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When Simon Marks Court care home won a grant to develop a garden, Jean Pawson, 58, from Wortly in Leeds, swapped her oven gloves for garden gloves and took on the gardening role on top of being a chef.

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Judges were particularly impressed by her involvement of residents in a gardening club, creating hanging baskets and a quiet area with a memory tree for residents' families to remember their loved ones.

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Nominating Jean, Home Manager Christine Pitts said: "Previously the garden was just a wild piece of ground. Now the residents have a place where they can sit and enjoy the fresh air and see the birds and butterflies which Jean has attracted with careful placing of feeders and flowers.

"Jean really has made a difference to the lives of everyone at Simon Marks Court. We're so pleased she's been presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award, adding to our joy for winning the silver award for the garden at last year's Leeds in Bloom competition."

Receiving her award at the northern final of Anchor Trust's Care Services Awards in Manchester on Wednesday 10 June, Jean said: "Transforming a disused field into a beautiful garden for the residents to enjoy has been an amazing experience. It's been a real team effort and everyone at Simon Marks Court has got involved, from watering the plants to constructing hanging baskets.

"The garden has amazing restorative effects on all who visit. It provides fresh air and a place to reflect, but it also helps residents remember the times they have spent in their own gardens. It's having this kind of impact on people's lives that makes working here more than just a job."

There were 366 nominations in the two regional finals for Anchor Trust's Care Services Awards, which provide an opportunity for staff and older people to nominate care workers for the remarkable work they do every day.

Jean will now attend a prestigious ceremony at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in London on 15 July where renowned broadcaster Angela Rippon will announce the national winners.