Senedd politician joins emotional dementia group sing-song

Nation Cymru staff

A Senedd member was moved to tears after joining residents at a dementia care home for a poignant sing-song.

Gwynedd Maldwyn MS Siân Gwenllian became emotional during a visit to Pendine Park’s awarding-winning Bryn Seiont Newydd on the outskirts of Caernarfon.

The Plaid Cymru politician sat with residents in the care home’s music room and sang along in the session led by musician-in-residence Nia Davies Williams.

She wiped away a tear as David Edwards, a former police officer and member of the Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir, sang the traditional folk song, Ar Lan y Môr.

Ms Gwenllian said: “It was an emotional experience to be part of their singing session. David was just as moved singing in his wonderful tenor voice and was clearly enjoying the participation, with the people around him joining in too.

“It is clear that singing and music connect people, and that is vitally important. I know that art can achieve the same thing and Bryn Seiont Newydd has been doing this for years and I was very pleased to have that experience again.”

Pendine Park founder Mario Kreft MBE welcomed Siân Gwenllian to Bryn Seiont Newydd and accompanied her to the music room.

He said: “We were delighted she took the time to come and meet the residents and sing with them. This is all about how the arts can play a part in the care of people with dementia, that’s so important.”

Mr Kreft outlined the work carried out by staff at Bryn Seiont Newydd for the residents.

“She’s well aware of the importance of community support. Bryn Seiont Newydd is rooted in its community. It’s home to 107 residents, 34 of those in apartments, it has 254 staff and we believe we provide a very good service to our community.

“We underpin the NHS because many of these people otherwise would be in the NHS system. We are undoubtedly one of the leaders in the care sector in the area but there are others too and the importance of the independent care sector in North Wales is absolutely vital.

“Places like Bryn Seiont Newydd and places that are smaller than here are national treasures and they should be cherished because they enable people to remain in their communities and to be cared for and their families to be able to visit and if they need other services and I was so proud to have the opportunity to explain what we do to Siân Gwenllian.”

Ms Gwenllian, who has been a Member of the Senedd since 2016, representing the former the Arfon Constituency before the boundary shake-up, added: “The care sector is all-important, and we need to grow it by providing care — whether for people in their own homes or in specialist facilities like Bryn Seiont Newydd.

“Both approaches go hand in hand when it comes to maintaining independence and preventing issues from escalating to the point where hospital treatment is required.

“Having a specialist dementia care facility like Bryn Seiont Newydd is incredibly important for our communities in this part of north Wales.”

During the visit Ms Gwenllian was introduced to Amy Rowlands, Andrew Roberts and Chris Jones, three staff members who had begun their careers at Bryn Seiont Newydd and had been given the opportunity to study for additional qualifications.

They were among eight care workers from Pendine to become newly-qualified nurses through the organisation’s pioneering “grow your own” scheme, the biggest cohort since the programme began.

All eight graduates completed four-year Bachelor of Science nursing degrees through the Open University while continuing to work at Pendine’s care homes

“Bryn Seiont Newydd is a significant employer that opens doors for people to develop their careers. I heard about individuals who started here as care assistants, undertook further training, and progressed to become clinical leaders; this kind of progression is actively encouraged here, which is excellent,” said Ms Gwenllian.

“I know from my own casework just how high the demand is for facilities like Bryn Seiont Newydd. Dementia touches every family at some point; it has touched my own family, and we have been so grateful to receive specialist care outside of a hospital setting.

“Receiving that care in Welsh was also very important. As a society, we must be prepared; as the population ages, more people will require care for various conditions, but people living with dementia need highly specialised care—and the work being done at Bryn Seiont Newydd is incredible.”

Since Plaid Cymru took over as the ruling group in Cardiff Bay Siân Gwenllian has served as Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning.

Bryn Seiont Newydd deputy manager Amy Rowlands added: “We were absolutely delighted to welcome Siân Gwenllian and are very grateful that she took the time to spend time with our residents and experience one of our singing sessions.

“The arts are such an important part of life here. Music in particular is a golden thread that runs through daily life at Bryn Seiont Newydd, bringing people together, creating memories and giving everyone the opportunity to participate.

“We see every day how a song can lift someone’s spirits, spark a memory or simply create a moment of joy and connection. That is why the arts are not an optional extra in dementia care – they are an important part of what we do.”

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