Care home staff and founder of inclusion focused football club in Wrexham shortlisted for national award

Staff at a care home in Wrexham and a the founder of a local inclusion focussed football club have been recognised for their “inspirational” work during the coronavirus pandemic.

During the first lockdown, nine members of staff at the Cherry Tree care home left their families for six weeks to move in with the residents at the care home in Coedpoeth.

The carers went above and beyond to protect others, sacrificing their time with their own families to provide reassurance to those in their care and to reduce the risk of infection.

Now the staff at the care home have been shortlisted in the “critical worker” category for the St David Awards, which celebrate the extraordinary achievements of the people of Wales.

This year’s award categories are: Bravery; Business; Community Spirit; Culture and Sport; Humanitarian; Innovation, Science and Technology, Young Person Critical Worker and the First Minister’s Special Award. .

Among this year’s finalists are a group who rescued people caught in the sea at Aberdyfi last summer; a volunteer group that supported their local community throughout the coronavirus pandemic and an artist whose painting of NHS workers became an iconic image of the past year.

Also shortlisted in the culture and sport category is Delwyn Derrick, the founder of Bellevue Football in North-east Wales – a multi-ethnic and inclusion focussed football club.

Delwyn uses sport to bring people from diverse backgrounds together, including refugees, asylum seekers and those people with mental health issues or learning difficulties.

Announcing the finalists, First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “This year’s St David Awards finalists are an inspiring group of people that we are lucky to have living and working in Wales.

“The past year has been incredibly challenging for many of us. The coronavirus pandemic has brought much sadness and heartbreak – but it has also brought out the best in many people. This group of people from across the whole of Wales, are a true inspiration to us all.

“This year, we’ve added a new category to celebrate the contribution of our critical workers.

“Thousands of people have worked tirelessly and selflessly throughout the pandemic to keep our lives going through the hardest of times.

“I am so grateful for every act of kindness; big or small.

“We could not have responded the way we did without them.”