A couple from Rochdale who have fostered more than 300 children over five decades have been recognised for their long service to families across the borough.
Michael, 78, and Marilyn, 74, from Milnrow began fostering in 1976 after responding to a council advert calling for carers for very young children. At the time, they were already raising two children of their own and decided they could offer a home to others in need.
Their first placement was a baby just two days old, who stayed with them for around two and a half months. Marilyn said the experience left a lasting impression. “It was lovely to have another little one about, I loved it,” she said. “I can still remember sitting in our living room, the night before she left us at the end of her placement, and crying thinking ‘What am I going to do without this baby?’”
Since then, the couple have typically cared for several children each year, often welcoming newborn babies and sibling groups. Alongside fostering, they raised five children of their own and are now grandparents to 13. At one point, they cared for five children at the same time.
Michael said fostering has become part of everyday life, including coping with disrupted sleep and the demands of caring for young children. He added that many of those they have supported remain in contact, with some returning years later to visit. “Some of them just want a cuddle from Marilyn,” he said. “She’s like a mother to them.”
Marilyn said they have shared in many milestones with the children they supported as they grew older. “It’s lovely when you think you started off with them as a baby and now they’ve grown,” she said. “We’ve had letters from adoptive parents saying, ‘They’ve turned out like they have because of you’ which is nice.”
The couple said they feel privileged and proud of their role and continue to foster, with three children currently in their care. They expect to gradually reduce the number of placements in the future but have not set a timeframe.
To mark their 50 years of fostering, they were invited to Rochdale Town Hall for afternoon tea with the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Janet Emsley. They received a mayoral recognition award for their long standing contribution and are believed to be among the longest serving foster carers in the country.
Councillor Rachel Massey, cabinet member for children’s services and education, said: “Michael and Marilyn are an extraordinary example of the love, stability and care that foster carers bring into a child’s life.
“Their dedication over the last 50 years has transformed the futures of hundreds of local children and young people and they are living proof that what matters most is kindness, patience and the willingness to open your home and heart to a child who needs it.”
The couple continue to encourage others to consider fostering and support children within their local community.
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