CARING for people is far more than a full-time job for Anne Brownson.

Mrs Brownson, who is one of three people across the UK nominated as Carer of the Year in the Headway Annual Awards, spends her life dedicated to looking after others.

Her husband, Derek, formerly a brigadier in the Royal Engineering Corps, had a series of devastating strokes and she became his full-time carer - only getting time off to go to her part-time job as a transplant nurse at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford.

And on top of that, she spends most weekends looking after her 36-year-old daughter, Katy, who has severe learning difficulties and lives in supported accommodation during the week.

Mrs Brownson, who is 65 and lives in Culham, said: "Derek's memory is really poor so I have to find things that he can do, and try to talk to him about things that we did together.

"He needs almost constant reassurance - which must be very frightening."

After Mr Brownson first became ill, brain injury charity Headway provided the couple with support.

And as time went by, Mrs Brownson became more involved with the charity.

She is now on Headway Oxford's management committee - but also finds time to act as a governor at Culham Primary School.

She admitted: "Sometimes it gets hard. But they say if you want something done, ask somebody busy.

"It is important for me to be able to look after Katy and Derek properly. When Derek was well, he put an awful lot into the community - so part of being a school governor is for him."

She added: "I was totally shell-shocked when it all happened, as everybody is - and that lasted a long, long time.

"When Derek was referred by Headway, it was a big help to us because our lives had been turned upside down."

The carer of the year will be announced at a ceremony at The Dorchester Hotel in London on December 13, along with awards for the campaigner of the year, volunteer of the year and achiever of the year.

Mrs Brownson said: "I was completely taken aback when I found out I had been nominated.

"It was just so unexpected because I had just been doing what I had to do, as thousands of other people are doing - looking after and caring for people.

"In a way, it is quite sad because I am being nominated for an award for a position that nobody would want to be in - but I am excited."

Jackie Goodwin, manager of Headway Oxford, said: "Anne is an incredible woman. She is constantly looking to help others."