A CAERNARFON social enterprise which provides work, training and health and wellbeing opportunities for more than 60 people with learning disabilities, has won an award from a leading Welsh work-based learning provider.

Antur Waunfawr was named medium employer of the year at Cambrian Training Company’s annual Apprenticeship, Employment and Skills Awards.

The awards were held at The Metropole Hotel and Spa, Llandrindod Wells.

And they turned into a triple celebration for Antur Waunfawr, when the company’s multi-skilled bikes officer, Jack Williams, won the foundation apprentice and Welsh language ambassador of the year prizes.

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Gwenlli Wynne, Antur Waunfawr’s business development manager, said: “Receiving these awards means so much to us all and we thank everyone that made it happen.

“Having the opportunities to offer our staff an apprenticeship course in Welsh is so valuable.

“I’d like to thank Amy Edwards from Cambrian Training for the support she gave Jack Williams and Tom Workman throughout their apprenticeships.”

Ellen Thirsk, Antur Waunfawr’s chief executive, said: “We are so proud to win the medium employer of the year award and congratulate Jack Williams on winning two apprenticeship awards.

“Big congratulations also to everyone else who took part. It's nice to see people developing themselves.”

The company has supported 21 on apprenticeships ranging from Levels Two to Four in sustainable recycling activities, health and social care practice and professional practice in health and social care.

Many of the staff, whose first language is Welsh, have completed their apprenticeships in their first language or bilingually.

The company runs four sustainable local businesses involved in reusing furniture, clothes and textiles, recycling plastic, paper shredding, a bike hire, repair and service shop, a café, craft shop, micro-brewery and a seven-acre nature park and allotments.

Founded in 1984, Antur Waunfawr supports the continuous improvement of staff and projects, providing young people with opportunities to stay within their communities by providing training and employment opportunities to preserve wealth in its region.