Tributes have poured in for retiring Senedd member Lesley Griffiths as she bowed out with an emotional final visit to a Wrexham care home.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s long-serving MS was hailed as a \u201cwonderful standard bearer for Wrexham\u201d during a surprise tea part marking the end of her 19 years in Cardiff Bay.<\/p>\n
Ms Griffiths who is standing down ahead of the May 7 elections was visibly moved as residents and staff at Pendine Park\u2019s Hillbury Care Home thanked her for nearly two decades of backing for the social care sector.<\/p>\n
The former Welsh Government Minister, who held several different Cabinet posts, took part in an art class before being presented with flowers and a handmade card in recognition of her\u00a0 support for the care organisation and the wider industry<\/p>\n
Retiring North Wales politician Lesley Griffiths has been praised for being a \u201cwonderful standard bearer for Wrexham and for the social care sector\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mario Kreft MBE, who launched Pendine Park 40 years ago with his wife Gill, said Ms Griffiths had been a key supporter and champion of the care sector over many of those years.<\/p>\n
He told Ms Griffiths: \u201cYou have been a huge friend of Pendine and the care industry throughout your career.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have been a wonderful standard bearer for Wrexham and for the social care sector.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are a flag bearer for fairness, exactly the sort of person in my opinion who should go into politics.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou went into politics wanting to make a difference and you have made a difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know you\u2019re a huge Wrexham AFC fan and I am hoping we will all be able to celebrate Wrexham being in the Premiership.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll of course always be welcome at Pendine, we send you our love and best wishes and hope you have a long and happy retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Kreft added: \u201cLesley embodies what the best politicians should be and that is about working for the people and the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the portfolios that she has had, whether it has been agriculture, health, local government, she has given it her best shot.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd she has always stood up for Wrexham, and always been a voice for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Pendine, she has been a huge supporter of what we are doing, because she cares for people.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the directors and the staff and everyone connected to Pendine, we genuinely want the very best for people within the challenges that we will face, and Lesley wants that too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lesley Griffiths was \u201coverwhelmed\u201d by the kindness shown by Mr Kreft, his wife Gill and the staff at Hillbury in marking her retirement.<\/p>\n
And she paid tribute to the work of everyone involved in the care sector.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI have been to lots of tea parties at a variety of Pendine\u2019s places over the years, but I have never had one in my honour before, so that is really lovely.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am always made to feel very welcome and it\u2019s always a pleasure to come and see the care that you give to families.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can be a very difficult time for a lot of families, and the way you care for their most treasured possessions is amazing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has always got to be a focus on the social care sector, I have been saying that for the 19 years I have been at the Senedd.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is just great that you are all so dedicated and caring. What would we do without you? \u201cI really don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Griffiths took part in an art session run by Pendine\u2019s creative arts consultant Jason Bennion.<\/p>\n
The sessions are part of the care group\u2019s pioneering enrichment programme.<\/p>\n
The group\u2019s consultant artist in residence Sarah Edwards said Ms Griffiths was a passionate supporter of the enrichment scheme.<\/p>\n
Sarah said: \u201cLesley has been an incredible supporter of the care sector and to Pendine over the years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe view her as a great friend of ours, she is always there whenever we need her, she will come to special events and celebrations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever she is here she engages with people, and she has a lovely way with our residents and that speaks volumes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe work in challenging environments at times and our main ethos at Pendine is to enrich the lives of our residents and Lesley contributes to that.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people see coming into a home as the end of your life, but we view it as a new chapter in your life and Lesley is very supportive of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be really sorry to see her go but we wish her well in her retirement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my view she has done an amazing job for Wrexham and for Wales, and I think she will be a huge loss to Wrexham.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hillbury home manager Cindy Clutton added: \u201cLesley has been a great support to not just Hillbury but the Pendine organisation as a whole.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is always welcome, she enjoys the art classes we have with the residents, she\u2019s been a couple of times, and she is more than welcome to join us for more.\u201d<\/p>\n