VOTING is now open to choose the winner of the 2023 Caring in Welsh award – with women from Conwy and Anglesey among the five finalists.

The award, which is organised by Social Care Wales, recognises and celebrates paid care workers in social care, childcare, play and early years who provide excellent care through the medium of Welsh.  

Workers from across the sectors have been chosen by an expert panel of judges as finalists for this year’s award. 

The five finalists are:

  • Ffion Hughes, a social worker at Young Lives vs Cancer in Cardiff.
  • Jennifer Thomas, a support worker at Tyddyn Môn, a charity that supports adults with learning disabilities on Anglesey.
  • Menna Evans, a support worker at Min y Môr Residential Care Home in Ceredigion.
  • Nikki Taylor, a pre-school practitioner at Rydal Penrhos pre-school in Conwy.
  • Ross Dingle, manager and play leader at Clwb Carco Limited in Cardiff.

Voting is open until July 31, and the winner will be announced at a celebratory event at the National Eisteddfod in Boduan on August 10.

Jennifer Thomas was nominated by Yasmin Moore, work-based learning assessor at Busnes@Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

She is from Scotland and is learning Welsh; since moving to North Wales and starting to learn the language, Jennifer has been proactive in continuously improving her Welsh language skills.

Jennifer uses the Welsh she’s learned at work to better communicate with the residents she provides care and support to.

She often greets the residents in Welsh and provides a range of activities for them that can be understood through the medium of Welsh.

Yasmin said that Jennifer “is always promoting the Welsh language,” adding that “it’s refreshing to see how committed she is to learning the language and adapting it to her working practice”.

She described Jennifer as “enthusiastic, determined, and a phenomenal learner and employee who empowers others to learn and speak Welsh in her workplace”.

Nikki Taylor was nominated by her manager, Lucy Davies, who is deputy principal at Rydal Penrhos.

Although she doesn’t come from a Welsh-speaking background, Nikki has made a huge effort to learn Welsh to help the children at her pre-school improve their Welsh.

She and the children practise Welsh with one another to help them feel more confident using the language.

There is a weekly Welsh conversation class at the pre-school, and Nikki has also encouraged her colleagues to speak Welsh, too.

Because the service is no longer seen as English-only, the number of Welsh-speaking families sending their children to the pre-school is now increasing.

Rydal Penrhos is also working towards the Cwlwm Welsh Promise bronze award, which is awarded after building foundations and implementing the Welsh language into a setting, and the Welsh Active Offer.

Lucy said that Nikki’s “enthusiasm and obvious love of learning Welsh underpins the positive changes” at the pre-school.

She added: “It’s a pleasure to nominate someone who has had such a positive impact on the lives of others. Da iawn, Nikki!”

You can find out more about the five finalists and vote for the winner by visiting Caring in Welsh’s website.