“Making a positive difference in the daily lives of residents and making sure their surroundings are safe, warm, and comfortable brings immense satisfaction.”

Adam George Kakouris is a Maintenance Operative at My Choice Healthcare, overseeing six care homes across South Wales. 

Bringing technical skill and pride to care environments, 53-year-old Adam ensures care facilities are looked after. His essential contribution has earned him a nomination for the Excellence in Support Function Award at the Wales Care Awards 2026.

We asked Adam about what motivates him in his role, and what this nomination means to him;

Tell us a bit about your role and day-to-day responsibilities.
I am the Maintenance Operative covering six care homes.

What do you love most about your work? Making a positive difference in the daily lives of residents. I love interacting with residents as I work around the homes.

What does being nominated for this award mean to you? It is very humbling. It feels great to be acknowledged.

“Showing others that care offers a real, rewarding career pathway is something I’m very proud of.”

Bella Bates is the Regional Support Lead at Caron Group. 

Having started her care career as a frontline carer in 2010, 37-year-old Bella has progressed through multiple operational roles to now provide multi-site leadership across Mid and South Wales. 

Based in Rhayader, her versatility and support for care home managers have earned her a nomination for the Excellence in Support Function Award at the Wales Care Awards 2026.

We asked Bella about what motivates her in her role, and what this nomination means to her;

Tell us a bit about your role and day-to-day duties.
As Regional Support Lead, no two days are ever the same! A big part of my role is visiting the homes, speaking with the teams and residents, and identifying where I can offer support or help make improvements. Sometimes that means working through an action plan or tackling a particular challenge, and other times it can be something completely unexpected that needs sorting there and then!

Ultimately, my role is about supporting people. It can be incredibly busy, but I absolutely love the variety of my job and the people I get to work with.

What do you love most about your job?
What I love most about my job is the people. I genuinely love what I do and feel very lucky to work alongside so many amazing people across Caron Group. Knowing that the support I give our teams can ultimately help make a positive difference to the lives of the people we care for is what makes the job so rewarding.

What stands out to you most when reflecting on your care journey?
One moment that particularly stands out was being asked, at very short notice, to step in and support a home that was without a management team. It was certainly a challenge and there were plenty of moments where I had to think on my feet, but seeing the team pull together, keeping things moving and being able to provide some stability and reassurance was incredibly rewarding. It showed me just how much I had learnt over the years and probably gave me more confidence in myself than I realised at the time!

What does this award nomination mean to you?
The nomination honestly means so much to me. I absolutely love what I do, so to be recognised for simply doing a job that I genuinely enjoy is quite overwhelming!

What makes it even more special is the support I’ve received from my colleagues, friends and family. The lovely messages and comments since finding out I was a finalist have been incredible and have genuinely meant so much to me.

How do you like to unwind outside of work?
I love keeping busy! I have a dog named Nell who keeps me on my toes, and I enjoy weekly walks and countryside outings with my close friends and family.

I’m happiest when I’m surrounded by good people and plenty of laughter.

“I want our home to be a place where wellbeing isn’t just an activity on a calendar, but something you can feel the moment you walk through the doors.”

Hannah Christopher is the Lifestyle Lead at Hallmark Luxury Care Homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf. 

Combining a background in holistic therapy and aromatherapy with social care lifestyle leadership, 39-year-old Hannah embeds voice, choice, and person-centred engagement into care home life. Her creative approach has earned her a nomination for the Excellence in Support Function Award at the Wales Care Awards 2026.

We asked Hannah about what motivates her in her role, and what this nomination means to her;

Tell us a bit about your role and day-to-day work.
For me, wellbeing is about making sure every person living in our home has a voice, choice and opportunities to enjoy life in a way that feels right for them.

As Lifestyle Lead, my goal is to ensure every resident has a voice, choice, and opportunities to enjoy life.

A big part of my role is getting to know people – what they enjoy, what matters to them, what they’ve always wanted to try and what makes them smile. From there, I look at how we can bring those things into everyday life.

What do you love most about your job?
The unexpected, everyday moments – seeing someone try something they never thought they would, rediscover a long-lost skill, or simply watching a spark of joy light up in their eyes.

Is there a standout story from your work you’d like to share?
An RAF veteran living with us frequently spoke of his military career and his beloved late wife. With his permission, I shared his story for Armistice Day, detailing their romance and how she waited for his return from service. Seeing his pride as staff and residents honoured his life story was unforgettable.

What does this nomination mean to you?
It means more than I can probably put into words!

My role has always been about creating a home where wellbeing isn’t something we simply do – it’s something you can feel. From the moment someone walks through our doors, I want them to feel that this is a place where they will be listened to, valued, supported and encouraged to be themselves. A place where their choices matter, where they can try new things, have fun, make memories and continue to live life in a way that feels meaningful to them.

I’ve worked incredibly hard to help create that culture – bringing wellbeing into every part of the home, supporting our teams, creating opportunities, listening to the people who live here and making sure their voices are at the heart of what we do.

Tell us about you, outside of work
Wellbeing has been a huge part of who I am for most of my life.

Before my role looked the way it does today, I trained and worked as a holistic therapist from the age of 17, specialising in aromatherapy. Although my career has evolved, that holistic approach to wellbeing has never left me – it’s still very much part of who I am.

Outside of work, you’ll often find me in the garden growing herbs, experimenting with blends and creating natural products from the things I grow.

I also love photography, getting out hiking, heading off on adventures and, whenever I get the chance, enjoying some good live music.

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The Wales Care Awards are organised by Care Forum Wales to recognise and celebrate excellence across the social care sector in Wales.

The awards recognise individuals and organisations across a range of categories, celebrating the dedication, compassion, innovation and professionalism of those working in social care.

For further information, interviews or photographs, please contact: Rhian Richards Mobile: 07904965709 Email: rhianrelewis@gmail.com