Mum of the year Lauren Lawrence, of Braintree, is selfless one in a million after Newlands Shopping Centre competition – Braintree and Witham Times

A ONE in a million mother who quit her job to care for her youngest child after he was born with serious health problems has been crowned our Mum of the Year.

Supermum Lauren Lawrence, of Sunnyside, Braintree, has scooped 250 worth of gift vouchers and a beauty treatment, after winning a competition run by the Times with Newlands Shopping Centre.

Laurens five children - Angel, 13, Tynisha, 12, Korben, 11, Lyssia, seven, and Brogan, six along with her husband Scott hailed her as simply the best and said she never stops caring for us.

Brogan has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, meaning he does not have full control of the muscles in his arms and legs, and she gave up her job working at a special school in order to care for him. Lauren, 33, takes him to vital physiotherapy sessions every week and fundraises tirelessly to meet the 140 a week costs.

She admitted it was a huge shock when she found out she had been chosen. She has received 250 worth of gift vouchers to spend at Newlands Shopping Centre stores plus a 60 beauty treatment at the new fashion salon Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo-tique.

Selfless Lauren has decided to use the vouchers in New Look so she can treat her older children. She said: I didnt know they had entered me so it was very much a surprise.

Sometimes you feel lost in it all, being a parent, so its nice that they recognise I do my best. Im going to take the older ones to New Look now so I can treat them!

Her husband Scott, a builder who can be out of the house from 6am until 6pm, said: She does everything bless her shes one in a million.

I couldnt ask for a better wife or mum to our kids. She never complains, she just gets on with everything. I couldnt believe it when I found out shed been chosen. We never win anything.

The kids are over the moon. The first thing I said was use the vouchers to treat yourself for a change but she wants to get the kids stuff. That is her all over. Lauren admits it is difficult juggling the demands and needs of all her children when much of her focus has to be on Brogan, which is why she wants to treat them.

She said: Brogan has private physio once a week but during half term we take him every day and they all have to attend. They do tend to miss out on things sometimes in order to fit in his physio.

And it can be hard to plan days out and find somewhere to take them where they can all get involved.

Lauren added: Im constantly fundraising because the more Brogan goes to physio the better he is.I dont like taking him out of school more than once a week because I dont want to affect his education.

When its half term I take him every day, but a week block can cost 600 to 700 so I have no choice but to find ways of raising the money.

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Mum of the year Lauren Lawrence, of Braintree, is selfless one in a million after Newlands Shopping Centre competition - Braintree and Witham Times