THE hard work and dedication of 12 long serving foster carers in South Cumbria was celebrated at an awards ceremony last week.

Between them the foster carers, who have devoted between five and 30 years to fostering, have given a total of 160 years of care to children in the south of the county.

During the event, the foster carers honoured were presented with gifts and a certificate by the Director of Children’s Services John Macilwraith and Cllr Anne Burns, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services.

Kath Craig, with her husband Dave, fostered for more than thirty years. The couple still give respite care for one child.

Kath said: "I was very [pleased to get the award. I knew there were long service awards, but I wasn't counting down the days until I got one.

"We have really enjoyed it. We have met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. We still keep in contact with many of the children we fostered, and they come and visit and stay over. It has extended our family.

"We wanted to do it just so we could offer a little bit of help to other people who possibly needed it.

"Quite a lot of hard work has gone into it, but looking back now you see it all with a rosey glow."

Georgina Sherwood, of Ulverston, was awarded for ten years of fostering in Cumbria.

Georgina and her husband Martin met in 2010. They married in 2012. When Martin met Georgina he quickly became involved in fostering.

He was approved as a foster carer in 2013 so has officially been fostering for almost 5 years.

Georgina has mainly fostered children under the age of five, and has fostered brothers and sisters as well as single children.

Martin and Georgina jointly fostered a baby, whom they then went on to adopt together and they are now fostering a 6 year old boy.

Georgina said: "There is a lot of hard work behind the scenes when it comes to fostering. When my husband joined me he said that on face value you don't see a lot of the work that is done.

"It is nice to receive a bit of recognition, although we foster primarily to help the children.

"We want to give the children the potential to have a good start in life that they have not had. Hopefully, that will set them up for whichever way they go, whether it is back to parents, into adoption or to other family members.

"I enjoy it very much. I have sometimes thought about other things that I could do, but I always come back to fostering. It is just something that is in my heart; it is a vocation.

"If anybody is thinking about fostering I would certainly encourage them to read some information about it. When I started I was by myself and I had the time and the space."

Georgina and her husband Dave have fostered siblings in the past - something which social services say is a service in short supply.

Georgina said: "It can be harder, because you need the space to foster more than one at once. But in many ways fostering two can be easier.

"I have a family of my own and my children love having other kids around. We very much foster as a family."

Director of Children's Services, John Macilwraith, said: "At the awards we recognised the contribution of foster carers in South Cumbria who’ve been opening their homes and hearts to some of our most vulnerable children and young people for a combined total of 160 years.

"In that time they have offered invaluable support to hundreds of children and it was very important to me to take the time to thank them personally for all their hard work.

"I have nothing but admiration for the way in which our dedicated team of foster carers provide youngsters with the security and love that, for whatever reason, is missing from their lives.

"They often establish connections that last a lifetime, such is the level of commitment that they have to their role, and they are to be commended for everything they do.”

Foster carers honoured at the event were:

Five year awards:

Jenny and Ian Cole

Gill Jones

Ros and Jonny Harrison

Cath and Chris Palmen

10 year awards:

Jane and Jeff Halshaw

Georgina and Martin Sherwood

Ruth and Barry Waite

15 years awards:

Ann Dobson

Arthur and Jean Leonard

20 years award:

Vanda and Les Brown

30 years awards:

Linda and Fred Lovidge

Kath and Dave Craig