A “HEROIC” former care home owner who built a military-style decontamination unit to keep his residents and staff safe during the Covid pandemic has been given a special award.
Ex-RAF man Glyn Williams, 63, who ran the Gwyddfor Residential Home in Bodedern in Anglesey, was described as a “fearless and formidable” champion of social care after the virus struck.
As well using his knowledge of chemical, nuclear and biological warfare to convert the home’s atrium into a decontamination facility, Glyn campaigned tirelessly for politicians to give more financial support to the sector as it battled the deadly disease.
Now retired, Glyn’s extraordinary efforts were honoured with a Special Recognition Award at the Wales Care Awards – dubbed the Oscars of social care – at a glitzy ceremony in Cardiff hosted by radio and TV presenter Jason Mohammad.
The award was presented by Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, who said: “The people working on the frontline during the pandemic put their own lives on the line to keep vulnerable people safe.
“There were thousands of Covid warriors who rose magnificently to the unprecedented challenge but Glyn was undoubtedly our Top Gun.
“He was a fearless and formidable advocate not only on behalf of his own residents and staff but also for the social care sector as a whole.
“Glyn was truly heroic and was willing to put his head above the parapet and speak truth to power, doing so with great eloquence and moral authority.
“We are grateful to the Welsh Government for the financial support they gave the sector which was far greater than that received by our counterparts in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
“Glyn undoubtedly played his part in persuading the powers that be that the sector needed that support to remain financially afloat and protect the vulnerable people for whom we provide care.”
Humble Glyn said he had no idea he was to receive an award at the ceremony, and said the “real heroes were the ones that didn’t make it through the pandemic”.
Glyn spent 25 years in the RAF where he trained as an electronics engineer and he also has a commercial pilot’s licence.
After he left the RAF in 2004 he his wife Mary bought Gwyddfor and his military training meant he was more than aware of the looming threat of the Covid outbreak.
He said: “The award came as a heck of a shock, I had no idea but I am incredibly grateful to receive the award.
“To be honest I don’t really deserve it any more than any of the other fantastic social care workers.
“For many years I have also had the privilege of judging for the care awards.
“It is amazing to hear these people’s stories and how they go above and beyond.
“Those people who get through to the awards absolutely deserve it.
“And of course, the real heroes were the ones that didn’t make it through the pandemic as far as I am concerned, especially during the early days.
“All of the care homes across Wales were in touch with each other and we were
“Here at Gwyddfor we built a decontamination tank and made sure everything was sterilised before it came into the building.
“We were thinking how could we stop the virus coming into the building and so we made sure everything was decontaminated and clean.
“We set up a tent outside, we had a ‘red area’, we sterilised everything that came in.
“We took the atrium and divided it up into two and had an amber area and a green area.
“Staff were getting changed into uniforms which were laundered on the premises, and so we were just keeping everything spotlessly clean.
“That all worked out well. We went 18 months before we finally relaxed our procedures.”
Glyn added: “One of the biggest problems we had in the early days was the dire shortage of PPE allied to the fact we didn’t have adequate funds.
“I suppose I was a little bit too outspoken at times but somebody had to tell it as it was, and fortunately it helped.
“And I am convinced now that if it hadn’t been for the media we wouldn’t have got anywhere.
“The whole sector did an absolutely amazing job the way they looked after their residents and their staff.”
Glyn and Mary have recently sold the care home to new owners after owning it for 20 years and are helping the new owners bed in.
“There will be mixed emotions when we finally step away because we put so much into the home, but we know it is in good hands,” said Glyn.
“We’ve grown it from 16 beds to 28 beds. We have put our heart and soul into the home, it’s a very special place.”