Zoe Ruane

Zoe is my daughter, my son Josh was born with a learning disability and from the moment she was able, she has helped myself and my husband to look after Josh. She spent many hours helping him to learn, play and smile. Josh has great difficulty in communicating, whenever we couldn't understand him, Zoe always knew what he was trying to say. We have had some difficult times as a family, my husband, Zoe's Dad lost his older brother, Michael who committed suicide - Zoe's Dad was, as you can imagine, deeply upset. When he was at his lowest point, Zoe would be there for him, to look after him. Zoe is now at college, doing her A levels - she has worked with the Coalfield Regeneration Trust and organised an Olymipic awareness event at the local primary school - which was very successful. Zoe spent some time at this school doing work experinece previously and many of the children remembered her. She has now been successful in an interview to volunteer for the Cauldwell Childrens Charity in Stoke and is looking forward to bringing her sparkling, happy character to many more people. Myself, Sean (Zoe's dad) and Josh are all very proud of her and think she deserves to be recognised and rewarded for all of the joy she brings to everyone around her. Knowing Zoe as I do she is probably unselfishly nominating other people when in fact she should be nominated. We all love her to bits.