An “inspirational” couple marked a major milestone by giving festive hampers to hundreds of staff at a Caernarfon care home.
Pendine Park founders Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, ensured every member of the team at Bryn Seiont Newydd received a hamper packed full of goodies as the organisation celebrated its 40th anniversary.
The state-of-the-art-home, which opened in 2015 and celebrated its own 10th anniversary recently, employs 245 staff and is one of Pendine’s flagship services in North Wales.
The Pendine Park story began just before Christmas in 1985 when the couple launched Gwern Alyn care home in Wrexham with just 10 staff and 14 residents – the beginning of a remarkable journey that’s shaped social care in Wales.
Four decades on, the organisations has grown into a major provider with nine homes in Wrexham and in Caernarfon, with a total of 440 beds and more than 860 employees.
Its 40th anniversary success story was marked in style by residents and their loved ones at Bryn Seiont Newydd.
Rosie Kressman, whose 73 years old mum, Val, went to live at Bryn Seiont Newydd in July this year, praised the home’s welcoming feel and the dedication of its staff.
She said: “When mum knew the time had come to move into a care home we were all very anxious and feared she may miss her family and the sense of community she had long enjoyed. But we were all so pleased when she secured a place at Bryn Seiont Newydd. She pretty soon realised that living here is just like living within an even bigger family.
“There is a real family ethos to the whole place, it really is a home from home for the residents. Mum has made new friends here in a fairly short space of time.
“All the staff are loving, compassionate, and dedicated to delivering the highest standards of care. More than that, there is so much to do. Mum and her fellow residents enjoy fun activities, like music, arts and games, along with parties like the one being held today. It is joyful to see the residents and staff all having such a lovely time.”
It was a combination of festivities as the birthday party held to salute the 40th anniversary of Pendine Park organisation coincided with the annual Christmas celebrations.
The catering team made a special effort creating a spectacular feast to mark the occasion. Catering manager Richard Thompson and his talented assistant Bethan Jones, spent two days cooking up the party menu with a colourfully decorated gingerbread Christmas tree as the table centre showpiece.
They also baked festive mince pies, celebratory truffles, scrumptious brownies, lemon biscuits and two bumper sized Yule Logs.
Bethan said: “It is a big birthday so we wanted to make sure there was something for everyone to enjoy. I love working here and helping with the various parties is always a treat. It’s great to be able to bring a smile to so many residents’ faces.”
Bryn Seiont Newydd manager Sandra Evans, said a big thank you to the catering team for their hard work and to the care staff who made the birthday celebrations go with a swing.
She said: “It’s been an extra special year for us in 2025 because as well as Pendine Park care organisation marking its 40th anniversary, it’s also been our 10th birthday here at Bryn Seiont Newydd. We opened our doors in November 2015 and a year later we were crowned as the best new care home in the UK.”
According to Mario, it was important for staff and residents to mark the 40th anniversary and their contribution to the success of the company and said providing more than 860 Christmas hampers to the staff was a token of appreciation for all their hard work
He said: “Our anniversary parties this year have been combined with our Christmas parties – we like to party at Pendine.
“We have done the hampers for many years. We have three local suppliers for the products in the hampers – Majestic Wine, Village Bakery and Gerrards Bakery – and they make a lovely hamper for the staff and it’s gone down incredibly well.”
Gill added: “The contribution of the staff has been monumental, genuinely unbelievable, and we are humbled every single day by the work they do.”
The couple are both passionate about the arts and launched the Pendine Arts and Communities Trust which supports a host of community and arts-related activities.
Mario is also a fearless campaigner for the social care sector, founding both Care Forum Wales, which represents around 500 independent providers, and the Wales Care Awards, to recognise frontline care workers.
He is passionate about promoting equality and fair funding for vulnerable people who need care.
Among the Bryn Seiont Newydd residents are three women who have struck up a strong friendship while living there.
Kathy Taylor, Meryl Williams, and Joan Bamber all donned their best festive jumpers for the party and said they wanted to award top marks to the staff who work so hard on behalf of the residents.
Joan Bamber said: “Days like today create some wonderful memories and it is nice for us all to be able to join in the birthday party. It really is like being part of a great big family.”
Festive music played, with everyone singing along to some of the popular tunes. They included the Jose Feliciano hit Felize Navidad, which means Merry Christmas in Spanish, played in honour of resident Juan Vidal and some of the other residents who wore bright red and white jumpers with the phrase Felize Navidad printed on them.
Resident Lucy Richardson smiled and clapped to the music, while fellow residents Beti Mair Jones and Marie Hughes enjoyed the ‘delicious’ mince pies. Nearby resident Eddie Charlton, donned a red top hat as he and carer Donna Jones raised a toast to the 40th anniversary, happily proclaiming “Hip Hip Hooray!”
