78 year-old Michael and his wife Marilyn (aged 74) from Milnrow have been kindly opening their home to newborn babies and siblings since 1976.
At that time, the couple were already parents to 2 young children of their own, when a local newspaper advert placed by Rochdale Borough Council first caught their eye.
With the local authority calling for foster carers who could care for very young babies, straight away the pair knew another child would fit right into their loving home.
The rest, as they say, is history as Marilyn vividly recalls the moment they received their first child.
“It was lovely to have another little one about, I loved it,” Marilyn said. “She was about 2 days old when she came to us, and we had her for 2 and a half months.
“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?’
“So, it snowballed from there and now we probably care for 4 or 5 children a year.”
Michael jokingly recalls the sleepless nights and nighttime feeds but said how it ‘has become a part of their life’, with 4 hours of sleep fairly common for the retired pair.
In their early years as foster carers, Michael and Marilyn were still growing their own family too, with one child in their care only moving in with their adoptive parents just a month before Marilyn gave birth to their third child.
The pair eventually went on to have 5 children of their own and are now grandparents to 13. The most children they have cared for at one time in their roles is 5, including a number of siblings.
Keeping in touch with many of the children they have cared for over the years, the couple often receive a call out of the blue saying, ‘We’re coming to Rochdale, can we come and see you?’, which they love to hear.
Michael said:
“Some of them just want a cuddle from Marilyn.
“She’s like a mother to them; that’s the sort of stuff that can be missing in their lives.”
Michael mentioned some of the children have also brought their own children to visit too, as time has passed and they’ve started their own families as adults. Marilyn added:
“We’ve been to weddings, adoption parties, christenings, 18th and 21st birthday parties.
“It’s lovely when you think you started off with them as a baby and now they’ve grown.
“We’ve had letters from adoptive parents saying, ‘They’ve turned out like they have because of you’ which is nice.”
Reflecting on their time as foster carers, Michael added:
“We feel privileged and proud.”
Families who have gone on to care for the children they have supported, often share photographs with them too of the children on holiday or at school events such as World Book Day too.
When asked if they ever envisaged a time when they would stop fostering, Marilyn replied:
“How long is a piece of string?
“I would really miss it.
“We’re fit and healthy, but you don’t know what is round the corner.
“I think we’ll know when we get that phone call one day and they say, ‘We’ve got a baby for you’ and we’ll know it’s our time.”
Michael and Marilyn were recently invited for afternoon tea with the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Janet Emsley (second left), and mayor’s consort Ken Emsley (left) to mark this special occasion at Rochdale Town Hall.
With 3 children currently in their care, the youngest of which is more than 7 weeks old, Michael added they would most likely begin to reduce the number of children they care for at one time, although they’re not at that stage just yet.
Celebrating their 50-year fostering anniversary, the couple, who have also been married for 55 years, were recently invited for afternoon tea with the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Janet Emsley, to mark this special occasion at Rochdale Town Hall.
During their visit, they received a mayoral recognition award in honour of their long-standing commitment to fostering and for being some of the UK’s longest serving foster carers.
As the local authority continues to recruit new foster carers, the pair regularly talk positively about it to people they meet as ‘it’s the best thing’ they ever did.
They also advocate fostering for your local council as it enables you to support local children.
Anyone over the age of 21 with a spare room in their home, like Marilyn and Michael, can become a foster carer and support those most in need.
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.
“We are incredibly grateful for everything they have done for our borough’s children and for the inspiration they continue to provide to others.”
The local authority, which is part of Foster for Greater Manchester, offers a number of different opportunities for local residents to be involved in fostering.
Anyone who would like to find out more about fostering with Rochdale Borough Council, can visit: www.fosterforgm.com/Rochdale or call 0300 303 0321.
