Through all the struggles and uncertainty, Malta made it a point to show its gratitude to the hardworking healthcare workers at the front line of the pandemic. People took to their windows and balconies in rounds of applause for front-liners, but support for healthcare staff went beyond these symbolic acts.

From apartments to mattresses, from shoes to tattoo parlour masks and gloves, businesses lined up to donate their stock, lending a helping hand while also sending out a powerful gesture that we’re all in this together. 

2. Żabbar school turned into a face shield printing factory

While schools were shut down, the Żabbar primary school was converted into a makeshift 3D printing farm to manufacture hundreds of face shields for Mater Dei’s healthcare workers. People turned out in their droves to volunteer and the face shields were donated to the national hospital.

The brainchild of a 3D printing company director, this heartfelt initiative truly showed how everyone can make a difference. 

3. Chefs moved into a kitchen to cook meals for the elderly 

At the start of the pandemic, around 22 chefs said goodbye to their families for two months as they moved into a kitchen to prepare meals for residents of elderly care homes.

Completely isolated from the rest of society to minimise their exposure to the virus, the chefs churned out around 5,500 meals a day for 13 care homes, truly one of the most selfless moments of the pandemic.

4. People stuck at home were lent an invisible hand

After many people found themselves stuck at home for COVID-19-related reasons, a group of young volunteers decided to lend a hand.

Nicknamed the ‘Invisible Hands’, the volunteers, many of whom were expats, set up a website for people to request help with groceries or other deliveries, complete with strict health guidelines to minimise any contact-related risk.

“Tough times can sometimes bring out the best in people,” the volunteers said of their mission. “Thankfully, this virus-dominated period has showcased this very facet of human nature.”

Enough said.

5. Santa Venera serenaded a couple who missed their wedding 

COVID-19 halted many people’s plans, but some amazing compromises were found. And few were more beautiful than the way residents of a Santa Venera street surprised a young Maltese couple who had to miss their wedding.

Complete with party lights, a DJ and a wedding cake, this street serenaded the newlyweds, showing everyone how life during the pandemic doesn’t have to be miserable.

It’s moments like these that remind us how community-driven the people of Malta can be.

6. Mind-boggling athletic challenges were held

Beyond the pandemic, it’s been quite a year for Maltese athletes. First, Neil Agius became the first man in three decades to swim from Sicily to Malta, an astonishing 100km journey which he completed in just over 28 hours, setting a new national record.

A few weeks later, Claudio Camilleri and Patrick Tabone completed a 190km, run around Malta and Gozo in 35 hours, the first time such a gruelling challenge has ever been completed, made all the more impressive by the fact it was held in the summer heat.

Triathlete Fabio Spiteri managed to cycle 1000km around Sicily in two days and eight hours and, to top it all off, Malta’s national football team set a new record by going seven consecutive games undefeated.

BONUS: Epic has arrived and it’s giving away a year’s supply of unlimited data

Vodafone Malta has transformed into Epic, and the new brand has renewed its life on the island with a bang.

Lock-in contracts, whereby monthly plans were given on condition that clients sign two-year deals, are no more. This means you can now hook yourself onto one of Epic’s monthly plans without binding yourself to the company for the foreseeable future, a revolutionary element of flexibility for the Maltese market.

However, with monthly plans starting from €24.99, there’s a good chance you’ll want to stick with them for a bit longer.

And if you’d rather top up your phone, Epic has launched a new value plan, with €9.99 giving you 8 gigabytes of 4.5G mobile data, 200 minutes and 200 SMSes to any network, landing yourself double the value versus other options.

Businesses are well catered for too, with Epic for Business offering unlimited mobile plans for companies of all sizes, and the telecoms firm expanding its international roaming footprint to 220 countries, practically the entire world.

These include 175 networks which provide 4G speeds, a figure double that of the company’s second-best competitor.

And if that’s not enough, Epic has a pretty epic offer on the table. One lucky person in Malta is about to get a year’s supply of unlimited 4.5G mobile data and the competition couldn’t be easier.

All you need to do is tag a friend in the comments section and you’ll automatically be in with a chance of winning this amazing deal.

Epic has arrived in Malta and it’s here to shake things up.

Tag someone who would love a year’s worth of free mobile data!