A caring Torfaen couple who have opened up their home to offer support to vulnerable people are in line for a top award.

Catherine and Matthew Hern, from Sebastopol, near Pontypool, are part of the South East Wales Shared Lives Scheme, which offers people the opportunity to be supported in carer’s homes and communities.

Catherine, known as Kiki, and Matthew work to ensure the people they support realise that “anything is possible” if they put their mind to it.

The dedication shown by Kiki and Matthew to the scheme has seen them be nominated for this year’s Wales Care Awards in the Excellence in Learning Disability and Mental Health Award category, sponsored by My Choice Health Care.

The couple were nominated by Gemma McNamara, a Shared Lives co-ordinator.

Gemma said: “Catherine and Matthew have provided long term, respite and sessional arrangements within their own home during that time, while also running their own home with three children, two dogs, lots of guinea pigs and fish, and also volunteering with their local Ju Jitsu club. Matthew also works four days a week.

“Since being approved in 2017, Catherine and Matthew have supported six long-term placements, two respite placements, and one sessional arrangement."

Kiki said: “Shared Lives is wonderful, it is such a wonderful concept. It has its challenges but the good far outweighs the bad. The scheme really appealed to us and it brings us a lot of satisfaction and joy, it’s lovely.”

Kiki said it was important that anyone with care or support needs had those needs met.

And she added that she felt things were improving on how communities viewed people with support needs.

The Wales Care Awards ceremony will take place on October 18, at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff, hosted by radio and TV presenter Jason Mohammad. 

The Wales Care Awards are organised by Care Forum Wales, and the over all sponsor is Ontex Healthcare. 

Mario Kreft, chairman of Care Forum Wales, said: “Our aim is to recognise the unstinting and often remarkable dedication of our unsung heroes and heroines on the front line of social across Wales.

"The care sector is full of wonderful people because it’s not just a job it’s a vocation – these are the people who really do have the X Factor.

"If you don’t recognise the people who do the caring you will never provide the standards that people need and never recognise the value of the people who need the care in society. We need to do all we can to raise the profile of the care sector workforce - they deserve to be lauded and applauded. It is a pleasure to honour the contribution of all the finalists. Each and every one of them should be very proud of their achievement."