A dedicated activities assistant struck gold at an awards ceremony just two years after switching careers to work in social care.

Geoff Liddle was honoured at the glittering Wales Care Awards ceremony in Cardiff , hosted by radio and TV presenter Jason Mohammad.

Geoff’s innovative work at Ty Nant, a specialist dementia care home, in Williamstown in the Rhondda Valley, saw him take the top prize in the Excellence In Dementia Care Award category.

He said being presented with the prestigious award was “like the cherry on the cake”.

Geoff worked most of his life in the financial services, and learning and development, but decided to take a new career path two years ago, and entered the care sector.

Geoff, 59, who lives in Penrhiwfer just a few minutes from the care home, has proved a huge hit with colleagues and residents.

He works closely with 2022 Wales Care Award bronze winner Shawn Sullivan, and colleagues said the pair are so helpful, funny and kind, that they describe them as the “Welsh Ant and Dec”.

Award-winner Geoff said he was delighted to take the gold honour, but was quick to praise all his colleagues for their support.

Geoff said: “I didn’t expect to win gold, I was just happy being nominated.

“Everybody who was put forward for an award so deserved to be there and I was just happy to be in the final.

“To have the award was wonderful, and it was great to be recognised.

“It was such a lovely evening as well, it ran so well.

“It was good to celebrate with colleagues on the night, and I have had lots of kind messages.

“It was nice to hear other people recognise the good work everyone in the care sector does.

“On the night Jason Mohammad was very complimentary about the care sector, and we had dignitaries from politics and other fields.

“It is great that there is the recognition that the care sector truly deserves.

“We have got special people working in care, and it was great to talk to and socialise with people who had won awards, and hear their stories.

“Recognition is such a lovely thing. I don’t do this for public recognition, I do this to make a difference to people. That’s the real reward for me.

“But this was like the cherry on the cake.

“It wasn’t something that I sought, but it was something wonderful to receive.”

Geoff thanked his colleagues for supporting him since he entered the care sector two years ago, particularly home manager Kathy Gover and regional activities manager Rama Mannari.

He said: “Kathy is brilliant, she is so supportive, and I have learned a lot from her, and also Rama as well, she heads up our activities team, and she’s great, full of ideas.

“You get inspiration from other people when you have good people around you.

“I have only been in care for two years and I have learned so much from both of those guys, it’s incredible.

“They have been in the care sector a lot longer than I have, so it’s great to be able to draw on their experience.

“They inspire you because when you see them in action you can learn so much.

“When you are coming into something you have never done before, if you have got role models like that you can aspire to, it’s wonderful.

“Life is about learning, and we’re never too old to learn something new.

“I just love working with the residents. There’s not many jobs in life you come across where you come into work every day with a smile on your face, and that’s what I have.

“The award really is for the home, I am part of the team. Teamwork is so important and we’re like a well-oiled unit. I can’t do what I do effectively if the other guys aren’t doing what they do.

“We all work so well together, we’re really tight as a team, and that makes such a difference.

“It’s a team award as well, because the people I work with are so supportive.”

Kathy Gover, the home manager at Ty Nant, said: “Since day one, Geoff found his feet immediately. He quickly showed signs of understanding care and the dementia model immediately.

“Geoff is very helpful, funny, kind and a wonderful team worker. He has a calmingpersonality and can literally turn his hand to anything.

“Geoff’s caring personality and instincts helped him to understandthe residents and their needs. He is automatically drawn to residents who are unable

to verbalise their thoughts and feelings. Geoff has an ability to connect in quietthoughtful ways.”

The Excellence In Dementia Care Award was sponsored by SilverCrest Care.

It was announced by Bikram Choudhary, Director, SilverCrest Care Group, and presented by Victoria Lloyd, Chief Executive, Age Cymru.

The Wales Care Awards, the Oscars of social care, are organised by Care ForumWales, and the overall sponsor this year was Ontex Healthcare.

Mario Kreft, chairman of Care Forum Wales, said the standard of entries was extremely high.
He added: “There are only winners here tonight so it is only fitting that the finalists will receive a gold, silver or bronze Wales Care Award.

“I trust that they will continue to inspire those around them as role models and encourage others to aspire to even greater heights and in the months and years to come.

“This awards ceremony is our opportunity to pay tribute and to celebrate the talent and commitment that is improving the quality of life for thousands and thousands of people throughout Wales.
”We take our hats off to them.”