Swindon Town Football Club recently joined forces with Swindon Borough Council’s fostering team to bolster their call for more foster carers to step forward and offer nurturing environments for children in need.
In a heartwarming display of support, the club’s players donned special t-shirts during the warm-up session ahead of Saturday’s final showdown of the season against Morecambe, aiming to raise awareness about fostering.
With over 300 children, spanning from infants to adolescents, under the council’s care due to circumstances preventing them from staying in their own homes, the need for foster carers has never been more crucial.
During the match, which culminated in a thrilling 3-3 draw, eleven foster carers along with ten foster children were in attendance, courtesy of the club providing them with complimentary tickets.
The brainchild behind the t-shirt initiative was Hayley, an experienced foster carer with the council, who envisioned leveraging the partnership between the fostering team and the local football club to champion fostering within the community and honour those already part of the fostering family.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the collaboration, Hayley remarked, “My husband and I have been fostering with Swindon Borough Council for nearly 14 years, and as foster carers, we are always seeking avenues to promote fostering and inspire new carers.”
She continued, “Teaming up with our local football team seemed like a fantastic opportunity to unite as a community and shine a spotlight on fostering in Swindon. Rachel, a friend who works for STFC, provided tickets for our foster carers and children for Saturday’s match against Morecambe, and she’s been instrumental in coordinating with Marieanna MacPherson, our Recruitment and Retention Officer, to orchestrate the players’ participation in wearing the t-shirts during the pre-match warm-up.”
Hayley added optimistically, “Hopefully, this initiative will underscore the importance of recruiting new local carers and encourage individuals to explore fostering as a rewarding journey.”
To discover more about fostering opportunities in Swindon, visit www.swindon.gov.uk/fostering, or reach out via phone at 07917 503447 or email at fosteringrecruitment@swindon.gov.uk.
