Caring couple up for national award after 29 years of dedication

A Blackwood couple who have dedicated their lives to caring for vulnerable adults have been nominated for a national award.

Neil and Jillian Powell have spent the last 29 years involved in the South East Wales Shared Lives Scheme, and have cared for three people in that time.

Their commitment has been recognised and the couple have been shortlisted for a Wales Care Award. They are nominated in the excellence in learning disability and mental health category.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at City Hall, Cardiff, on October 21, which will be hosted by radio presenter Wynne Evans.

It is not the first time Neil, 67, and Jillian, 66, have been nominated for the award, having been shortlisted in 2019. However, before they could be interviewed, Neil fell off a ladder and broke his arm, leading to two weeks in hospital – depriving them of a chance to win the award.

This year, the couple have been nominated by Shared Lives worker Shaun Nicholls, who said: “It’s not a job for Neil and Jill but a vocation.

“They provide ongoing emotional support, practical advice and guidance and offer countless opportunities to broaden experiences and enhance the quality of life on a daily basis.

“They are kind, positive and proactive carers, dedicated to enriching the lives of the three individuals they support in their home.”

He added: “It has been a privilege to work alongside them and be able to witness at first-hand the high quality care and support they provide on a daily basis. The phrase ‘above and beyond’ is the most appropriate to describe their work.”

One of the people cared for by Neil and Jillian struggled with alcohol addiction. Mr Nicholls was impressed by the way the couple managed his behaviour with the appropriate support, helping him overcome his addiction.

Meanwhile, an off-duty social worker, who came across Jillian and the woman in her care, thought their relationship was so close and warm they could have been mother and daughter.

But despite nearly three decades of caring, the couple have no plans to stop any time soon.

“We’ll carry on as long as we can, and we hope that those in our care get as much out of it as we do,” said Jillian.

Mario Kreft MBE, chair of Care Forum Wales, said the aim of the Wales Care Awards was to recognise the dedication of unsung carers from across Wales.

He said: “The social care sector is full of wonderful people because it’s not just a job, it’s a vocation – these are people who go the extra mile for others.

“During the Covid crisis, this fantastic workforce rose magnificently to the challenge, putting their own lives on the line to do everything they possibly could to safeguard the people for whom they provide care.

“Unfortunately, it has taken a global pandemic for many other people to realise how important and how significant our social care workforce is.”