This year, for the first time, the people of Wales were invited to vote in the hotly-contested ballot for the 100 greatest Welsh heroes of all time, with Aneurin Bevan announced as the worthy winner.

I would like to use my annual Christmas message to nominate some of my own Welsh heroes. 

In February, Wales lost one of its sporting legends when gentle giant John Charles died after a short illness.  He carried the flag for Wales to Italy and to Sweden in the 1958 World Cup.  He was Wales' greatest football ambassador - a gentleman, both on and off the pitch who never wanted to misuse his immense power and strength to flatten the opposition, he wanted everyone to appreciate  the wondrous skills he had learnt in the streets and parks of Swansea.

I would like to pay tribute to the Welsh Olympians and to the Paralympians who brought home a spectacular clutch of medals from Athens.  I was delighted to welcome home the 24 Paralympic competitors who elevated Wales to the prestigious position of the most successful nation of the 2004 Games. Returning with twelve golds, six silvers and nine bronze, Wales won more medals per head of population than any other country in the world.

There have been many accolades this year for Tanni Grey Thomson who became the most successful British Paralympian ever after winning her 11th gold medal but I want to add one more.  I was so proud to present her with her well-deserved award as BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year for 2004. Sport liberates small nations like Wales from being forgotten.  In the same way, the Paralympics has liberated disabled  sportsmen and women from being ignored and forgotten.

I would certainly present a special gold medal to triathlete Marc Jenkins - the Welshman who refused to give up.  After breaking a wheel through no fault of his own in the Athens triathlon, he picked up his bike and ran the best part of 2 kilometres finishing last by almost 2 minutes. No wonder he finished the race to a standing ovation!

Away from the sporting arena, 41-year-old mother of three Aileen Jones was the first woman in more than a century to receive the RNLI gallantry medal. Aileen is the helmsman of the RNLI's Porthcawl lifeboat and in August she and her crew braved atrocious sea conditions to save the lives of the crew of a stricken fishing vessel.

Some Welsh youngsters have also shown themselves to be true Welsh heroes.  A quick-thinking 12-year-old from Ynyshir in the Rhondda saved his mother and another child from a fire dialling 999 on his mobile phone from his bedroom while his house was ablaze.  Meanwhile, Wrexham teenager Amy Addison's St John's first aid training enabled her to come to the aid of a stranger found bleeding and semi-conscious in the street. 

In April, the people of Wales joined the town of Barmouth in mourning the loss of the town's harbourmaster Keith Allday and assistant harbourmaster Alan Massey who drowned while laying moorings in Barmouth Harbour. Both men were members of Barmouth lifeboat crew and their deaths came as a devastating blow to the town.

I was also deeply saddened to learn of the death of firefighter Richard Jenkins from Bridgend, who died tragically in June tackling a blaze in Ely, in my own Cardiff West constituency. It was a sharp and poignant reminder to us all that there is no such thing as a routine fire.  Every time our
firefighters are called to an incident they put their lives on the line.  

This is an opportunity for me to pay tribute to members of all the emergency services in Wales - to the Police, Fire and Ambulance services.  Also to the volunteers in rescue services like the RNLI and Mountain Rescue who risk their lives every time they set out.

I also want to pay a special tribute to Welsh soldiers serving abroad who face daily perils in the most volatile of situations.  In particular, my thoughts are with the Queen's Dragoon Guards, usually known as the Welsh Cavalry, who will be serving in Iraq  and separated from their homes and families this Christmas.

A special thank-you also goes to the doctors, nurses and other health professionals who will be working throughout Christmas and for the wonderful work they do throughout the year.  That includes, this year, the ambulance service's innovative new field hospitals, located in our main 'partying' areas to assist in areas like the city centres of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport at weekends.

Let's not forget the huge army of unsung heroes who devote their lives to caring for relatives who may be elderly, chronically sick or disabled. Carers give their time and energy selflessly and make a huge difference to those who need care and support - often without respite or reward.

In compiling my list of Welsh heroes of 2004 there must be many people I have missed who are equally deserving of such praise.  But I hope my nominations will meet with your approval and that you will share my respect and admiration for these great Welsh men, women and children.

Their courage, determination and towering achievements have been inspiring and I am truly proud and thankful that they are Welsh.

May I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year.