Southampton celebrates foster carers

Seatech sponsors Foster Carers Ball

Southampton celebrated our valued foster carers on Saturday 12 October at an appreciation ball.

For one evening, our foster carers were given the celebrity treatment, the chance to dress up, step out of their daily lives and celebrate each other and the difference they make to vulnerable children and young people. Thank you to Dirty Brass Hooks who performed an amazing set at the event free of charge for our carers to dance the night away.

A huge thank you to our sponsors for this event, Seatech Commercial Diving Services Limited, who funded this event, enabling our fostering community to come together to feel how much the city values them, with many awards and accolades, including carers who have been looking after vulnerable children for over 20 years.

Glenn Skelton, Director of Seatech, said:

“Foster carers are real local heroes. The love and support they provide to children and young people is incredible. It’s heartbreaking that children enter the care system but to know that foster carers are there to provide stability, comfort and support is amazing. As a local business, Southampton is our home, and we are happy that we can show our appreciation for the wonderful foster carers who are helping the next generation to thrive and achieve.”

Councillor Alex Winning, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning said:

“We are incredibly grateful to Seatech for sponsoring the Foster Carers Ball. It was a real honour for me to be able to thank our wonderful foster carers in person for the amazing support they offer our vulnerable children and young people. We are always looking for more people to join our family of foster carers, we welcome people from every background. Just this week we’ve launched our new fostering film ‘Everything’, that Southampton collaborated on along with 100 councils across the UK. It’s an incredibly moving video and I would encourage everyone to watch it and think about whether fostering could be for them.

“Our fostering team are extremely helpful and always willing to chat through the different options available. You can often find them at events around the city or they can be contacted via phone or email. Please do get in touch.”

Executive Director for Children’s Services, Rob Henderson, said:

“Our foster carers don’t have to open their homes and their lives to children in care but they do. Their gifts of warmth and acceptance will stay with these children throughout their whole lives. Seatech didn’t have to sponsor this amazing event, but they did. This is such a generous city.”

The evening was also a great opportunity to raise money for the Southampton Foster Care Association charity and raised over £3,000. The money will be used to pay for days out and breaks for vulnerable children and young people.

If you would like to find out more about fostering:

• Call 0300 131 2797
• Email info@lafosteringse.org.uk
• Visit Fostering