A disability champion has been awarded for her work in transforming a day centre for people with disabilities.

Karen Batchelor, manager of a Scope branch in Russell Road, Leyton, was handed the accolade after she changed the centre from focusing on providing social activities to now enabling visitors to access activities such as work and volunteering.

At a ceremony on Saturday the Wanstead resident was announced as the winner of the care employer category at The Great London Care Awards.

“Changing our service was all about making sure people had a better chance of reaching their full potential,” she said.

“Winning the award was fantastic, but the most rewarding part of all this has been watching the people we support grow as a result of the changes, and doing things now that they didn’t before think possible.”

She will now head to next year’s national final.