Awards double for Mario

Pendine Park proprietor Mario Kreft has picked up two major UK awards.

He was honoured at the prestigious UK Over 50s Housing Awards at a glittering ceremony in London.

Mario, who's also the Chair of Care Forum Wales, was named as the individual who made the Most Outstanding Contribution to Dementia Care in the UK in 2012.

Minutes later he received another award on behalf of Care Forum Wales for the Most Outstanding Public Initiative in the Care Sector in the UK this year, the launch of the Academy of Care Practitioners.

Mario was one of the main driving forces behind the creation of the Academy, the first body of its kind to be established in the UK.

The aim is to promote, support and develop Care Practitioners and raise standards in social care provision - and raise the status of the "undervalued profession".

The launch of the Academy at the Senedd in Cardiff earlier this year came after a successful 12-month pilot programme.

Mario said: "People rightly talk about safeguarding service users, vulnerable people who receive a care service, but in my opinion not enough is considered in terms of safeguarding the social care workers.

"The whole social care system in Wales, and indeed the whole NHS system, is predicated on tens of thousands of people getting up early every morning and doing a really difficult job.

"It’s high time that group of people had the opportunity to join a professional body for vocationally qualified social care workers that is dedicated 100 per cent to them.

"By showing respect for people who work in social care you’re also showing respect for the people they care for."

Both in his "day job" running Pendine Park and as the Chair of Care Forum Wales, Mario has been instrumental in driving up standards in dementia care.

Pendine Park's partnerships with the Hallé orchestra and Welsh National Opera have already earned them an award from Arts and Business Cymru.

The sessions have been staged for residents at Bodlondeb, Pendine Park’s purpose built centre of excellence to look after people with dementia.

Bodlondeb was officially opened by First Minister Carwyn Jones and was named the best new dementia care facility in Britain in 2010.

There are now plans to build a similar centre of excellence on the site of a former community hospital, Ysbyty Bryn Seiont, on the outskirts of Caernarfon.

Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths, who is also the Health Minister, was among the first to congratulate Mr Kreft.

She said: " I am delighted that Mario and Care Forum Wales have been honoured in this way.

"This recognition for all his pioneering work and dedication for more than 25 years is richly deserved.

"Mario leads by example and is an eloquent and effective champion for social care in Wales.

"At the same time, he is lucky to have fantastic support from his colleagues at Pendine Park and Care Forum Wales while his wife, Gill, is his rock."

Mario added: "These awards are also recognition for the fantastic work done by the dedicated staff of Pendine Park and Care Forum Wales and I have accepted them gladly on that basis.

"They are recognition of the huge contribution of social care in communities right across Wales.

"It’s a huge team approach and is a reward for all the work that we’ve been doing together over the years to raise standards in social care and to promote the profession of social care."