The 4 days has undoubtedly made it extremely tough to pull correct sentences together, after sharing the news of the loss of my Brother on Christmas Day.

But with 2021 at a close; despite such tragedy taking me and my folk into 2022 full of sorrow, I can still look back at this year deep of pride and look ahead at the next, knowing how game changing it will be for my little bit of land I live within.

Firstly, I want to give a heartfelt thank you for everyone’s messages and comments of sympathy, which have totalled well over 200 across my social channels. Seeing such love has made things since Monday much easier to bear and gives me full confidence, that we can look back at Kieran’s life as one very well lived.

And once I am ready, I will share a post here with some memories of a great man, which included whilst at The Chase Secondary School in Great Malvern in 2007/2008, him once share a session of detention with Cher Lloyd!

The pain of losing a loved one, adds to the list of sad things, including of having COVID-19 in late November and early December, Isolating three times which included me missing Grand Prix Weekend, losing a EURO 2020 ticket thanks to only 25% capacity at Hampden Park, seeing my plans for the end of October and November for games at the Rugby League World Cup be delayed for a whole year, as well as not making the dent in my student overdraft thanks to me being at the bottom of the ladder, suffering at home during Lockdown 3 thanks to a slightly annoying twin and feeling probably more sorry for myself then I should, knowing my run for office was always going to end in defeat.

It has certainly wanted to make me roll into a ball and wonder HOW do I get out of such holes many times, as somewhat referred to in this post in July – posted once I’d got my breath back from the drama at Copse Corner on Lap 1…

However, and despite the low moments, it has been another busy year, which illustrated the need to carry on working immensely hard and therefore gave me some big successes, as well as tick off some lifetime dreams of mine too.

These have included running for office at just 23 in May for Labour here in Wolverhampton; which despite resulting of losing was a cracking experience which will make future political campaigns much stronger, becoming Co-Chair of a magnificently powerful Youth Board in this region of the award winning Young Combined Authority, raising a ton of money for two extraordinary charities by sleeping out at Molineux Stadium, growing tremendously in my work role at Birmingham 2022, engaging again with Solutions for the Planet and Changing Our Lives, volunteering at the home of UK motorsport of Silverstone at August’s MotoGP race and get back out in the world; particularly thanks to the joy of my trip on Anthem of the Seas in October (which posts on the mega ship and the visits to Liverpool and Belfast are planned), STEPS out of this world gig and a fun trip to the Darts both in November.

All of the above very much sums up a year full of challenge and sadness, but one I know I can feel happy with the work done within.

At 24, I am at the start of what will be a challenging but completely fulfilling career and with my employers putting on a breathtaking and simply unbelievable event in the 22^nd Commonwealth Games and my team preparing to showcase our region’s staggering cultural offering through the Birmingham 2022 Festival between March-September, I know that all will be worth it.

2022 will also see me seek that next career step post the games, as well as seeing Little Mix on tour for the last time in a wee while, seeing that bunch of RLWC matches, quite possibly seeing the mighty Wolves in Europe once again, me making more strides in my personal life, being at my 1st Grand Prix in 3 years as part of several Race Makers weekends, representing our young people in as strong as measure possible and be both part of new projects and campaigning for new causes.

I again want to give everyone I know, my fullest appreciation for the support across 2021, which has been shown in the most wonderful and sensitive way across the last week.

And it’s in that thankful and humbled fashion, I wish you all a very Happy New Year however you mark the change in the calendar, and I can say here, these next 12 months particularly will have the spirit of my late brother right in my heart – knowing he was beyond proud of me, and I was beyond proud of him.