A REFUGEE from the Balkan crisis who rebuilt her life as a teacher in the UK was awarded the Primary Teacher of the Year award.

The crisis left Elizabeta Butkovic living away from her Croatian home with her two young children. Her husband was being held in a concentration camp – she didn’t know whether she would see him again. She eventually heard her husband had made his way to Bradford; she got money together and took her two children on a bus hoping to get to England. A trained teacher, she spent the next few years improving her English, working in low-paid jobs until she applied for a job at St John’s CofE Primary School in Bierley 17 years ago, and has worked there ever since. This year she decided to work part-time after turning 60.

She was nominated for the award by head Liz Lawley, who said: “She is an inspiration and an example of the positive impact that a refugee has had on the lives of so many children.”

After being named winner, Mrs Butkovic said: “This feels surreal. I’m so grateful, not just for me, but for all my wonderful and hard-working colleagues who have supported me on my challenging journey.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

After leaving the stage, she told the T&A: “I’m over the moon, this is something I never expected.

“Just having a job as a teacher again was my dream, so I never expected an award like this.

“I’m so grateful, it shows dreams can come true.

“I had been a teacher before, but before I could get a job here I had to learn English.

“The second job interview I had here was at St John’s, and I have been there ever since.

“Being a teacher and winning this award for it is just like a dream.”

The category was sponsored by the BIST group.

l Honorary mentions

Ruth Corkery, Thornbury Primary

Patrick Goldon, Green Lane Primary