RETIRED nurse Carol Dight, who now lives on Exmoor, has been honoured for her previous care work in Wales.

Ms Dight, aged 61, who moved to Wheddon Cross last year, worked for nine years for HC-One Wales, which owns 14 residential and nursing homes.

She was among the chief recipients at this year’s Wales Care Awards ceremony, organised by Care Forum Wales to highlight exceptional work in the sector.

She won gold for leadership and management in small group or supported living, and also received the ‘Spirit of Care Award’.

Ms Dight joined HC-One Wales in 2016 after working in various hospitals, ending her NHS career as nursing and governance executive director for Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Musgrove Park Hospital, in Taunton.

She was HC-One Wales’s responsible individual before becoming the company’s area director, and then regional director for Wales.

HC-One Wales commissioned services manager Emma Baker said Ms Dight was ‘a dedicated leader and mentor for the HC-One Wales team, overseeing residential, nursing, and dementia care across 14 care homes’.

Ms Baker said her ‘compassionate and creative leadership’ had helped to ensure people were able to ‘live their best lives’.

Ms Dight said it had been ‘very humbling’ to receive two of this year's principal awards.

She said: “It was a huge surprise, especially to receive the Spirit of Care Award.”

Care Forum Wales chairman Mario Kreft said the Wales Care Awards shone a light on the ‘unsung heroes and heroines’ who made a vital difference to the lives of vulnerable people across the nation.

Mr Kreft said: “For more than 30 years Care Forum Wales has worked tirelessly to champion the social care sector.

“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.”