Chronicle country foster carers praised in awards

The event was at Woburn Safari Park and chief executive Richard Carr and councillor Carole Hegley presented the awards. The long-service awards saw 14 fostering families recognised for the work they do.

Foster carers from Chronicle country who received awards included five years service to Roy Gilby and Claire Holmes fromLower Stondon, and Stephanie Pegg who cares for her two grandchildren in Shefford received the Brilliant Family and Friends Foster Carers award.

Cllr Hegley, executive member for social care and housing and lead member for children’s services, said: “Although a number of foster carers do receive awards at the event, this is really a chance to celebrate the work that they all do. The venue was fantastic as families had the opportunity to see the animals, enjoy a barbecue as well as get involved in the games and entertainment provided. Fostering involves the whole family, so it’s great for us to get the foster carers own children involved in the fun and that’s why an award is presented to a foster carer’s birth children who really make a difference in welcoming foster children into their home.”

Individual awards were given to two families who had gone out of their way to facilitate complex contact arrangements for a sibling group, a couple who have cared for asylum seeking children from different cultural backgrounds and a couple who transformed the life of a seriously ill baby.