Regina Bushell, founder and MD of Grovelands Childcare, at the Midlandsireland.ie Best in Business Awards 2012; with Regina and Ronan's daughter-in-law Aoife and their son Caolan; Regina and Ronan; Regina's mother Eilis Bean Ni Dhalaigh; and Regina and Ronan's daughter Deirdre.

Regina Bushell, founder and MD of Grovelands Childcare, has been awarded the title Business Person of the Year by the MidlandsIreland.ie Best in Business Awards 2012.

The winners of nine award categories were announced at a ceremony hosted by Will Faulkner of Midlands Today on Midlands 103 in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone on June 21.

Regina said: "I am thrilled to have won - it is such a great honour, particularly considering the calibre of finalists. I would like to thank Midlands Gateway Chamber and the award judges for this great distinction.

"This is already a special year for Grovelands Childcare - I am celebrating 35 years in the childcare sector and Grovelands Childcare is 20 years in operation this year - so this is the icing on the cake!"

Grovelands Childcare was recently awarded an All-Ireland Centre of Excellence award by Early Childhood Ireland, making it the only childcare and early education provider in the country to have retained this honour for eight consecutive years at all five of its facilities in Athlone, Mullingar and Tullamore.