival, which in only its second year brought more than 1,000 new visitors to the town with world-class acts. Punch was particularly instrumental in organising the choir music for the King and Queen with other key stakeholders such as the cathedral, helping to place Brecon on the world stage. She has personally driven the creation of Men’s Shed and children’s singing workshops for Brecon Choir Festival 2024. She continually promotes the town through Brecon Buzz - the list of her achievements and voluntary work is endless.