A recently widowed care home boss who soldiered on during the pandemic, keeping staff and residents protected while boosting morale with treats and rewards, has received recognition for her outstanding service.

Ceri Roberts, director of Cariad Care Homes which has homes in Porthmadog and Criccieth, was praised by staff for her efforts to make sure they had adequate PPE and for always considering their wellbeing, and that of the residents.

Now she has been shortlisted for a prestigious Wales Care Award in the Outstanding Service category. All category finalists have been invited to attend a glittering Wales Care Awards event at City Hall in Cardiff on Friday, 21 October.

The host for the evening singer, Wynne Evans.

Ceri’s husband, Huw, who was financial Director of the company, died suddenly in August 2020. As well as coping with the impact of Covid on the business, Ceri had to find someone to fill her husband’s role.

Home Manager Jill Jones, who nominated Ceri along with another member of staff, said Ceri managed the homes at a demanding time while still grieving for her husband.

“She was set adrift without her anchor, but through all this heartache and sorrow, she rose and once again devoted every hour to her staff, the residents and their families,” said Jill.

“She ploughed all her energy into making sure her homes were well informed and staff were trained to deal with the situation.

“She would send cakes, chocolates and take away meals to the homes with messages of thanks. These little things count.

“She has been selfless throughout these unprecedented times and she continues to be our rock.”

Ceri, who has also had to deal with two major surgeries in recent years, said: “It has been a very, very difficult time and hard work. At the beginning we didn’t know what we were facing, but I did anticipate there would be problems getting hold PPE and I was right.

Ceri said it would have been impossible for her to continue without the support of her loyal and devoted staff.

“You can’t run a good home without a good team behind you,” she said.

“They were putting their life and their families wellbeing on the line when they came into work.

“We recently organised a big family fun day for everyone involved during the pandemic. We wanted to recognise their effort and thank the team for the sacrifices they made. We had a great day with over 140 people attending.”­