A business executive who started work for a North Wales care organisation as a teenager is in the running for a major award.

Kate Ackerley, 35, is a finalist in the Outstanding Service category at the Wales Care Awards after 14 years rising through the ranks at Pendine Park which has nine care homes in Wrexham and Caernarfon.

The business operations manager had Pendine running through her family – her mum Cynthia Edwards has worked for the company for 32 years while her husband, Richard, is also an employee.

And the family connection runs even deeper with two of Kate’s grandparents having received care at Pendine’s homes.

Kate and her  team are based at the organisation’s head office at Bromfield House on Wrexham Technology Park.

She said: “I started as an admin practitioner collating documentation for our enrichment activities and for meetings, and taking minutes of meetings.

“My current role, which I have been doing for about a year after being a business operations manager for about five years, is unique within the organisation.

“My team and I work behind the scenes to develop systems and processes and we are there for operational support for the homes and the departments across the organisation.

“There has been a lot of on the job learning over the past 14 years and I have been working closely with our directors, particularly Gill Kreft, over the last 10 years on different projects.

“Pendine has been in my life since I was about three years old when my mum, who’s the executive finance manager,  started working for the group.

“I remember when I was younger I would go into visit her while she was in work and it has been amazing to see just how Pendine has grown over the years.

“I actually worked for Pendine over the school holidays in between school and college, I was entering timesheets and training records.

“I enjoyed that, I found it interesting and I suppose I thought about a career in the social care sector after doing that and also after seeing my mum at work.”

“The job I have now is very varied and that’s what I enjoy most about it, there’s no day the same and I am still learning every day.

“We want to allow the managers and the homes to focus on what matters and that is delivering excellent care to residents.

“I feel working here that I am part of something important. My nain Kathleen Jones stayed in a couple of our care homes and seeing the wonderful care she was given reinforced for me that care is not just a job, it shows that we are all there to make a difference.

“She was cared for in our Hillbury and Highfield homes and the care she received was fabulous, it was second to none.

“My granddad on my dad’s side Ray Edwards was in one of Pendine’s homes as well a while ago, he was in Gwern Alyn.

“Social care is such an important sector and without it the NHS would struggle even more than what it does at the moment.”

Kate was thrilled to be attending the Wales Care Awards, which will be held at Holland House Hotel in Cardiff on October 16, as a finalist after attending the celebration in the past to support nominated colleagues.

She said: “I’ve been to the awards a few times before to support colleagues and it is an amazing night.

“All the winners are inspirational and you really hear some inspirational stories.

“It was a big shock to be nominated and even more to get through to the awards, but I am really honoured.

“My family are all really proud and really pleased for me to be nominated.”

Kate was nominated for the award by Ann Serridge, the recently-retired executive manager at Pendine’s training academy.

Ann said: “Kate has a very versatile role and there is not one area of the company that her support hasn’t reached.

“At the heart of Kate’s work is the aim to provide an excellent service to the 440 service users at Pendine, as well as their families and representatives, and to the 830 strong workforce, and she does this through her leadership and creative working delivering projects in accounts, personnel, care delivery processes and client care.

“She is known as a ‘troubleshooter’ in all central office systems, including all aspects of accounts, payroll, debt management and compliance.

“Due to her technical expertise and knowledge, particularly in database management, she excels at providing precise and accurate management information to support those that need it.

“She has developed numerous computerised databases to provide innovative solutions across the company, for example, for enrichment activities, supporting managers to achieve objectives for their residents and staff.”

Ann added Kate played a key role during the Covid pandemic.

She said: “At the start of the pandemic, Kate worked tirelessly to make adjustments and improvements to administrative and database processes, including the collection of testing and vaccination data.

“These services meant managers could focus on providing care services knowing the important administrative functions were in safe hands.

“The systems were so successful they remained in operation following the pandemic, and continue to do so today.”

Pendine Park care organisation was established in 1985 by Mario Kreft MBE and his wife Gill.

Mario, who founded the Wales Care Awards which has given out more than 900 awards to social care heroes since it was established in 2003, said: “Kate has become a key part of our team in the 14 years she has worked for us and is truly a brilliant and inspiring leader.

“She has built up tremendous expertise and creativity to the wide-reaching technical role she now holds.

“The excellent work Kate and her team do make a direct contribution to the lives of our residents, their families and our staff, and she absolutely deserves to be a finalist in this year’s Wales Care Awards.”