A chef turned hospitality manager from Barry is ‘over the moon’ after landing a place in the final of the social care ‘Oscars’.

Jenny Crofts, who is Hospitality Services Manager at Hallmark Regency House in Ely, Cardiff, owned by Hallmark luxury Care Homes, spares no effort in creating memorable dining experiences for the home’s 70 residents.

Whether it is organising candle-lit ‘private dining’ experiences or ‘cheese and wine’ events, nothing is too much trouble.

The 56-year-old mum, from Rhoose Point, near Barry, has become an integral part of life at Regency House since joining in 2023, and colleagues say she will go ‘above and beyond’ to ensure mealtimes are not just about nutrition but about joy, dignity and community.

Those assets have now earned her a place in the final of this year’s Wales Care Awards under the Excellence in Catering category, sponsored by Castell Howell Foods Ltd.

The Wales Care Awards, sponsored overall by Meddyg Care and organised by care industry champions Care Forum Wales, recognise the outstanding frontline heroes of the care sector, with all finalists guaranteed to come away with either a gold, silver or bronze prize in recognition of their achievements.

As one of only three nationwide finalists, Jenny will discover her fate at a glittering awards ceremony to be held at Holland House Hotel in Cardiff on Friday, October 17.

“I’m not one who seeks out awards and recognition, so I was very surprised to get through to the final, but I’m over the moon,” said Jenny, who has three girls aged 25, 23 and 20 and a 17-year-old son.

“Just to be nominated is lovely. My family are extremely proud.

“I get a lot of happiness from making the residents’ lives as good as they can be. At the end of the day, it’s their home and I’m here to cater for whatever request they have. We just look after their store cupboards!

“I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I find the interaction with the residents so rewarding, especially when we can give them a smile.”

Jenny trained in catering at Barry College and took on her first role in a staff canteen before working in bar management and then finding employment as a second chef. She entered social care in her late 20s, progressing to Deputy Hospitality Services Manager at another residential home, where she remained for 25 years until she was made redundant.

She joined Regency House two years ago as the Hospitality Services Manager and is now responsible for overseeing all the home’s the catering operations, leading a 25-strong team from domestic and laundry to kitchen and maintenance.

The role still allows her to step back into the Head Chef’s shoes whenever it is required and satisfy her passion for cooking.

“People cook things in different ways and there’s a need to keep everyone happy and experiment with their meals to get it right,” she said.

“I ask the residents their likes and dislikes and make sure the menu reflects them. We have a small area in our garden where the residents grow a small number of vegetables as part of a gardening club, it brings them back to times when they produced their own food and enables them to enjoy the benefits of that.

“They see the full circle of food preparation and we try to keep their interest in the smells, the textures, and the enjoyment it brings.

“We celebrate different cultures throughout the year, and they will often have activities focused around that. If they are able, we invite residents to say a few words about their own background.

“We have a multi-use room, and we’ll dress it up as a dining room to host Christmas events where family members and friends can come and share a three-course meal with a resident.

“We also serve afternoon tea and host celebration buffets, and cheese and wine events and there’s a café area. It’s providing that sense of normality and a community space.”

Colleagues say Jenny’s most outstanding qualities are her compassion and empathy.

Christine Ivins, Customer Relationship Manager at Regency House, said: “I had the pleasure of nominating Jenny for this award because of her compassion, creativity, and dedication to ensuring that every resident enjoys mealtimes that are inclusive, dignified, and filled with choice.

“Jenny goes above and beyond every day to make a real difference, and I am so proud that her hard work and kindness have been recognised on such a prestigious stage. Congratulations Jenny – this recognition is so well deserved.”

Chair of Care Forum Wales, Mario Kreft MBE, said of the awards: “Care Forum Wales has been working tirelessly for more than 30 years to promote the social care sector.

“We established the Wales Care Awards to show our appreciation to the workforce and the wider sector for the remarkable and vitally important contribution everybody makes, day in day out.

“The event  underlines the importance of the social care sector. It is the glue that binds our communities together, both socially and economically.

“Our mission is to be the voice of social care in Wales to advocate on the sector’s behalf, holding truth to power in order to secure a fair deal to recognise the dedication of our front line heroes and heroines across our nation.

“If you don’t value the people who do the caring you will never provide the standards that people need and never recognise the value of the people who need care in society.

“Every single one of our finalists is a winner and will be presented with a gold, silver or bronze award.”