Mair Elis Thomas, widow of the late Gwynedd politician Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, has presented an award at the Wales Care Awards.

Organised by Care Forum Wales with the support of overall sponsor Meddyg Care, the awards were organised to celebrate the dedication of frontline social care professionals. They took place on Friday, 17 October at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel.

Mario Kreft MBE is the Chair of Care Forum Wales. He said the Wales Care 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 was when Mair Elis Thomas, widow of the late Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, took to the stage to present one of the awards. She presented the Craig Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award to Keri Llewellyn from domiciliary care company All-Care, based in Barry.

According to Mr Kreft it was a touching gesture that reflected Lord Elis Thomas’s long standing support for the Wales Care Award 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.”