A woman from Powys who switched from retail to social care has found great success in her new sector.

Victoria Chapman, deputy manager at Crosfield House in Rhayader, has been shortlisted for the Exceptional Newcomer award at the Wales Care Awards.

These awards, often referred to as the Oscars of social care, are organised by Care Forum Wales to celebrate excellence in the care industry.

Ms Chapman will find out if she has won the award at a ceremony hosted by television presenter Jason Mohammad at Cardiff's Holland House Hotel on October 18.

Ms Chapman started at Crosfield House in October 2023, with no prior experience in the social care sector.

She said: "I had no idea I had been nominated for this award until I was told to prepare myself for an interview.

"I was really surprised to have been nominated and very happy to have been shortlisted."

Ms Chapman initially joined Crosfield House as a lead business support, a role that involved overseeing all administrative duties and ensuring the smooth running of the home.

She managed the finances, ensuring residents had enough pocket money in their accounts, and supported the central financial team at Caron Group.

She also had oversight of all rostered shifts, making sure all the staff had their contracted hours and annual leave, and greeted all visitors to Crosfield House.

Just a few months after starting at Crosfield House, an opportunity for Ms Chapman to progress within the company arose.

She said: "The post of deputy manager became available, and I applied and was successful.

"It has meant a further change in role, and I'm much more hands-on with residents and their families.

"I'm really enjoying it, and I'm pleased the career change was the right thing to do and that I was brave enough to do it."

Ms Chapman has also set up a support hub for staff to reach out to her with any issues or concerns, whether they are work-related or personal.

She has made connections with the local job centre to push for local recruitment within the community and has arranged job fairs to promote Crosfield House.

Emma Price, manager of the Tŷ Derw specialised unit for residents with dementia and complex needs in Rhayader and Ms Chapman's former supervisor at Crosfield House, said: "I am very proud of Victoria, her progression since starting at Crosfield House has been remarkable.

"She is thriving in her current role, she has been supporting staff with their mental health and has set up a hub where staff are able to reach out to her with any issues or concerns they have, be that work-related or in their personal lives – this has been really successful with good feedback from our staff.

"Victoria has also made connections with the local job centre to push for local recruitment within the community and has arranged job fares to promote Crosfield House.

"Victoria is a well-respected member of the team here at Crosfield House and we are over the moon that she has been selected as one of the finalists.

"We are wishing her all the luck."

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said: "Our aim is to recognise the unstinting and often remarkable dedication of our unsung heroes and heroines on the front line of social across Wales.

"The care sector is full of wonderful people because it’s not just a job, it’s a vocation – these are the people who really do have the X Factor.

"If you don’t recognise the people who do the caring you will never provide the standards that people need and never recognise the value of the people who need the care in society.

"We need to do all we can to raise the profile of the care sector workforce - they deserve to be lauded and applauded.

"It is a pleasure to honour the contribution of all the finalists.

"Each and every one of them should be very proud of their achievement."