Shining the Ospreys light on Foster care

Imagine the wonder in a child’s face as they enter the Swansea.com stadium for the first time or take in the expanse and glory of the perfectly manicured pitch?

The buzz as everyone settles. The excitement as the players run on.

It’s a feeling we don’t forget as adults.  And neither do kids.

That’s why we’re determined to make sure more children across the harder to reach pockets of our communities get the chance to experience it.

It’s why we’ve partnered with Foster Wales. To give foster children the opportunity to attend matches they might not otherwise access and at the same time shine a big, bright, shiny spotlight on the crucial work foster carers are doing in our local communities today.

Supporting them in their quest to find more, much-needed carers from differing backgrounds. As their website says, no two children are the same, and neither is the foster care they need.

A national network of 22 Welsh Local Authority fostering services, Foster Wales work with a huge diversity of foster carers, each one with a different set of skills. Because different children need different things. From an overnight stay to something more long-term.

No matter who you are, fostering is the chance to make a real difference to children in your local community.

We’ve been blown away by the impact of the work we’re already doing with collaborators via the TACKLE programme, engaging students from Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Bridgend and Powys, in a huge range of activities; from a behind the scenes tour of the Swansea.com Stadium and “anti-knife crime” musical workshops to wheelchair rugby and learning the basics in vehicle mechanics … but it’s just the beginning.

There are children in our local community today who need someone to listen and believe in them. Someone like you. Whether you own your home or rent it, you’re married or single, no matter your ethnicity or sexual orientation, kindness doesn’t discriminate.

Any one of us could be the ‘one’ who re-shapes a child’s future.

This season look out for the Foster Wales branding on our LEDs and mega screens, follow Foster Wales via our socials, hear their inspirational stories and find out how we’re recognising and rewarding foster carers already making the difference, organising eagerly anticipated respite trips, giving foster children access to fixtures, events and the chance to meet the players.

When asked about their hopes for the Ospreys Foster Wales partnership, Alastair Cope, Head of Foster Wales, explained:

"We're delighted to partner with the Ospreys for this coming season. We welcome the opportunity for local children in our care to experience the excitement of a live rugby match, perhaps for the first time in their lives, as well as meet some of the players.

"We hope this partnership encourages more people to come forward to speak to Foster Wales about becoming a foster carer for their local authority and to help and support children in their local communities by offering a loving, stable home and new experiences in life."

Ospreys Commercial Director Anthony Cole-Johnson agreed:

“We’re very excited about our partnership with Foster Wales and our hope is that more people will come forward to help a child in need this season. We can’t wait to shake the hands of foster carers already making the difference to children’s lives in our local communities today.”

To find out more about fostering visit www.fosterwales.gov.wales

We can’t wait to share details as we embark on Our 22/23 Journey together.