A teenager who looks after two older brothers with disabilities has been named Young Carer of the Year.
Margaret Woodward, 16, of Leverington, cares for brothers Jacob, 19, who has epilepsy, and Nelson, 20, who has behavioural problems, helping them to get dressed, preparing meals and keeping an eye on them between her day at school and visits in the morning and evening from carer support workers.
She also provides emotional support to her father, Tom.
In the first ever Pride in Our Carers Awards 2016 in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough she was presented with her award at a major event for family carers in Cambridge.
Margaret, a pupil of Meadowgate School, Wisbech, said: “I’m so happy to have won!”
She is a member of a traveller’s family and was nominated by Christina Hodgins, a children’s disabilities social worker.
She said Margaret has a learning disability herself, but that caring has become second nature to her and she has taken on the maternal role in a house of three men from a young age, carrying out personal care for her brothers and keeping them company.
She is always ready with a smile and never complains about her role as a family carer, she said.
“I nominated Margaret because she does such a wonderful job. Even when I tell her she mustn’t do all these things, she can’t not do it.
“She tries so hard to please everybody. She is a very deserving winner,” Christina said.
The judges said that although Margaret had never had a female role model, she acts beyond her years and provides much more for the family, despite her own needs.”
Margaret met Jane Hawking, former wife of Prof Stephen Hawking, who spoke at the event.
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