A couple from Wyllie, near Blackwood, have received an award for devoting their lives to foster-caring.
Jeff and Lynne Gornicki have been awarded the Peter Clarke Award as part of this year’s Wales Care Awards.
The couple have provided support for vulnerable people, initially as foster carers and then within the South East Wales Shared Lives Scheme run by Caerphilly County Borough Council.
They were nominated for the award by Shaun Nicholls, who is employed by the council scheme.
The ceremony was held at Cardiff City Hall on October 19 and marked the 15th anniversary of the awards, organised by Care Forum Wales to acknowledge excellence in the care profession.
Jeff and Lynne first became foster parents 40 years ago, when their own two sons, Mark and Robert, were just seven and two years old respectively.
Their first foster child, ‘J’, who still lives with the couple, is now 40-years-old. He suffers with cerebral palsy and has autism.
It was because of ‘J’ the couple originally became carers within the Shared Lives Scheme, which supports adults with a variety of needs in maintaining a family setting.
Speaking before the award ceremony, Lynne said: “We wanted ‘J’ to stay with us, as he had never known anyone else.
Lynne first gained experience as a carer while caring for her brother, who has learning difficulties.
Jeff, 68, and Lynne, 66, also care for two other adults in their family.
Lynne said: “I have never got up in the morning and thought ‘I don’t want to do this.’”
Despite feeling overwhelmed by the initial nomination, the couple have said their work is a big enough reward in itself.
Shaun, who nominated the pair, described them as: “The very embodiment of the type of carers we hope to recruit and they consistently demonstrate why they are so highly thought of by the people who access their support.”
He added: “To say they go above and beyond their role would be a colossal understatement and, in my opinion, there has never been two more deserving nominees to have their contribution to the care industry acknowledged like this.”
Jeff and Lynne take respite breaks, during which they enjoy visiting other parts of Britain for weekends and other short stays.
• A care home manager was awarded a silver prize in the Excellence in Leadership and Management category.
Geraint Morgan, is general manager of Hafod’s T? Penrhos Care Home in Castlegate, Caerphilly.
