BBC Cymru Wales is offering its audience the chance to come together to celebrate and recognise the heroes working to make a difference during the current Coronavirus crisis.
From young carers through to NHS staff, 7 May will be designated Welsh Heroes Day across all BBC Cymru Wales’s programmes and services.
Across all its services, Welsh Heroes Day will shine a light on those key workers who have gone above and beyond in the current crisis and given back to their communities.
From dawn until dusk BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru will feature stories from frontline workers, alongside thank you messages from listeners. Presenters will be speaking to some of our Welsh Heroes and finding out more about their daily responsibilities and how they’re going the extra mile to help others during the current crisis.
In the evening, a brand new series presented by Carol Vorderman, The Great Indoors, will launch at 7.30pm on BBC One Wales to celebrate community heroes from across the country. And in a unique tribute to the Welsh Heroes, members of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales will be joining forces with Sir Bryn Terfel from their own homes for a special performance of Men Of Harlech.
Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director BBC Cymru Wales says: “Welsh Heroes Day is an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of individuals the length and breadth of Wales and shine a light on those who have gone above and beyond in the current crisis.”
Welsh Heroes Day Highlights
• BBC Radio Wales Breakfast with Claire Summers (6-8.30am) and the afternoon news programme with Gareth Lewis (4-6.30pm) will feature in-depth interviews with key workers to understand the work they do and the challenges they face
• Dot Davies (8.30-10am) will devote her entire programme to those on the frontline with a Heroes Phone-in. She’ll be joined by a panel of key workers who will answer questions on their experiences and it will provide an opportunity for listeners to thank them personally
• And Wynne Evans (11am-2pm) will continue his daily Cheer for Champions, with even more shouts of thanks to heroes across Wales
• Post Cyntaf (7-9am) will start the day on BBC Radio Cymru with stories from frontline staff – how they are coping under pressure in work and juggling that with keeping their own families safe. This will be followed by a phone in when listeners have an opportunity to thank frontline workers
• For the Aled Hughes programme (9-11am), poets and authors have been invited to compose pieces of work in tribute to frontline workers and allow people to nominate their ‘Aur y Dydd’ – people working on the frontline who deserve special recognition
• Bore Cothi (11am-1pm) will focus ‘Cymanfa Cegin Cothi’ and will invite listeners to choose music to dedicate to those who have cared for them or helped them over the last few weeks
• Dros Ginio (1-2pm) will include a panel of heroes and an opportunity to hear their experiences on the frontline
• The Ifan Jones Evans (2-5pm) programme will feature drivers – the paramedics, the ambulance drivers, the waste disposal truck drivers, the logistics drivers – and those who serve rural areas in particular
• Beti George (6-6.45pm) will be chatting to family doctor Catrin Elis Williams
• For his show (7-10pm) Huw Stephens is inviting artists to record a special song to dedicate to front line workers – played out just before the 8pm national Clap for Carers. And BBC Radio Cymru 2 will dedicate the ‘Cwtsh Heb Dwtsh’ feature on the breakfast programme (7-9am) to frontline heroes