Care UK's two Welsh Homes celebrate St. David’s Day in style

Care UK’s two Welsh homes, Cardiff-based Llys Cyncoed and Llys Herbert, celebrated St David’s Day in style over the weekend.

 On Sunday 1st March, they marked the day of their patron saint with festivities galore and traditional food, making it a day to soak up Welsh culture and heritage, with residents and their relatives enjoying entertainment and, most importantly, familiar home-cooked flavours from the kitchen teams. Llys Cyncoed turned up the Welsh charm with a spectacular celebration that delighted  residents, with the kitchen team, led by Head Chef Jamie Christopher Farrell, going all out to produce a traditional Welsh menu, complete with Welsh cakes, Bara Brith and tasty soups, alongside a live singer who treated residents to a selection of rousing Welsh classics.

 Jamie says: “Celebrating St David’s Day with traditional Welsh recipes is incredibly important to us here at Llys Cyncoed. Food has a powerful way of connecting people to their heritage and, for many of residents, these dishes bring back comforting memories of family gatherings and community celebrations. Using traditional recipes isn’t just about serving a meal — it’s about honouring Welsh culture and creating meaningful moments. The familiar smells and flavours can spark conversations, stories and smiles, which are a privilege to witness.”

 The team's year-round commitment to traditional Welsh cuisine is evident in its bilingual menus and special dishes like laverbread with cockles are often shared at dinner.

 At nearby Llys Herbert, the kitchen team pulled out all the stops to mark the occasion in style. Its traditional Welsh feast also included Bara Brith and was completed with lamb cawl, while cakes were served with salted Welsh butter - a special request from the residents themselves. Dinner was accompanied by a live harpist and was followed by a sing-along session.

John Law, head chef at Llys Herbert, comments: “At Llys Herbert we understand that good, nutritious food is of vital importance. We work with residents to create menus that are tasty and different, but that honour local produce. We have worked closely with the Welsh dietetics team to ensure that we are providing excellent quality food in everything we do – and we find that using locally sourced, high-quality ingredients makes all the difference. By cooking traditional Welsh delicacies on St David's Day, we are creating a chance for residents to reminisce about their lives and giving them something to share with loved ones.”

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