A Cardiff woman who received an award on her sister’s behalf 12 months ago went one better this year by picking up two awards in her own right.
A delayed flight from Costa Rica meant that Jazmin Dicker could not attend the Wales Care Awards presentation at which she won gold in the category for Independent Sector Nurse.
This time, however, she was present at the ceremony in Cardiff’s Holland House Hotel to see her sister Sian Perez do the “double”.
The awards are organised by Care Forum Wales to recognise outstanding work in the care sector. The presentation evening was sponsored by Meddyg Care and Sian, 33, won the category for Leadership and Management in a Small Group or Supported Living, sponsored by Cartref Ni.
In addition, however, she was a joint winner of the Dignity in Care Award, sponsored by the Welsh Government.
“It was a real shock to win one, let alone two, but I would have taken some stick from Jaz if I hadn’t done the same as her,” said Sian, who lives in Church Village.
In fact it was Jaz who nominated her sister for the award, having worked at close quarters with her for Crwban Care and Support, which they founded in 2022. Sian, whose first hands-on role in community care came at the age of 17, is both the Registered Manager and Director of Crwban (the Welsh word for turtle), while Jazmin is a registered mental health nurse.
After studying law and working for a while for Welsh Water Sian realised her sense of purpose and fulfilment nlay in caring for others, and the sisters’ combined skills meant they were able to meet the needs of individuals with ASD, learning difficulties and mental health issues through supported living.
Crwban currently has 10 homes on its books, and according to Jaz Sian’s approach is “deeply rooted in compassion, professionalism and empowerment”, ensuring that service users and staff thrive.
“The job is so rewarding and it’s lovely to have one’s work recognised and the presentation evening was great,” she said.
“When attended the event last time I thought ‘I would love to be on that stage’, but it was a real surprise when my name was called out.”
Mario Kreft MBE, the 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 underline the importance of the sector – it’s the glue that binds our communities both socially and economically.
“Our mission has always been to 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 occurred 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 support for the Wales Care Awards 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,” he said. “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.”
