In collaboration with the Fostering team at North Lincolnshire Council, the Parks and Green Spaces team have sustainably replanted the Fostering flowerbed on Kingsway Gardens, Scunthorpe.
The flowerbed was replanted with Ilex Crenata plants during Foster Care Fortnight™ and will now continue to grow for years to come, without the need for replanting – generating a fostering legacy within North Lincolnshire.
Foster Care Fortnight is an annual campaign set up by The Fostering Network to raise the profile of fostering.
Cllr Julie Reed, cabinet member for children, families and communities said: “Foster care fortnight is a fantastic opportunity to focus on and celebrate the work our amazing foster carers do all year round. Last year our parks and gardens team created the flowerbed, this year they have replanted it with sustainable Ilex Crenata which is far kinder to the environment than annual bedding.”
As part of this year’s campaign, the Fostering Recruitment Team pledged that every team member would walk 70,000 steps each week of the fortnight to represent the 70,000 children that are in care nationwide, the team of five crushed their target and completed a staggering 832,663 steps.
The community of North Lincolnshire was invited to join in and pledge their support across the fortnight and this resulted in a combined total of more than 3.9 million steps being completed.
Cllr Julie Reed, cabinet member for children, families and communities went on to say: “In North Lincolnshire we are proud of our One Family Approach which commits to keeping children in their families, schools, and communities so children do not lose all their friendships and connections which can have a life-long impact.
“We work intensively with families to help them become the best they can be, as a result we have less than 200 children in care in North Lincolnshire and for those that need our care and protection we have the most dedicated and inspirational foster carers.
“There was an incredible effort put in by everyone during Foster Care Fortnight. The devoted team completely surpassed their target and the support shown by the community in reaching over 3.9 million steps, in such a short space of time, is just amazing.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our foster carers for the inspirational and dedicated role they play in children’s lives not only during Foster Care Fortnight but for every single day throughout the year.”
To find out more about fostering and Foster Care Fortnight in North Lincolnshire, visit the website, email fostering@northlincs.gov.uk or call 01724 297024.
Pictured: Alongside the replanted Fostering Flowerbed, from left to right are, Head of Children’s Practice and Assurance Di Rees, Fostering Marketing and Communications Officer Heidi Blakey, Fostering Recruitment Manager Emma Charlesworth, Parks Maintenance Supervisor Karl Dalzell, Holly Mumby-Croft MP, Cllr Julie Reed and Cllr Josh Walshe.
