A Midland businesswoman has been shortlisted in a hunt for the UK's most exceptional working mother.
Mum-of-two Carol Garrington has been named as one of eight finalists in the awards scheme run by online magazine mother@work.
The winner of the event will be announced at a ceremony at London's City Hall to be attended by Meg Munn, deputy minister for women, on June 15.
Carol, from Cheslyn Hay, is mum to Morgan aged seven and Dylan, five, and a director of agency Passionate Media, which supplies national media features as well as PR and copywriting for clients across the UK.
The 34-year-old former magistrates court worker and fire service switch-board operator was nominated by her sister Katie Love, who also works at the Gailey-based firm.
Katie's nomination was sparked by the fact that Carol was born with a number of medical conditions that made doctors warn her she would never walk and never have children.
Carol made the decision to have her left leg amputated below the knee when she was 12 and faced years of on-going treatment.
Katie said: "I never told Carol I was nominating her as she has preferred to just get on with things. She has always put others before herself and has a long history of fundraising and raising awareness on various issues.
"That determination has continued with her work at Passionate Media where we said early on that we wanted to support our local community."
She said her sister had gone out of her way to help other women in business by setting up the Wings network in Staffordshire which gives women a chance to network and do business.
Carol said: "It came as quite a shock to be nominated, let alone shortlisted. Our company isn't three years old yet.
"We have deliberately worked in such a way to grow the business steadily, allowing us to balance the demands of our families.
"We are a very small team but we are all mums - so to be recognised in this way is a wonderful honour."
Mother@work founder Denise Tyler said the aim was to highlight issues affecting working mothers, as well recognising employers who have a flexible approach to time and workloads. ..SUPL:
