October 31, 2025 - 175 views
A North Wales music leader has been honoured for her extraordinary work bringing the joy of music into care.
Meinir Llwyd Roberts, director of Caernarfon-based charity Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias (CGWM), was recognised at the glittering Wales Care Awards, dubbed the “Oscars of social care”.
She received a prestigious Silver Award in the Sir Bryn Terfel Foundation category for Promoting the Arts in Social Care – celebrating the life-changing power of creativity.
Meinir, who lives near St Asaph, said she was “humbled” to be nominated, paying tribute to her dedicated team at CGWM for helping make music accessible to everyone.
“This nomination isn’t just for me – it’s for all of us,” she said. “Music can reach people in ways words can’t. We’ve seen it lift moods, unlock memories, and build bridges where none seemed possible.”
Through Meinir’s leadership, CGWM has become a driving force in bringing music education and therapy to people with additional needs, dementia, or those living in isolated communities.
Her proudest achievement is the Doniau Cudd/Hidden Talents project, launched in 2003 to support adults with learning difficulties – a programme so impactful that it previously won gold at the same awards.
Meinir, who lives on a farm with husband Arwyn and their two sons says she feels lucky to have achieved her long-held dream of combining her passion for music with work that improves wellbeing.
She said: “Music is incredibly therapeutic. It reaches people in a way that words often can’t – we’ve seen it lift moods, unlock memories, and build bridges where none seemed possible.”
“I remember doing a music in the community module as a student at Bangor University and I thought – this is what I want to do with my life. I feel very lucky that I’ve been able to follow that path,” she said.
From humble beginnings, CGWM has grown to include a team of more than 45 freelance tutors, offering lessons and workshops to hundreds of learners from its base at Galeri, Caernarfon, and satellite sites in Denbighshire.
The charity also organises major music events including an international harp and piano festival.
CGWM’s outreach includes working with social service teams, community centres, health services and care homes, with trained musicians and therapists delivering tailored music sessions across North Wales.
Meinir said much of the charity’s growth would not have been possible without support from long-term funders and partners such as the Arts Council of Wales, Gwynedd Council and Denbighshire Leisure’s Arts team.
“Thanks to the backing of our funders and partners we’ve been able to expand what we offer and reach more people than ever before,” she said.
Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said the 2025 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 came when Mair Elis-Thomas, widow of the late Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, took to the stage to present one of the awards.
According to Mr Kreft it was a touching gesture that reflected Lord Elis Thomas’s long standing support for the Wales Care Awards 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.”
