Local hero award for carer Carolyn

STUART PIKE

ASELFLESS unsung hero who provides vital support to adults and young people with disabilities has won a top award.

Carolyn Smith, of Goodshaw Avenue, Crawshawbooth, scooped the Local Hero Award for Carer of the Year in a ceremony at the Preston Guild Hall.

After reaching a shortlist of four finalists, Carolyn, 57, was recognised for her work establishing Charter House resource centre, a day centre and sensory room based in Burnley.

She set up the centre with her husband Jason eight years ago. Together they have worked for more than 20 years with people with disabilities.

Carolyn and Jason are also carers under a Lancashire County Council (LCC) scheme Shared Lives, which places people with disabilities in people’s homes – like fostering.

Carolyn said it was a ‘shock’ when her name was read out at the ceremony.

She said: “It is nice to get recognition in whatever you do. I’ve been a carer for a number of years and caring in different ways.”

Carolyn revealed that she and Jason both left jobs – with LCC and the NHS respectively – to plough their efforts into setting up Charter House.

It now supports hundreds of people with disabilities throughout East Lancashire.

She said: “You always have these dreams. It was a big risk to set it up but we put all that we had into it. We have now outgrown the building we are in and hoping to move”.

The couple have been involved with Shared Lives for around six years and currently support two adults with learning disabilities in her home.

The awards recognise unsung heroes from across the county, with ●● Carolyn Smith has won BBC Radio Lancashire’s Local Hero award for Carer of the Year entries across a variety of categories.

They are designed to reflect everything from good neighbours to voluntary work.

Nominations were judged by a panel led by BBC Radio Lancashire’s managing editor John Clayton. The brief for the Carer Award was someone who improves the life of an individual or group of people by caring for them on a regular basis.

Jason said it was ‘wonderful’ that Carolyn had been recognised.

He said: “We both live with people that we support. But if there’s problems in the night she gets up and deals with it. Carolyn is patient and devotes a lot of time at home to people living with us.”