November 19, 2025 - 764 views
A modest North Wales care worker who struck gold at a prestigious awards ceremony has thanked her team for helping her secure the honour.
Leah Davies, who works for Mental Health Care UK based in Llangwyfan, near Denbigh, took a top prize in this year’s Wales Care Awards - and was quick to thank her colleagues for their support.
She was nominated for a gong for her work as the Registered Manager of Elm, which is an eight-bedded residential home offering specialised care for people living with autism, learning disabilities and complex support needs.
The Wales Care Awards took place at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff, with the support from overall sponsors Meddyg Care.
Leah, who leads a team of 40 staff, won gold in the Leading Practice in Learning Disability category, sponsored by Home Instead.
The care leader, who lives near Corwen, said she was delighted to be invited to attend the ceremony in Cardiff and revealed her excited colleagues and residents back at the home in North Wales followed the proceedings live by watching a YouTube stream of the awards.
She said: “I didn’t expect the gold award to be perfectly honest, I was just chuffed to be nominated and go down there to the awards.
“I am very proud of the team we have here.
“Teamwork is essential in what we do.
“I know that I lead the team, and I won the award, but it’s not just me, it’s the whole team, from me, to all the staff, to the ancillary staff, it’s everyone, and it’s important that they are recognised as well.
“The team were watching the livestream on YouTube of the awards here with the residents, so they were all able to watch it live and share in the moment.
“We put it on our big cinema screen for everyone to watch it on the evening and they were all made up, they were really pleased - Elm was probably bouncing when the award was announced.”
Leah said her award trophy is now on display at the home to emphasise in her view the prize came about because of the great team effort.
She said: “The trophy will stay here, because I feel it belongs here and not at home with me.”
Leah said the Wales Care Awards were an important way to recognise all the great work that goes on within the care sector.
She said: “The job is challenging, and it’s hard work day in, day out, but it’s rewarding as well.
“When you get recognition on top of that, not that I need the recognition to do my job well, it helps.
“The award recognises that we are doing a good job and we are good at what we do, and that’s massive.
“I think a lot of the time the care sector gets forgotten about so it’s nice to be able to celebrate within social care.
“The awards were a good event, we had a really good time and the whole thing was a really nice celebration.
“I met some really inspirational people and the awards allowed people who work in the care sector to connect with each other.
“The work which goes on within the care sector is often not celebrated and not discussed so the event is a nice way to get everybody together and celebrate together.
“It is a good way to show what we do and how well we do it.
“Getting the award does give you encouragement, it’s important the care sector is recognised.”
Under Leah’s leadership, Elm has achieved the Autism Accreditation status from the National Autistic Society.
She said the team’s ultimate goal is to help residents reconnect with their communities and live fulfilling lives, whatever that looks like for them.
Leah was nominated by a colleague, Michaela Vallance, who has worked closely with her throughout her time at the company, and Deputy Manager Daniel Holmes.
They said positive initiatives put in place by Leah have had a “profound impact on the lives of the residents” with improvements seen in their overall quality of life, including a reduction in challenging behaviours and increased community participation.
Mario Kreft MBE, Chair of Care Forum Wales, 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 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 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.”
