AN Ammanford guitarist, who has jammed with members of Whitesnake and once supported The Animals, has been nominated for a recognition of a very different kind.

Trevor Whymark has played with some famous musicians in America and Europe over the years, but has since swapped the clubs of Chicago and Hollywood's Hard Rock Cafe for the nursing homes of Wales, where he found his true calling.

Trevor, 56, now uses his considerable talents to enhance and improve the lives of those looked after by the Careinn group, bringing music therapy to the residents since 2013.

He has had such a positive impact on so many people that Operations Manager Ramesh Patel has decided to nominate Trevor for an award in the annual Wales Care Awards held later this month.

Trevor said, “I’m really pleased and honoured to be nominated. I’m not the sort of person that enters myself into things but I’m hoping that this might help promote the work we’re doing.

“I really want to make a difference. All the other jobs I’ve had have been successful because I’ve worked hard at them but this is the first one, apart from playing music, that I have become so passionate about.

“It’s not the best paid industry but I’m working all hours because it has become an obsession.”

The Wales Care Awards, run by Care Forum Wales, acknowledge the hard work and exceptional performances of those in the care sector, culminating in a glittering ceremony at City Hall in Cardiff on Friday, October 24.

Before joining Careinn, Trevor has worked freelance offering music therapy to many care homes as well as offering business consultancy and running seminars on motivation, teamwork, communication and marketing.

These areas of expertise made him an obvious choice for the role of Project Manager across the 12 Careinn establishments catering for young adults with disabilities as well as older people with dementia or requiring nursing and personal support.

During his time with the organisation, Trevor also played a big part in securing a £7,500 grant for a specific musical project at one of the group’s care homes, Three Cliffs in Penmaen.

Trevor is a finalist for the award in the Promoting Fulfilled Lives category, sponsored by Boots Care Services, and will have to wait until October 24 to find out if he is the winning candidate.

Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said the Wales Care Awards had gone from strength to strength.

“The event is now firmly established as one of the highlights in the Welsh social care calendar," he said.

“The aim is to recognise the unstinting and often remarkable dedication of our unsung heroes and heroines across Wales."