16 Apr 2026
WYNFORD ELLIS OWEN HONOURED WITH 2026 TIMES STERNBERG ACTIVE LIFE AWARD
Celebrated recovery pioneer, counsellor and founder of the Living Room, Wynford Ellis Owen has been named one of the winners of the 2026 Times Sternberg Active Life Awards.
The award recognises outstanding contributions to public life and the community made after the age of 70. Established in 2008 by Sir Sigmund Sternberg in partnership with The Times, the awards celebrate individuals whose later years have been marked by exceptional service, innovation and impact.
For more than a decade, Wynford Ellis Owen has been one of Wales’s most influential voices in addiction recovery. After a distinguished 40-year career in theatre and television as a writer, actor and director, he retrained in addiction counselling and went on to found the Living Room, a pioneering peer-led recovery centre supporting people affected by addiction across Cardiff and beyond.
Under his leadership, the Living Room became a groundbreaking community-based recovery centre, offering free long-term support, counselling and aftercare to people recovering from alcohol and drug addiction, as well as gambling, self-harm and other harmful behaviours. His work helped to challenge stigma around addiction and demonstrated the power of compassion, community and peer support in long-term recovery.
Today, Wynford continues to serve as a specialist counselling consultant to the Living Room and its parent organisation, helping to expand recovery services across Wales, supporting clergy and medical professionals through dedicated counselling programmes, and delivering retreats and training in addiction and recovery coaching.
Commenting on the award, Wynford Ellis Owen said:
“It is a tremendous honour to receive this recognition. Recovery is possible for everyone, and I have always believed that people heal best when they are loved, supported and given hope. This award belongs not only to me, but to everyone who has been part of the Living Room community over the years.”
Wynford will be formally recognised at a reception hosted at 11 Downing Street on 23 April 2026 by Michael Sternberg, Chair of the Sir Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation.
Wynford Ellis Owen’s recognition reflects not only his personal journey of recovery, but also his legacy in creating pathways of hope, dignity and support for thousands of people across Wales.