On Friday 19th May, as part of Foster Care Fortnight Hull Fostering invited their foster carers and supported lodgings providers to a wonderful celebration event, held at the Jubilee Central, Hull to honour and thank them for helping looked after children feel safe, loved, happy and treating them like their own.
Each carer was invited on to the stage and presented with an award for the long service they have given to children and young people in their care and allow the team at Hull Fostering the opportunity to thank them for their dedication to children in Hull. A beautiful testimonial was also read out about each carer and the difference they have made to children in Hull.
The audience, which included the Lord Mayor, Councillor Tock, Director of Childrens Service, Pauline Turner and many dignitaries and key businesses and organisations were also entertained by a young care leaver, who sang two beautiful songs and brought many of the audience to tears when she spoke about her experience of being cared for by the most incredible foster families as a child and teenager and puts her success as a young adult down to her who foster carers “who made me the person I am today”.
We were also entertained by our very own foster carer, Hull City council employee and extremely talented singer Mike, who kindly agreed to sing to the audience with his singing partner Callum and read a short piece about his experience as a foster carer.
Hull Fostering’s video ‘Caring For Our Children Together’ was also premiered at the ceremony, which stars our very own foster carers and staff.
At the end of the ceremony a standing ovation was rightly given to our longest ever serving foster carer, Pat Bottomley MBE, who this year is celebrating her 50th year as a foster carer with Hull Fostering.
If you have ever considered fostering or helping young people in Hull, please get in touch with us, there are many opportunities to help, even if you can not commit to fostering fulltime.
For more information please visit Hull Fostering’s website www.HullFostering.co.uk or contact the fostering team on 01482 612 800 or email fostering@hullcc.gov.uk.
Hull has one of the largest looked after populations in the country and we desperately need more foster carers to take the greatest care of our children.
