This week’s winner of Bouquet of the Week is ‘the voice and advocate’ for a non-verbal child at a Walney Primary School.

Grace Salmon has been honoured with the flowers for providing help and support for a pupil with autism.

The teaching assistant at North Walney Primary School has been nominated by Lisa Nightingale.

She is the parent of three-year-old Alfie, a child in Miss Salmon’s care.

Lisa Nightingale praised Grace, describing her as a ‘mum’ to her son at the school.

Lisa said: “I’d like to nominate my son's teaching assistant.

“My son is called Alfie and he is non-verbal autistic.

“His one to one teaching assistant is Grace Salmon. She is a newly qualified teaching assistant at North Walney Primary School.

“Alfie is three, four in March, and Grace has been amazing with him.

“Alfie doesn’t speak at all and really struggles in social environments.

“Grace is with him from the moment he gets to school until it’s time for me to pick him up.

“She is his voice, his calm when he needs it and she is the one encouraging him to learn and develop despite him sometimes not wanting to participate.

“She knows he loves the outdoors and encourages this.

“She has helped develop his communication methods as well as his ability to improve his concentration and manage his surroundings better."

Lisa summed up the generous ways in which Grace helped her son.

“She is his voice while in school and his advocate,” she said.

“She is his ‘mum’ in school and I honestly couldn’t ask for a better person to trust my son with, especially with him having additional needs."

If you would like to put forward a special person or group for The Mail’s Bouquet of the Week then please get in touch with your nominations.

You can email our reporter at erin.gaskell@newsquest.co.uk with your contact details and the reason why you want to nominate your chosen person.

Alternatively you can pick up the phone and call the newsdesk on 01229 840150.

The flowers are kindly provided by the team at Floral and Hardy in Ulverston.