Virginia, 51, is from Swansea, Wales, In 2005 Virginia tragically lost her son Lawrence aged 8, to the rare degenerative disease Adrenoleukodystrophy, also known as ALD. Only a month after the loss of Lawrence, Virginia set up the Lawrence Roundabout Appeal aimed at providing fresh water to villages in South Africa and has to date raised £91,000 enabling 14 specialist roundabouts to be built in Lawrence’s name.
Supportive Mum award winner - Nikki Manders, 32, Nottinghamshire.
Nikki, mother of three, not only financially supports her family, but has been the emotional rock for her daughter, Saskia 6, suffering from cancer, her son, Josh 4, who is severely epileptic, and her youngest son Max, who has just started nursery. Nikki is also always busy raising money. So far she has managed to raise £2,500 to make Saskia’s dream of going to Disneyland Paris a reality. She is also planning a parachute jump (despite her fear of flying!) and to begin training to run a marathon with CLIC (Cancer and Leukeamia in Children Sargent).
Positive Mum Award - Elizabeth McNallen-Jones, 38, Worksop
Elizabeth was diagnosed with breast cancer seven months into her first pregnancy. Devastatingly she was given just six months to live - not even long enough to see her child’s first steps. Elizabeth was determined to be a positive mother to her son and has struggled against the odds to regain her health and look after Thomas, now aged 3. Despite not yet having fully recovered her strength, Elizabeth is a phenomenally popular group Cub Scout Leader, a member of her Parish Church Council and three years ago she started a Children’s Forum, which pools the resources of groups and encourages social interaction for local children.
Best Children's Entry - Maureen May, 45, Essex
Maureen Nay, has been named Tesco Magazine’s ‘Best Children’s Entry Mum of the Year 2008’. After the tragic death of their father Errol to Meningitis, and then of their mother to Deep Vein Thrombosis, Christopher, Connor and Courtney Howell found themselves orphaned. Maureen Nay honored her sister’s wishes and in turn fulfilled her own dreams of having a family, by taking on full time care of her sister’s three boys, bringing them up as she would her own.
Most Charitable Mum Award - Gita Hindocha, 47, Middlesex
Gita Hindocha, has been named Tesco Magazine’s ‘Charitable Mum of the Year. As a mother of three, Gita not only makes time for her family, but also takes part in countless charity events. Her most recent challenge was climbing mount Kilimanjaro, raising a staggering £33,000. In addition to this, Gita has taken part in various walkathons and swimathons and also still finds time to improve the quality of life within her local Asian community.
Community Mum Award – Eileen Mullan, 49, N.Ireland
Eileen is a pivotal member of her community and despite juggling work as a doctor’s receptionist and a mother to three children, Eileen manages to find time as a volunteer in her community to help others and to raise money for charity. Eileen’s niece Jenny, 27, who lost her mum to cancer three years ago nominated Eileen, describing her as “a selfless individual who has devoted herself to helping her family and her community”.
Inspirational Mum Award - Jo Baker Watson, 49, Herefordshire
Jo Baker-Watson mother of three, already had a busy home life but when her daughter Megan was born with Cerebral Palsy Jo’s life was split between juggling life at home and traveling to Hungary to the Peto Institute, a place dedicated to improving the lives of children like Megan. Jo has used her experience to found Britain’s first free clinic, the ‘Megan Baker House’, dedicated to her daughter after she sadly passed away in 2001.