A Cardiff artist had added a bright new colour to her palette – bronze.
Just two years into her role Emmanuella Nicolaou was among those honoured at the social care Oscars held at Cardiff’s Holland House Hotel.
She received a bronze award at this year’s Wales Care Awards, which are organized each year by Care Forum Wales to acknowledge outstanding work in the care sector.
The ceremony, sponsored by Ontex Healthcare, was hosted by TV and radio Presenter Jason Mohammad, and Emmanuella’s award was in the category for Promoting Fulfilled Lives, sponsored by Boots Healthcare.
The 34-year-old, who lives in Fairwater, is employed as Creative Engagement Co-ordinator by the Cardiff-based React Support Services, which provides residential and supported living services across the region.
She has always had a passion for art in its various forms and studied the subject at South Wales University before going on to gain a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in Cardiff University.
She then became a lecturer at Gower College in Swansea before deciding to take a belated “gap year”, at the end of which she joined React in 2018 as an office administrator.
Outside of work she spent her time designing and creating beautiful pieces of art and attending art events, which she told her colleagues about.
As the organisation grew and evolved, she said how she would like to use her skills and introduce more creative activities with the Individuals in their care, and her first attempt was pumpkin decorating for Halloween 2021.
React’s Service Development Director Emily Morgan, who has nominated Emmanuella for the award, said: “In October, 2022, the Board of Directors felt the impact she had made was significant and was essential to the quality of service we provide at React. Therefore, the role of Creative Engagement Co-ordinator was created.”
With no template for the role, Emmanuella spent time in each service with the individuals to understand their goals, interests and needs.
One of her first organisation-wide projects was a large scale “Happiness is….” mosaic in which people spoke or drew images ranging from reggae music and rainbows to football teams and the Welsh dragon.
Emily cited one example of Emmanuella’s success in one-to-one working with an individual who suffers from high levels of anxiety and struggles meeting new people.
She devised a programme of work which has not only developed their confidence but created a lot of art work including a design which was chosen by the Board for React’s 2023 Christmas card.
Haydn Osborne, React’s Responsible Individual and Managing Director, said the positive feedback on the role she had created had been overwhelming.
“All of our services were rated as ‘excellent’ by Care Inspectorate Wales and I believe the creative changes made, organisation-wide by Emmanuella, have contributed to this greatly,” he said.
Emmanuella said she had been surprised and delighted by the way in which people had responded to her work.
“It’s brilliant to see them engaging and building in confidence,” she said.
Mario Kreft, chairman of Care Forum Wales, said the standard of entries was extremely high.
He added : “There are only winners here tonight so it is only fitting that the finalists will receive a gold, silver or bronze Wales Care Award.
“I trust that they will continue to inspire those around them as role models and encourage others to aspire to even greater heights and in the months and years to come.
“This awards ceremony is our opportunity to pay tribute and to celebrate the talent and commitment that is improving the quality of life for thousands and thousands of people throughout Wales.
”We take our hats off to them.”
