DENBIGHSHIRE is celebrating after three members of its social care staff and a regional team were shortlisted for prestigious national awards.

The Social Care Accolades recognise, celebrate and share notable work of groups, teams and organisations in social care and childcare, play and early years in Wales, as well as individual care workers from across the public, private, voluntary and co-operative sectors in Wales.

Two members of staff have been shortlisted in the caring in Welsh category. This section honours individuals who make a positive difference to people’s lives by providing high-quality care through the medium of Welsh.

Service manager Alaw Pierce was nominated on behalf of Denbighshire’s operational management team for her work in championing people’s rights to use Welsh and for being a role model for staff.

Throughout her career, Alaw has supported the use of Welsh in the workplace and has encouraged a culture where staff can comfortably use Welsh at work.

Alaw has successfully recruited Welsh-speaking staff into key roles and has promoted the rights of older people to receive ‘best interest’ assessments in Welsh.

Catherine Roberts, assistant manager at Cysgod y Gaer care home, in Corwen, was nominated in the same category for regularly going above and beyond the call of duty in her role, for being a dedicated carer and for leading the team with exceptional examples of good practice.

The first language of around 90 per cent of the residents at the rural care home where Catherine works is Welsh and she provides invaluable support and comfort to them by speaking with them in their first language.

This was particularly important when the pandemic restrictions meant that residents were unable to see their friends and family face-to-face.

Sheila Mullins, a care assistant at Dolwen care home, in Denbigh, has been shortlisted in the category to celebrate individual care workers in Wales who have a positive impact on people’s lives.

Sheila was nominated for her dedication to the residents of the home where she has worked for more than 20 years.

She always goes the extra mile to help the people she looks after, making it her goal to get to know every individual in her care and find out the little things that matter to them.

Over Christmas, Sheila sacrificed time with her own family to care for a number of residents who were critically ill with Covid-19.

Sheila spent time with the residents, holding their hands and doing her best to make sure they did not spend time alone.

Meanwhile, the North Wales Together Learning Disability Transformation programme, a partnership involving the social care departments of the six local authorities in North Wales and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, has been shortlisted in the promoting equality, diversity and inclusion category.

The project aims to co-produce services with people with learning disabilities and their parents and carers.

Sixty-eight projects have since been set up to support the North Wales Learning Disability Strategy 2018 to 2023 and more than 125 ‘roles’ have been created for citizens and carers, building on their individual strengths.

Cllr Bobby Feeley, Denbighshire cabinet lead member for well-being and independence, said: “We are proud of the commitment and dedication shown by our social care teams right across the county. They deliver services day in day out with care, compassion and empathy.

“I’m delighted that Alaw, Catherine, Sheila and those involved in the North Wales Together Learning Disability Transformation Programme have been shortlisted for such prestigious awards.

"To be nominated and shortlisted for national honours is a testament to their professionalism and wish them the best of luck at the awards ceremony next month.”

Award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Cardiff on April 21.