Woodlands MS Resource And Respite Care Centre

Now the 24 full-time, 50 part-time and 20 bank staff are rooting for centre manager, Paula Rawding - the driving force behind the facility in Thief Lane, Hull Road - to win the Women In Enterprise Award in this year's competition.

The centre, which every year provides short-term respite care to more than 1,000 people affected by multiple sclerosis through contracts with more than 80 local authorities, has also been entered into the category for the Best Business And Education Link.

Paula, a trained nurse and mother-of-three, joined the centre in 2002, bringing with her a wealth of experience in hospitals and nursing homes as well as a personal understanding of multiple sclerosis.

Her mother was diagnosed with MS some years ago and now lives with Paula and her family.

Rachael Brayshaw, the centre's volunteer and fundraising co-ordinator, said: "Paula has a unique management style which has enabled the staff, volunteers and the service to thrive since she took over.

"Her insight and empathy with the condition is a major contributor to these skills and her motivation to maintain such high standards throughout the service."

In this way she had built the centre into a £1.4 million charitable business, which has been favourably inspected by the Commission for Social Care inspectorate.

"While juggling with all this she has still managed to have a family life, join in fundraising and social activities around Woodlands and attained her NVQ level 4 in care management," said Rachael.

Paula and her management team were also responsible for building up a work placement programme for students aged 15 and over for schools and colleges all over York, a programme which has been expanded to include Duke of Edinburgh Award students who have to complete voluntary work as part of their award assessment.

Some students have gone on to work for the centre, or have remained volunteers.