Archived News Stories

WWII Heroine Sister Spitfire still looking after frontline soldiers

Soldiers on the frontline in Afghanistan will be receiving morale boosting "gifts from home" thanks to a campaign launched by two heroes from different generations.

Staff and residents at Pendine Park care are sending goodie boxes with special treats to the squaddies in Helmand Province.

The campaign was inspired by Private Neil Carrington who has just become engaged to the daughter of Ann Chapman, the manager of Pendine Park's Cae Bryn Care Home.

Just before he returned for the second half of his tour of duty in Afghanistan, Neil and his new fiancée Sarah popped in to Pendine Park to say thanks.

During the visit, Neil met one of their most remarkable residents, 93 year old Margaret Ellis who served as a nurse amid the carnage of Northern France during the early part of the Second World War 70 years ago.

She was nicknamed Sister Spitfire by German Prisoners of War because of her forthright attitude and indomitable spirit.

Ann Chapman came up with the idea after hearing that while the parcels sent by her daughter, Sarah, to Neil were going down a treat many of his colleagues on the frontline were not receiving any gifts from home.

Ann said: "Sarah was sending boxes to Neil every day with little goodies you know, crisps, shower gel, toothpaste, packs of cards, travel games - just anything that she thought he might like.

A builder by trade, Neil, aged 40, is a private in the Territorial Army, the 3rd battalion of the Royal Welsh based in Wrexham and was due to return to Helmand Province the following day.

He said: "What the people at Pendine Park are doing is lovely. The boxes are a big morale boost, because you're obviously living off rations every day."

Click here to view a movie about Margaret Ellis

Life through the lens is pretty as a picture

Talented photographers from Pendine Park are staging their first ever exhibition.

The "remarkable and striking" images are the work of the photography and the show was held at our main site in Summerhill Road to coincide with Social Care Week.

It is the brainchild of our artist in residence, Sarah Edwards, who has been running art classes, both in groups and one-to-one sessions, for 13 years.

She established the photography club a year ago and it's proved hugely popular with residents.

The exhibition, Life Through a Lens, featured 30 photographs capturing the four seasons at Pendine Park.

Four of the images were chosen to feature on postcards and notelets to be sold to raise money for the pioneering collaboration with the world-famous Hallé orchestra.

Earlier this year, a series of creative music workshops conducted by the Hallé culminated in a "magical and moving" performance by residents.

The long term commitment of Pendine Park and Sarah to the arts was recognised at the annual Arts & Business Cymru Awards when were were presented with their Sustainability Award.

Sarah said: "The arts in general, and photography in particular, touches people and lets them unleash their creativity.

"It's mood enhancing and can take your thoughts away from your problems. It's inspirational to see what somebody can achieve if they put their mind to it. That sense of achievement is priceless.

Mr Malcolm Crosbie, the husband of one of the residents, is so enthralled by the contribution of the arts at Pendine Park that he is contributing £500 towards the Hallé project.

His wife, Audrey, 81, who has Alzheimer's disease and suffers from arthritis, has been a resident at Pendine Park for the past two years.

Trio need a break after sitting down for charity

Three workmates needed a rest after a fundraising marathon for charity – but no-one suggested that they have a sit-down to recover.

For the three who work for the Pendine Park care organisation group are still a little tender after sitting in every seat at Wrexham Football Club’s Racecourse Ground.

The three – activities co-ordinator Gerry Humphreys, senior care practitioner Tracy King and care practitioner Becky Griffiths – undertook the unusual challenge to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.

They chose the charity because they find themselves having to deal with a growing number of dementia cases.

Forever seeking novel ways to raise money for good causes, Gerry asked Phil Sadler, commercial manager for the Blue Square Premier League club, for ideas.

He mentioned that when the club was in administration a couple of years ago two local lads raised money for the club by sitting in every seat.

The Pendine Park trio completed the marathon in six hours and raised £300. “We’re very proud of ourselves, but wouldn’t do it again,” said Gerry, who had to spend the next day recovering in bed. “We’re all pretty sore.

Keeping a watchful eye on them throughout and checking that they did complete the task was another colleague, Maggie Langford, who is a nurse at the Cae Bryn home and who has close links with the local Alzheimer’s Society.

Care staff go up in the world for Comic Relief

Staff at Gwern Alyn set their sights high when it came to supporting this year’s Red Nose Day.

Six colleagues donned their walking shoes and headed for the 1,800-feet summit of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range.

The four-mile hike was the idea of manager Cindy Clutton but care practitioners at the home readily agreed to take part. She was joined by colleagues Lauten Rose, Stacey Sutton, Karen Brown, Ceri Smith and Diane Roberts.

Wearing their Red Nose T-shirts they set off from the Bwlch Penbarras car-park and followed the main track to the Jubilee Tower on the summit of Moel Famau before returning by the same route. They completed the hike in about an hour despite a short picnic break at the top.

“We have already raised £250 but there could well be more than that in the end,” said Cindy.

“It was harder than we expected, with another hill around every corner, and the wind was also quite strong,” she said.

Each year the staff support either the Children in Need appeal or Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day.

This year their colleagues at the Hillbury Home wore pyjamas for work.

That was the idea of home manager Mildred Heywood, but was quickly supported by 15 members of staff.

“Everyone, including the kitchen staff, was happy to take part, though some wore fancy dress instead of pyjamas,” said Mildred.

Gwern Alyn staff also staged charity concert in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.

The Pendine Park group has close links with the Society because of the growing number of elderly suffering from dementia.

Mario Kreft, the proprietor of Pendine Park, was impressed by the enthusiasm of the staff. He said: “I think this just underlines just what an excellent group of people we have working here at Pendine Park.

Entrepeneur of the Year Challenge 2008

Mario was a regional finalist in The Bank of Scotland and Sunday Times Entrepreneur of the Year Challenge 2008.

The judges were impressed by how Mario has developed the organisation to offer choice and continuity of care and by the way he has helped shape the care sector. Mario has always been a leading figure in the social care sector. In 2008 he was named as one of the 50 most influential people in social care in the UK by the magazine, Caring Business.

What particularly impressed the judges was Mario’s vision for a new way providing dementia care and developing services in the community – with a hub at the centre and flexible community care to give dementia suffers and their familes the right care and support , when and where they need it.

Pendine Park’s plans were highly commended and the panel heard how the proposed business model for centres of excellence could be rolled out across the UK.

Among the first to congratulate Mario was Wrexham Labour AM Lesley Griffiths, who said: “The Entrepreneur Challenge is widely recognised as one of the top business awards in the country.

“For Mario to be the only Welsh finalist is a great achievement in itself. However, when you consider some of the competition he was up against you begin to appreciate what he has achieved.”

Mario said: “I was delighted reach the final and it has helped raise awareness of the issue we face as a society. Our plans for the centre of excellence (Bodlondeb) were never dependent on the competition and we are determined to make our vision a reality.”

Town turns Pink for Charity Partners

A campaign to get Wrexham In The Pink for breast cancer care has been hailed an outstanding success by a national charity organiser.

Lucy Gilmore, of Breast Cancer Care Cymru, said: “They’ve done a fantastic job and we’ve been more than pleased with how it’s gone.”

The crusade was launched by three Wrexham firms, the care organisation, Pendine Park, accountants Coxeys and solicitors Cyril Jones and Co incorporating Stanley Williams.

They were busy fund-raising throughout October, Breast Cancer Awareness month, with the climax last Friday, October 24.

Faye Matthews, of Cyril Jones and Co, who kicked off the campaign, said: “We wanted to raise as much money as possible for Breast Cancer Awareness – and raise the profile of breast cancer issues at the same time.

“In the process we’ve had a lot of fun and involved a lot of people.

Along Grosvenor Road in the town Coxeys Accountants were also getting in the mood with Traci Morris, of Traci Morris Glass, bringing along her ceramic jewellery made from the material used to coat the nose cone of the space shuttle.

Care organisation Pendine Park have also made a big effort at their Wrexham homes and their efforts including a car wash, tea parties and hair-dressing events have raised a staggering £1600 plus.

Cindy Clutton, of, Gwern Alyn Home, said: “It’s gone fantastically well and we’ve all really enjoyed doing it – residents, staff and visitors.

“It’s such a worthwhile charity because breast cancer is something that affects everyone in a family.

Quality Award, Unsung Heroines

A team of inspectors has given Pendine Park top marks – with our team of housekeepers being singled out for special praise.

Fifteen years ago Pendine Park was the first nursing home in the United Kingdom to be awarded British Standard 5750, now known as ISO 0002. The inspectors from quality assurance accreditation have been back to Pendine Park for their annual review to make sure their standards are still up to scratch. Their report said: “The general picture is of a good and effective control, with a high level of commitment from all staff.

“The organization has demonstrated the establishment and tracking of appropriate key performance objectives and targets and monitored progress towards their achievement. “It is evident that the housekeeping in all Homes is to an excellent standard”, added the inspectors.

Proprietor Mario Kreft was delighted that Pendine Park had retained its ISO9002 quality accreditation for the 15th consecutive year. He said: “ We are committed to the ISO standard and approach because it gives us the structure not only to meet national regulatory requirements but importantly assists us in developing our services above that. “That’s why we’re delighted that we have yet again met the standard and exceeded it. “We’re particularly pleased that our nursing care services did not require any corrective actions and that housekeeping operation was described as exemplary.

“The housekeepers are all very committed and they do an important job – you couldn’t have a care homer running well without an excellent team of housekeepers and here ours rank as the best. They are often unsung heroines so it’s great that their important contribution has been recognized in this way”.