A COUPLE who have so far fostered more than 300 children show no signs of stopping.
Betty and John Love began their journey as carers 25 years ago and have not looked back since.
At the beginning they also adopted and along with their own children, their family of eight are now all grown up.
However, while their children were still young, Betty and John decided they wanted to help other youngsters less fortunate.
Betty, 62, of Grimsby, said: "We just love children, which I think was the main reason for becoming foster and adoption parents.
"Over the years we have had our ups and downs, as each child we get is completely different from the last.
"We have looked after babies that are poorly due to their mothers using illegal substances through pregnancy, to children whose main guardian has been taken into hospital for one reason or another.
"Our job varies enormously but it never gets easier to say goodbye to a child when they leave us – we call it a happy/sad time.
"Despite this, what we do is very rewarding and I would encourage anyone else to do it."
The pair were recently awarded for their long-standing services to fostering in North East Lincolnshire.
But Betty doesn't do it for rewards, she said: "The feeling you get when a child is happy with their new adoption home, or when a baby who was poorly gets well again, is fantastic and makes us realise we have done a good job.
"We have such a big extended family now and we keep in contact with a lot of our former foster children, many of whom are now grown up and have their own children. We would not have been able to do this for as long as we have if not for the support of the fostering and adoption team at the council.
"During our 25-year span, we have done every type of fostering possible, from looking after children with special needs to teenage girls, boys and babies."
John, 60, says anyone who is contemplating fostering should not pursue it with a judgemental attitude.
He said: "A lot of these situations where children are put into fostering cannot be helped, so people should not judge the parents or the child. I have enjoyed the past 25 years and would speak to anyone with queries about doing this."
Betty and John have agreed to host a live web chat with readers on www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk regarding fostering and adoption.
The chat will take place on Friday for one hour, from 11am to noon, with a representative from the council also attending.
