Care home pair pick up awards for their sterling service.

A CARDIFF care home has scooped two awards at a ceremony to mark the best workers in the profession. The members of staff from Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff Bay who walked away with the top accolades were Gareth Matthews, who won Care Chef of the Year, and Ruben Hidalgo, for Outstanding Performance of the Year. The men were presented with their awards by Big Brother 2 winner Brian Dowling at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow.

Gareth won his prize for his "innovative approach to cooking and meticulous attention to detail". The judges said they were "overwhelmed not only by amazing presentation but the intense flavours of the food he created".

Gareth said: "When they called out my name as the winner, I was shocked. I never thought it would be me."

Ruben was chosen after he excelled in his role despite being at Shire Hall for only a short period of time.

The judges were equally impressed by his motivation, enthusiasm and "infectious smile".

Ruben said: "I love my job, the residents and my colleagues and to be acknowledged in such a way is a huge honour. We had a fantastic evening."

Avnish Goyal, managing director of Hallmark Healthcare, said: "The awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge all those people - from staff and suppliers to friends and family - who add value to the lives of our residents.

"Both Gareth and Ruben are terrific ambassadors for the company and care sector as a whole and it was a pleasure to congratulate them personally on their win."