Social Care News

Trudy Jones tribute – family receive Wales Care Award honour

The children of a care worker killed in the Tunisian beach terror atrocity this summer have spoken of their pride in their social care worker "hero" mother as they face a painful first Christmas without her. 

The family were guests of honour at the Wales Care Awards ceremony on November 6 when Care Forum Wales' chair, Mario Kreft, paid tribute to their mother during an emotional evening saying she was "devoted to improving the quality of life of people in her care".

Blackwood social care worker Trudy Jones, 51, was one of 38 people killed when gunman Seifeddine Rezgui began firing at tourists on a beach in the resort of Sousse in Tunisia.

Her heartbroken family, speaking in the moving video tribute played to the Wales Care Awards audience, have spoken for the first time of how they realised she was among the victims when they saw a newspaper picture in the aftermath of the attack. 

Trudy Jones – 'making other people happy made her happy'

Trudy's children Ryan, Wayne, Gavin and Danah, spoke movingly about their late mother in the video tribute. Eldest son Gavin said: “Mum was always willing to help others – she loved everyone around her, including all of the people she cared for at work, and she was our hero.

“It wasn’t a job to her. The people mum looked after were her extended family and she did all she could to make their lives better. Making other people happy made her happy.”

Trudy’s sister Jane Lewis, who worked alongside her at Highfields Care Home in Blackwood, told how her sibling made the residents smile by buying them brightly-coloured slippers with frogs on them.

“They thought it was wonderful. She went out of her way and she bought these slippers herself.

A relative of a Highfields resident said Trudy's spirit was 'infectious'.

A relative of a Highfields resident said Trudy's spirit was 'infectious', adding, “she would do everything to please those people.”

Highfields manager Ken Khan told how Trudy always went beyond what was expected of her. "She always went that extra mile for staff, residents and their families and she has left us with some very good memories,” he said.

• Watch the video on the WalesOnline website

Tribute paid to Trudy Jones by Care Forum Wales chair at Wales Care Awards 2015

Mario Kreft, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said: “The aim of the Wales Care Awards is to recognise the unstinting and often remarkable dedication of our unsung heroes and heroines across Wales and no-one epitomises this more than Trudy Jones who was devoted to improving the quality of life of people in her care.

“The care sector is full of wonderful people like Trudy because to them it’s not just a job, it’s a vocation. We need to do all we can to raise the profile of the care sector workforce – they deserve to be lauded and applauded.

“We felt it right and fitting to pay tribute to Trudy in this way by inviting her children as our honoured guests. Trudy was clearly loved by the people she carried for, their relatives, colleagues and, of course, her family.”