The founder of a pioneering music cooperative operating across Conwy, Denbighshire and Wrexham has struck gold at the social care Oscars.
Heather Powell won The Sir Bryn Terfel Foundation Wales Care Award for Promoting the Arts in Social Care at this year’s Wales Care Awards.
She was presented with the gold award in recognition of her inspirational work in ensuring every child – regardless of background or ability – can access the joy of music.
Heather and her colleagues launched the cooperative in 2015 after funding cuts ended peripatetic music teaching in Denbighshire.
Determined not to let music disappear from classroom, they built a community-led service that has grown to teach more than 7,000 youngsters a week, including 1,600 on free school meals.
The organisation expanded into Wrexham in 2017 and this year began offering lessons in Conwy, marking a decade of remarkable growth and inclusion for children in three counties.
Heather, who hails originally from Buckley and who is now the head of service at the North Wales Music Cooperative, said: “I was shocked, but really proud, to win the award.
“But, I have said it before and will say it again, it’s all about the team here – the cooperative is all about its members.
“We have a brilliant team who are behind me all the way.
“We just keep fighting to provide music for these kids, and we will continue to do that.
“The award is recognition of all the effort that goes in by everyone who is involved here, week in, week out.
“So I would give a big thanks to the management team in the office and the tutors on the ground who have made this all possible.”
Heather said the awards evening in Cardiff was a great way to shine a light on the work carried out by the dedicated workers involved in the care sector in Wales.
She said: “It was very humbling to listen to everyone and to hear about the work that goes on.
“It was a fantastic event and it was a really proud moment both for me and for the service.”
Heather said members of her family were able to enjoy the moment with her by watching a livestream of the awards evening on YouTube.
She said: “It was lovely to know my dad Tony was sat in his care home in Ruthin, he lives in an independent home in Ruthin, and was watching with all of his friends.
“That was really special and it was a really proud evening.
“My kids were watching as well, that was really lovely to know that the boys, Mason, Lloyd and Jacob, were watching to see how their mam got on.
“And my partner David was with me at the awards, he had a lovely evening as well and he was mega proud.”
Heather said the gold award win was a pleasing way to mark a decade of success for the cooperative.
She said: “It has been a heck of a journey for all of us.
“I don’t think any of us thought it would be what it is today and become a cherished organisation in North Wales which means so much to so many – our members, our kids and our schools.
“We are really proud to do what we do in the community.
“The work that we do in the community is really important to us, and long may it continue.
“Being able to access music lessons is important to everyone.
“Wales is the Land of Song and we don’t want music to be elitist, we want everyone to be able to enjoy music.
“Music is such a big part of everyday life, sometimes in ways you don’t even consider.
“You get in the car, you put the radio on. You’re in the office and there’s often a radio on in the background.
“There is music everywhere, all around us, so I think for our children to access music irrespective of their financial background is something which will always be very important to all of us and is the essence of what the cooperative tries to achieve.”
Cooperative chair Councillor Mark Young, a member of Denbighshire County Council, said the recognition for Heather was well deserved.
He said: “Heather has never given up, despite all the challenges
“The cooperative has delivered over half a million lessons to young people.
“So when you look at the impact of just one music lesson on one young person, and you times that by over half a million, the impact is unmeasurable.”
The Wales Care Awards, organised by Care Forum Wales with the support of overall sponsor Meddyg Care, celebrate the dedication of frontline social care professionals.
Mario Kreft MBE, Chair of Care Forum Wales, said the Wales Care Awards once again shone a light on the “unsung heroes and heroines” who make a vital difference to the lives of vulnerable people across the nation.
He said: “For more than 30 years, Care Forum Wales has worked tirelessly to champion the social care sector.
“The Wales Care Awards underlines the importance of the sector – it’s the glue that binds our communities together, both socially and economically.
“Our mission has always been to be the voice of social care in Wales to stand up for the workforce and ensure their dedication is properly recognised.”
A special moment in the evening was when Mair Elis Thomas, widow of the late Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, took to the stage to present one of the awards.
According to Mr Kreft it was a touching gesture that reflected Lord Elis Thomas’s long standing support for the Wales Care Award and for social care more broadly.
“Dafydd was a passionate believer in the power of the arts to enrich lives and support wellbeing and mental health,” said Mr Kreft.
“He is greatly missed, but his legacy lives on – not only through his contribution to public life as a Presiding Officer, but also through the positive impact he had on so many communities.”
