FOSTER carers who have opened their hearts and their homes to youngsters have been honoured for their work.

Southend’s mayor, Andrew Moring, hosted the town’s annual foster care awards at civic house, Porters, recognising the dedication, commitment and care of couples who provide a loving home for children who need it.

The awards honoured foster carers who have fostered for 30 years or more, along with newcomers who have only just started.

John O’Loughlin, head of children’s services, kickstarted the awards by congratulating carers and explained how important their work was.

He said: “The children who we need to protect do far better with families than in residential care. Your care is so important and I would like to say a huge thank you for caring for our children.

“We appreciate that somany of you go the extra mile.

“We are here to celebrate you and the milestones you’ve achieved, from those just starting out to those who have done up to 40 years’ service.”

He said there were 96 households providing foster care for more than 200 children.

Anne Jones, Labour councillor responsible for children and learning, said: “Our foster carers are fantastic people and this is our way of honouring their great service to the children and young people of the borough.

“This year we have lots of awards for one year service. The first year of fostering can be very challenging, so it is important to reward this achievement. We also have carers who have now retired but gave up to 40 years for fostering, and everything inbetween.

“I thank you all. My colleagues have all your interests at heart. We have the top people here to give awards to you, the top people. Well done – the carers’ efforts have been recognised by the council."

David and Evelyn Hadjicostas, from Shoebury, retired this year after fostering 70 children.

Evelyn, 51, said: “We have been fostering since 1993 and have this year retired from fostering.

“We have fostered about 70 children.

“My husband and I have been very involved over the years.

“Fifteen years ago, we set up the long-term service awards to help foster carers and offer support.

“It is very important the council recognises the commitment of foster carers and this is a really lovely way of doing it.

“It’s good for the carers to know that the council is passionate about what they are doing. In 2007, David, 52, was made an MBE for his work with the Fostering Network, an organisation that provides help and advice to foster families.

Brian and Gene Moreland are proud of their work and even more proud of the children they have looked after., The retired couple, of Furtherwick Road, Canvey, have been fostering for about 35 years.

Brian, 73, and Gene, 64, have made a huge contribution to foster caring.

Mrs Moreland said: “We have been fostering for about 35 years.

“We usually look after our foster children until adulthood. We have fostered a lot of children, one is now a Royal Marine, one is a chef and one is in the Blues and Royals and was an escort to the Queen.

We have seen most of them through to adulthood. We are still doing it now and have a foster child from Albania with us at the moment.

“We can’t get rid of them!We really enjoy it, we have had some good years and really good results.”

Tina Barker, 56, from Southend, is new to fostering and is looking after a 13-year-old.

She said: I have only been doing it for one year.

“I was so shocked to receive the award as I’ve only just started.

“I decided to be a foster carer because I have worked with youth offenders for 40 years but was made redundant and I decided this was the next option for me, to be a foster carer.”

!!Pat and Steve Andrews, of Victoria Road, Southend, have fostered 137 children in the past 30 years and have made an outstanding contribution to guiding and supporting young people.

Pat, 63, she and Steve, 64, would find it hard to retire.

She said: “We have received a lot of awards over the years, we have fostered 137 children and we have adopted one of them.

“We have fostered many children, and fostered lots of multi-cultural children.

“I wanted to become a foster carer because I was fostered at 15 and I thought that there must be hundreds of children out there that need to be fostered.

“I was looked after by my aunt and thought if she was able to cope, I can.

“My girls are lovely.They seem to come to me and never want to leave.

“I think it’s because I don’t make many rules.

“They are all brilliant.

“I love fostering, it is part of me and I don’t think I will ever be able to retire.

“I did once for two weeks and got a call saying they had to girls that needed a home and if not they would be split up. I couldn’t say no. I don’t think I could like without children.

“I love them.”