Leading charity the Fostering Network Northern Ireland is to announce the winner of the foster carer of the year competition at a charity ball to be held at Belfast City Hall, on the 18 May 2007.
The winner of the competition, Angela McCallister from Carrick has been a foster carer for over ten years and was nominated by her foster daughter, Rachel. She will win a weekend in Paris in recognition of the dedication and devotion shown to the children in her care.
Rachel, Angela’s foster daughter said: "My foster mum is my hero, I personally would not be where I am today without her belief in my ability to achieve my goals. She has encouraged me in all areas of my life. Even though she was diagnosed with cancer last year and went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy she has remained a bright, shining professional foster carer and I consider myself an extremely lucky individual to have her in my life."
Kate Lewis, Director, the Fostering Network Northern Ireland said:
"Angela is an extraordinary individual with great humility, a truly deserving winner. In spite of her personal challenges Angela always goes that extra mile. Angela has enabled her foster daughter to go to university, supported her fully in her new life whilst also caring for her other foster children. I hope Angela and Rachel’s story will highlight the important role foster carers play in our society and inspire other people to think about fostering."
Foster Carer of the Year, Angela McCallister said:
"I am truly delighted to receive this award, the rewards I get from being a foster carer are immense, the biggest delight I get is from seeing the children I foster thrive and succeed."
Angela McCallister will officially be awarded the title of Northern Ireland foster carer of the year at The Black Tie and Diamonds Ball, which also aims to raise £10,000 to support foster carers and celebrate the hard work, dedication and commitment of foster carers in the province.
While the ball promises to be a glamorous social event the national awareness raising campaign, Foster Care Fortnight, which runs until the 27 May carries a serious message about the need to find more foster carers. The current shortage of 350 foster carers in Northern Ireland means some children are unnecessarily moved from home to home, far from friends and family and are separated from siblings.
Lots of different types of foster carers are needed in Northern Ireland - people can foster full-time or just one weekend a month by providing respite care. You can combine fostering with a job outside the home, or do it as a full time job. As long as you have the space, time and commitment, there is a type of foster care out there to suit you.
To illustrate the diversity of those who foster, three faces of foster care have been selected from Northern Ireland to tell their stories and to appear in a specially commissioned photographic exhibition, which will be on display at the ball. The faces of foster care reflect the diverse range of ages, skills and backgrounds that are needed to care for the equally diverse children in care in Northern Ireland on any given day.
The Fostering Network Northern Ireland is urging anyone interested in fostering to visit www.fostercarefortnight.co.uk, where stories and images of all the faces of foster care can be found.