A pensioner who has given up a decade to helping victims of crime has been nominated for a Croydon Champions award.

Jean Shaw from Kenley, 65, a volunteer for Victim Support in Croydon, said it has not only been benefiting the people who come to her, but also herself, after she became a carer for her brother, Bernard who suffered a stroke two years ago.

The 64-year-old has posterior circulation infarct and suffered a first stroke in March 2012 and then another in July, after which she visited him in Scotland.

She telephones him every day to check on his progress and arranges medical appointments for him.

The skills and knowledge Ms Shaw has gained while volunteering are helping her to provide better emotional assistance to her brother.

She said: “Victim Support has taught me a lot. “I’ve become very instrumental in giving belief and strength while volunteering there. It has made me better at dealing with my brother’s serious condition.”

The dedicated volunteer started her selfless activities in 1993 at Croydon’s Drop-In charity as a counsellor for young people aged 11 to 25.

Through that, she joined the United Reformed Church in Purley and worked with the youth again, before finally ending up at Victim Support in 2005.

Ms Shaw works two mornings a week, assisting and comforting young adults who have become victims of crime, were attacked, are traumatised, injured or left with scars – both mental and a result of grievous bodily harm.

Victim Support, who nominated her, said: “Jean always warms to individual circumstances by empowering and aiding the victim’s recovery.

“She has proved herself to be a model volunteer with unbounded levels of empathy and efficiency in her work ethic.”