Sandbach Park has a new tree – thanks to a tree-planting campaign to highlight foster care in Cheshire East and the start of Foster Care Fortnight which began today (Monday).

Sandbach foster carer, Ken Talbot, joined Councillor Kathryn Flavell, lead member for children and families at Cheshire East Council and a Sandbach councillor at a tree planting ceremony in the park today.  

To celebrate Foster Care Fortnight and in honour of foster carers, Cheshire East Council's fostering service has committed to planting a tree for every foster carer household.

Cllr Flavell planted the cherry tree in the park today at the start of the campaign..

And the council has also launched an urgent appeal for more local people to consider fostering at the start of Foster Care Fortnight, which runs from May 9th – May 22nd.

The theme this year is 'fostering communities' and the campaign will shine a light on the many ways people across the fostering community work together and support each other.   

Councillor Kathryn Flavell, lead member for children and families at Cheshire East Council, said: "Whether you're a foster carer, a social worker, young person or supporter of foster care, you are part of a community making a real difference to the lives of young people, and we want to celebrate the impact everyone makes. 

"Our foster carers are amazing! Each one an everyday hero, but all are ordinary people from all walks of life, doing extraordinary things day in and day out, for the children they care for.

"Whatever your age, gender or personal circumstances, you can do this if you have room in your home to look after a child, can make them feel comfortable in their surroundings and give them a sense of their true potential for as long as they are in your care.

"It's not just babies and young children who need foster homes – many older children and teenagers, brothers and sisters and children with additional needs looked after by the council, need loving, caring and safe homes too." 

Kerry Birtles, Director of Children's Social Care at Cheshire East, who was also at today's event said: "This is so significant in our foster journey – reaching out to the local community in a bid to find more foster carers.

"It's important that we find carers in the area so children can stay within an area they know and are looked after in surroundings they are familiar with. The borough is such a wide area."

Foster carer and Sandbach resident, Ken Talbot, a retired company director, who has two children of his own, has been fostering with his wife Jeanette for eight years.

Aged 67, the couple mainly foster teenagers. Ken said: "People have this idea that you have to be a certain age to foster but in fact you're never too old.

"There is a significant shortage of foster carers in Cheshire East. It's a wonderful thing to do. Each day you are making a change to a child's life and helping to shape their future."

Cllr Flavell planting the tree.

Throughout the fortnight, the Cheshire East will be running a series of events, including being present at Sandbach market and other towns in the area, and will be running a series of events, sharing content on social media channels and generating as much interest as possible. 

If you would like to know more about becoming a foster carer for Cheshire East visit the website https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/fostering/fostering.aspx or phone 0300 123 3223.  

Further trees will be planted for every new household approved over the next five years, as the council grows its foster carer family to secure a future for those being fostered.

Tree-planting will start towards the end of the year when ground and weather conditions are more favourable.