Warwickshire County Council’s Foster Carer of the Year 2022, Andrea, received an unexpected and heartwarming surprise on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.
Little did she know, she was part of a special group of foster families being recognised for their incredible contributions.
Andrea has shown unwavering support to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Warwickshire, particularly those from Afghanistan – many of whom come to the UK after experiencing terror and abuse. Andrea gives them the positive start they need, supporting them to adjust to a new language and culture, she is described as their ‘safe place’.
Talking about being in the audience of Saturday Night Takeaway, Andrea said “I had absolutely no idea that we were there because of fostering or that I was going to win anything, we thought that we’d just been picked for the audience at random, the team at Saturday Night Takeaway planned it to perfection, we were so shocked.”
Andrea is a true asset to the council’s fostering service, she became a Warwickshire foster carer 25 years ago and has now fostered over 100 children. Andrea exemplifies the dedication and compassion of countless foster carers who provide a safe haven and support to children in need.
Cllr Sue Markham, Portfolio Holder for Children and Families at Warwickshire County Council said, "It brings me immense pride to see the remarkable contributions of individuals like Andrea recognised and celebrated. Andrea's selfless dedication to fostering exemplifies the compassion and resilience that defines our foster carers. Andrea's story highlights the profound impact that foster carers have on the lives of vulnerable children, offering them hope, stability, and a brighter future. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Andrea and all foster carers for their invaluable service to our community. Warwickshire County Council is continuously seeking individuals who embody these qualities to join our fostering team and make a difference in the lives of children in care."
Ant had a surprise in store for Andrea and dozens of other foster carers on the night. Standing in the audience he told viewers, "Everyone in this section has one thing in common. They’re all foster families and they've fostered over 5,500 children. We think you're incredible, thank you very much."
But the duo had an even bigger surprise for the audience later in the show when all 411 audience members were given the Takeaway Getaway in recognition of their commitment and dedication to helping others.
Andrea added, “We were delighted to have been shown appreciation for our commitment to foster caring and were excited for the show. We had no idea that soon we’d all be presented with a holiday!”
Warwickshire County Council is looking for more foster carers like Andrea. If you are caring, compassionate and resilient, find out more about how you could foster for Warwickshire County Council: https://fostering.warwickshire.gov.uk/