At the annual Wales Care Awards ceremony in Cardiff's City Hall, Janet Tobin, assistant principal of Pengwern College, Rhuddlan, which is run by Mencap, was presented with a gold award by the Welsh Assembly's Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, Gwenda Thomas.

The awards scheme is run by Care Forum Wales to recognise and promote good practice in the independent care sector and Janet, formerly from Trefnant, was honoured in the category for leading practice in learning disability services.

She was nominated by the college's deputy principal, Lisa Duncalf, who said she had been particularly struck by Janet's philosophy to treat people with learning difficulties with respect and dignity, thus helping to empower them to live life to the full.

Chief executive Mario Kreft said there were a record number of nominations and the standard was very high.

Janet, now 53, started out as a deputy supervisor in the Marble Arch branch of Marks and Spencer in London after taking her A-levels, when she decided to enrol with Community Service Volunteers.

She recalls: "The person who interviewed me was so pro Pengwern that it was inevitable that I would end up there. I bit the bullet and signed up for four months, and I'm still here.

"I was always going to end up working with people in some way."

Over the years, she gained teaching qualifications and extra qualifications in teaching youngsters with learning disabilities and has also gained management qualifications in teaching and supporting staff to work with the students.

Janet recently moved to Toxteth, Liverpool, where she lives with her son and daughter, and commutes the 100-mile round trip daily to continue with her work at the college.

She says she is very proud to have worked for Mencap for the last 33 years where she has seen the organisation rise to be the leading learning disability charity and the voice of learning disability.

She adds "I passionately believe that people with a learning difficulty should have the same rights and opportunities as non disabled people and be able to take their rightful place in their own home in the community."

Care Forum Wales is a not-for-profit organisation representing all independent sector providers of health and social care services for adults and children throughout Wales.

During the awards ceremony, Mr Kreft said "There are only winners here tonight and in an Olympic year, the organisers have decided that the finalists will receive either a gold, silver or bronze Wales Care Award.

"I trust that they will continue to inspire those around them as role models and encourage others to aspire to even greater heights in the months and years to come.

"This awards ceremony is our opportunity to pay tribute to and celebrate the talent and commitment that is improving the quality of life for thousands and thousands of people throughout Wales. We take our hats off to them all."