A CHILDREN’S nurse has been shortlisted for a national Nursery Nurse of the Year award for her work at an Abingdon nursery.

Claire Brasier, 28, from Carterton, was picked as one of only five shortlisted for the prize, run by Nursery Management Today (NMT).

She was interviewed in London last week and the winner will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted by rugby star Austin Healey on November 30.

Miss Brasier has been a nurse for 10 years and started at St Mary’s Day Nursery in Marcham Road.

She said: “I was very surprised and shocked, but very excited at the same time.

“It has become my love and passion to see the children develop and grow.

“I’ve got to the stage now where I have looked after children at two years old who are in secondary school now, which is amazing to see. There’s also an incredible relationship you have with the parents, because they are the people who trust you with their children.”

Miss Brasier began working at the nursery in October 2008.

She is deputy manager at the nursery and was nominated by her manager Sylvie Ellier-Bogue.

She said: “Claire is hardworking, honest, and accountable; she strives for excellence and most of all she reads my mind.

“It is a pleasure to work with her; she is such an integral part of this successful nursery.”

Claire had to run the nursery in April 2010 when her manager was grounded in Australia for five weeks after her flight was halted by a volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Parents and colleagues said she stepped up to the challenge.

The annual NMT awards started in 2003.