Your Stories

Mum of five Leslie, from Shoeburyness, was not content with raising her family and looking after her parents. She also wanted to develop her own career in social care and so over the space of five years gained the necessary qualifications.

"You had to do your NVQs, so I did my number two, then my NVQ 3 and then my old manager left and I became the manager."

Leslie's achievements were recognised at the Essex Big Skill Awards, when she not only picked up the Skills for Work Award, but also scooped the main overall award.

The judges said she was "an inspiration to all, showing that by embracing learning you can achieve above and beyond."

Not content with achieving her goals, Leslie has also given time to her work colleagues to follow in her footsteps and train for their NVQs.

Leslie was one of a number of Big Skill winners

"If they think they can't do it I'll say 'if I can do it, anyone can. I was like you so many years ago and now I'm this, so you can do it too.,'" she says.

Leslie acknowledges she couldn't have achieved what she has without the support of her family, friends and work colleagues - especially when times were tough.

"It's not easy, but with their support and everything like that you can," she says.

"I had the support of my family, my old manager Valerie and my NVQ assessor Helen. Without them I wouldn't have done it, but if you get someone behind you, you can go all the way."