A 12-YEAR-OLD carer from Colchester has won a national award for looking after her mum.

Georgia Setchell has been caring for mum Helen since she was diagnosed with total gastroparesis – a chronic, long-term condition affecting the stomach - in January 2014.

Georgia's family say she is the rock that holds them together.

The St Helena School pupil is the youngest of six winners of the LloydsPharmacy National Carers Awards 2016, organised by LloydsPharmacy and Carers UK.

The winners were announced at a gala awards dinner held at the Millennium Hotel, in Mayfair, London, yesterday.

Georgia said: “I don’t deserve this, I’m only doing what anyone in the same position would do for their mum or family member. But I think this is good for Colchester, young people are often stereotyped in a negative light and this will show people that teenagers are not thugs or bullies and there are a lot of us who are genuinely nice people.”

When she was just ten, Georgia’s mum spent six months in hospital.

During that time Georgia took on the role as mother, cooking, cleaning and organising the family.

Family at her home in Highwoods include her dad and younger brother.

Georgia was nominated by a young carers support and development worker.

Her nominee said: “Georgia puts everyone else’s needs and wellbeing before her own. She is a truly remarkable and inspirational young carer. She is described by her own family as a rock, the person that holds the family together.”

Georgia regularly attends the Colchester Young Carers Club, a branch of the Action for Family Carers charity, where she offers a listening ear to other young carers and enjoys being with others in a similar situation.

She never complains about her circumstances, despite having her own health issues which are currently being investigated.

Georgia also visited 10 Downing Street yesterday and met with the Alistair Burt, Minister of State for Community and Social Care, ahead of the awards gala.

She received a trophy, £1,000 in high street vouchers and a one-night stay at a luxury hotel in London.

Mr Burt said: “Carers make an invaluable contribution to society, and I was delighted to meet Georgia and congratulate her on her well-deserved award.

“I want to make sure the Government does everything it can to support them. That is why I am calling on carers and their supporters up and down the country to let us know how we can make a difference through our Carers Strategy call for evidence.”

The winners were chosen by a panel of five judges, including Baroness Jill Pitkeathley OBE, Vice President of Carers UK and Rachel Carr from the Department Of Health, and were selected from hundreds of nominees.