Social Care News

Wales Care Awards: packed-out ceremony was an 'inspirational' night

The Wales Care Awards ceremony on Friday, October 24, in Cardiff's City Hall was a packed-out night to remember which saw 56 finalists presented with awards in 21 categories ranging from excellence in dementia care to innovation in care for children and young people. The winners of the top three awards of the night – the Dignity in Care Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Spirit of Care Award – were all chosen from among the finalists in the 18 other categories.

See the full list of the 2014 Wales Care Awards winners

The ceremony was attended by social care professionals there to support colleagues, policy makers, politicians and sponsors of the awards, now in their 12th year. Entertainment was provided by soprano Ffion Perrett (pictured below) and the compere was BBC Wales news reader Lucy Owen.

Mario Kreft, the chair of Care Forum Wales, told the packed City Hall ballroom that "Wales deserves a night like this" and long-time supporter of the awards Howard Crackle, head of healthcare in Wales for Barclays, told the crowd: "You are the cream of your profession".

The night was filled with inspiring stories, none more so than the Lifetime Achievement Award winner Dilys Price who founded the Touch Trust which offers movement programmes for people with disabilities. The skydiving octogenarian (recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as one of the world's oldest skydivers) said she felt "proud and validated" to win an award for her achievements.

The night also saw a surprise announcement by Mario Kreft about the Academy of Care Practitioners, the innovative body set up to represent and champion social care workers across Wales.

He announced that Jan Wood would become its honorary chief executive and that former social services minister Gwenda Thomas was to be its honorary president.

The Wales Care Awards will be back in 2015 on November 6.