Tributes have been paid to a housing pioneer who\u2019s stepped down from his role leading an agency that helps older people live independently.<\/p>\n
Gwynne Jones has come to the end of his four-year term of office as chair of Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair and nine years as a board member.<\/p>\n
He was one of the founders of the organisation when Conwy Care & Repair and Denbighshire Care &\u00a0 Repair merged, becoming a subsidiary of the then newly-formed Gr\u0175p Cynefin housing association 10 years ago.<\/p>\n
Gwynne, the former managing director of Cartrefi Conwy housing association, is one of the most respected figures in the housing sector in Wales.<\/p>\n
During his time there he played a key role in masterminding a ground-breaking, \u00a330 million housing improvement programme and was honoured with an outstanding commitment award by the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru.<\/p>\n
According to Gwynne, it was his \u201cpassion for helping people\u201d which made him want be part of Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair.<\/p>\n
The organisation assists older, vulnerable people in private sector housing to live independently in comfort, safety, warmth and security by helping them with all kinds of adaptations and advice.<\/p>\n
Gwynne said: \u201cWhat brought me to this kind of volunteering was a commitment to try and make a difference, using the skillset I had.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy career in social housing has meant that this and making a difference to people\u2019s lives are my core values.<\/p>\n
\u201cPut simply, Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair offers care and support so that people can live independently in their own homes for longer, making sure the process is as smooth as possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very proud to have been a board member and chair. Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair will soon be recruiting new board members, and I urge people to consider putting themselves forward \u2013 it\u2019s not just for those at the end of their careers as is often perceived, but a fantastic opportunity for those building careers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chris Jones, Chief Executive of Care & Repair Cymru, the national organisation for Care & Repair in Wales, thanked Gwynne for his contribution and welcomed him as a board member of Care & Repair Cymru.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thank Gwynne for the hard work and commitment he has shown as a voluntary Board member of Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair, helping steer them through a difficult period of cost-of-living crisis and energy price increases that has hit older people in the area hard,\u201d said Chris.<\/p>\n
\u201cGwynne has also served as a Care & Repair Agency representative on Care & Repair Cymru\u2019s Board for the past three years, influencing Care & Repair strategy and direction at a national level.<\/p>\n
\u201cGwynne will continue to serve on Care & Repair Cymru\u2019s Board as an elected individual, and we look forward to continuing to work with him as one of our trustees.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s succeeded as chair of Conwy\u00a0 and Denbighshire Care & Repair by Clifton Robinson, who was previously the vice chair and is former member of the Gr\u0175p Cynefin Board of Management.<\/p>\n
Mel Evans, Chief Executive of Gr\u0175p Cynefin, also paid tribute to Gwynne\u2019s dedication.<\/p>\n
\u201cGwynne\u2019s contribution is a substantial one, from serving on and then leading the Board of Management.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to thank Gwynne for his unfaltering work with Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair and I wish him all the best as he now brings his expertise to the Wales-wide board.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also wish Clifton Robinson well in his new role as Chair and look forward to working closely with him. Gr\u0175p Cynefin has a close, productive relationship with our subsidiaries, and long may this continue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anyone interested in becoming a Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair board member should contact Lynda Colwell on <\/strong>lynda.colwell@gofalathrwsio.com<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n careandrepair.org.uk\/agencies\/care-repair-conwy-and-denbighshire\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n