North Wales Care Home Artist Gets Surprise Award from Opera Star Sir Bryn Terfel
A pioneering North Wales artist has been honoured for three decades transforming lives through creativity in care homes.
Sarah Edwards, consultant artist-in-residence at the Pendine Park care organisation, has received a special recognition award for outstanding service in the 2026 Wales Care Awards which celebrate excellence in social care.
But it came as a huge surprise when opera superstar Sir Bryn Terfel presented her with the award during a special ceremony at the North Wales International Music Festival at St Asaph Cathedral.
The presentation marked a remarkable 30-year career at Pendine Park in Wrexham where Sarah broke new ground using art and creative activities to promote health and wellbeing among car home residents.
It was an appropriate venue for the presentation as the cathedral was adorned with artworks created by Pendine residents in a project specially designed to tie in with one of this year’s festival themes – the Circle of Life.
A visibly moved Sarah, who lives in Wrexham, said she was overwhelmed by the honour which came as a complete surprise.
She said: “I cannot thank everyone at the Wales Care Awards enough. I consider this not just recognition of my own work but it is a ringing endorsement of the therapeutic benefits of arts therapy within a care environment.”
Fresh from having graduated from Cardiff University with a First class degree in illustration, she joined Pendine Park in 1995 as the first care home artist-in-residence in Wales.
She has been a consistent standard bearer for good practice with her diverse skills fundamental to helping the Pendine group win numerous arts-related accolades, including the 2015 Business of the Year at the Arts and Business Cymru Awards.
Pendine’s arts loving owners, Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, nominated her for the award because they wanted to pay a lasting tribute to Sarah.
Mr Kreft said her creativity and ability to think out of the box has been at the heart of much of the company’s success.
She has played a key role in establishing strong relationships between Pendine Park and leading arts and musical organisations including the NWIMF, Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Welsh National Opera, and Manchester’s world-renowned Halle Orchestra.
She has also created opportunities for Wrexham schools and college students to visit Pendine Park’s regular crafts sessions and workshops where residents are encouraged to express themselves through art.
He said: “Sarah came to be interviewed by myself and my grandfather, Fred, just as we were considering plans to introduce a daily programme of enrichment activities for our residents. But to be honest it was more like she was interviewing us.
“From the outset she told us she had clear goals which she wanted to achieve and all for the benefit of improving the well-being of those in care.
“But, more than that, she wanted to be sure that we would be prepared to back her immensely strong belief that art is for all. Thirty years on we are so glad that we did back her because the difference she has made to our organisation has been immeasurable.
“With Sarah in the room we are always learning. Even after three decades she is still coming up with fresh and original ideas on how we can take the concept of arts in care further forward and we anticipate many more exciting projects to come.”
Born and raised in Wrexham, Sarah said: “It has been an absolute joy working at Pendine Park and I will always be grateful to Mario and Gill for putting their faith in me.
“I feel delighted and humbled to receive this award. It will be a constant reminder of the many happy times our residents and staff have gifted to me. Over the last 30 years I have made some wonderful friends and gathered treasured memories which I will never forget.”
