A talented artist who is helping dementia sufferers unlock their long-forgotten creative talents is in line for a prestigious care award.
Colleagues say Jason Bennion, a creative arts consultant at the Pendine Park care organisation in Wrexham, has made an “amazing difference” to the lives of the residents who live in the company’s homes.
Jason was appointed to the role last year by Pendine and his work has been so impressive that he has been put forward for a Wales Care Award.
The awards are organised by Care Forum Wales to pay tribute to the frontline heroes of social care.
The award ceremony will be taking place on Friday, October 17, at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff.
Jason has been named a finalist in The Sir Bryn Terfel Foundation Wales Care Award for Promoting the Arts in Social Care category.
The category is sponsored by the Pendine Arts and Community Trust, while the overall sponsor for the awards is Meddyg Care.
Cindy Clutton, manager at Pendine’s Hillbury Care Home in Wrexham, said Jason’s art classes were hugely popular with residents – and had helped those suffering from dementia rediscover many lost creative skills.
Cindy said: “The difference he has made to the residents in enriching their lives since he has been with us has been amazing.
“His sessions are always so calming, it makes the residents relax and enjoy being creative.
“When you look at their paintings for example when Jason started 18 months ago to the work they create now, you can really see the progression in their artwork.
“Jason is helping our residents bring back the creative skills they may have had many years ago that they have since forgotten or have been unable to enjoy.
“As care staff, you don’t always know the residents had those skills in the past, so it’s lovely to see those skills coming through again, especially this late in life.
“And it’s great when the families get involved as well with the art sessions, not just the residents.
“It’s sometimes hard for the families to know what to talk about with some of the residents, so the workshops engage everybody and it’s something for them to talk about.”
A high point this year at the home was when Wrexham MS Lesley Griffiths joined in with one of Jason’s art classes at the care home.
The politician’s visit was another landmark event for Pendine Park which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, after being founded by Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, in 1985.
They pioneered the use of art and music to enhance the lives of residents.
Working at the care home is a completely different experience for Jason, an award-winning international illustrator.
Since launching his career in 1998, he has produced designs for an array of top flight commercial companies and editorial magazines at home and abroad.
Over the years, Jason had volunteered to give his partner, Pendine Park group’s Artist in Residence Sarah Edwards, an extra pair of hands to deliver arts and crafts projects.
He was recruited on a formal basis last year by the group to join its enrichment activities team to strengthen its already widely acclaimed arts and creativity provision.
Jason said it was a privilege to have the role with the organisation and said he was delighted to be named a finalist in the Wales Care Awards this year.
He said: “The classes are helping reignite people’s passion for the arts.
“For example I had a gentleman recently who hadn’t painted for 26 years join me in a class and he absolutely loved it, and his talent was still there as well, which was incredible.
“The beauty of creativity is that once you break down those barriers, and once they realise there’s no pressure and they can just enjoy it, it does something magical.
“It’s magic to me, it’s absolutely magical.
“And some of the work the residents create is incredible, the standards and levels of their work have improved massively.
“And what is great is about how much the residents enjoy it, how it is giving them such purpose.
“I am very privileged to be able to do this and what really gives me joy is when a resident says to me they’re proud of the artwork they’ve created, that’s such a rewarding thing to hear.
“I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the support of everyone, from Mario and Gill and all the staff.”
Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said: “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 the care in society.
“The arts and Welsh culture can play a hugely important role in enhancing the quality of life of the people for whom we provide care and we are indebted to Sir Bryn Terfel for supporting the award for Promoting the Arts in Social Care.
“Every single one of our finalists is a winner and will be presented with a gold, silver or bronze award.”
