An ex-teacher who won a top award at the 2025 Wales Care Awards says the triumph has made her even more determined to champion the needs of vulnerable people.

After being a high school teacher for 15 years Aimee Green changed jobs to become a trainer in the adult care arena last year.

From the moment she joined Expanding Horizons care organisation her bosses were impressed by her dedication and positive approach.

They did not hesitate to put her name forward for recognition at the Wales Care Awards and they were not surprised when she came away with a prestigious Gold accolade.

Aimee won in the category for Commitment to Training and Workforce Development, sponsored by City and Guilds.

After being presented with the honour at a red-carpet dinner and ceremony in Cardiff, a thrilled Aimee said: “I’m not one to enjoy the spotlight, but this recognition has been a powerful reminder of why I do what I do and has fuelled my commitment to championing our workforce and continuing to push for progress in care.”

Headquartered in Cwmbran, Expanding Horizons is a supported living provider and care home provider for people with learning difficulties and mental health diagnoses. Its teams work across 11 supported living services and a residential care home in Gwent.

The annual Wales Care Awards are organised by Care Forum Wales to pay tribute to front line heroes and heroines of the care sector.

Expanding Horizons Managing Director Ali Cooling said the decision to nominate Aimee in the training category for was unanimous among their leadership team.

She said: “Despite being relatively new to our organisation, Aimee has made a remarkable impact in a short period. Her dedication to staff development, induction, and ongoing training has been transformative. We are incredibly fortunate to have her on our team, and we wholeheartedly believe she deserves recognition for her outstanding contributions.”

The presentation event at Holland House Hotel, Cardiff, was sponsored by Meddyg Care and attended by care sector representatives from across the nation.

Aimee said she was stunned when her name was called out to receive the Gold award.

She said: “I am incredibly honoured to have been nominated and absolutely humbled to have achieved Gold amongst such outstanding professionals from across our sector.

“Sitting amongst some of the most passionate, dedicated, and inspiring individuals in social care was a privilege. Each speaker reminded me why this sector is so special, and why it deserves to be celebrated. The energy in the room was nothing short of uplifting.

“Though I still consider myself relatively new to the care sector, I’ve already developed a deep-rooted pride in the work we do. A huge thank you to Expanding Horizons for trusting me to shape our training programme and launch our wellbeing strategy. Their belief in me has meant the world.”

Aimee originally joined the group as a Wellbeing and Workforce Development Officer, which included overseeing staff induction, career development courses and ongoing training.

She quickly settled in and bosses noticed such an upturn in training achievements that in March this year she was promoted to the role of People, Culture and Wellbeing Manager.

She heads up training for nearly 150 staff including support workers, the head office team, recruiter and rota coordinators, HR officer, and workforce development officer, while also leading on staff wellbeing.

One of her standout achievements is in increasing the completion rates for mandatory and specialist training across the group’s services. In just 12 months, Aimee has elevated mandatory training compliance from 70% to an outstanding 97.3%. Even more impressively, non-mandatory classroom-based training has increased from 47% to 100%.

Ali Cooling said: “This ensures our workforce is not only meeting required standards but also engaging in continuous professional development, enhancing the quality of care provided.

“Aimee’s leadership has ensured that workforce development remains at the heart of our service, ultimately improving the quality of care we provide.”

Aimee was among hundreds of nominees across Wales whose names were put forward in 20 categories of Wales Care Award before each was interviewed by a judging panel who drew up a shortlist of finalists.

She said: “To my incredible colleagues thank you. Your support, encouragement, and shared passion drive me every day to create a culture that uplifts, inspires, and celebrates the brilliant work we do across the sector.

“Here’s to continuing to grow, learn, and raise the profile of this vital sector. I’m excited for what’s ahead!”

Chair of Care Forum Wales, Mario Kreft MBE, said the 2025 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 underlines the importance of the sector – it’s the glue that binds our communities together, both socially and economically.

“Our mission has always been to be 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 came 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 long standing 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,” said Mr Kreft.

“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.”

Care Forum Wales, which represents more than 400 independent health and social care providers across the nation.