TV Holly’s big thanks to inspirational pair

Left to right: Holly Willoughby, Janice Jinks, Linda Parrish, Juliet and Charlie Cleverdon, Young ambassador - Zoe Witherington, Patrick Cohen from Endsleigh Insurance who supported the award. Photo provided by Caroline Field

A pair of inspirational foster carers who have made a difference to the lives of over 30 children have received national recognition.

Juliet and Charlie Cleverdon, foster carers from Calvert Green in Buckinghamshire, have been presented with the Outstanding Contribution by a Foster Carer Award at The Fostering Network’s Fostering Excellence Awards.

The award celebrates their extraordinary contribution to foster care during the last 12 months.

Foster carers, children and young people joined Juliet and Charlie in attending the annual celebration of fostering hosted by television star Holly Willoughby, and attended by Kate, The Duchess of Cambridge.

Juliet and Charlie Cleverdon have made fostering a life-long commitment.

They have been foster carers for 30 years and have fostered over 30 children, all of whom have had a learning disability and mild physical disability. In addition to fostering four children, they also have three care leavers living with them. Juliet and Charlie also offer advice and support to other foster carers, encouraging new carers to attend support groups, training and other fostering events.

Juliet said: “It’s wonderful to receive this award and attend such a lovely evening. We just love every bit about fostering and I don’t know what we would do without it. That’s the life we have chosen and we would do it all again.”

Charlie said: “We thoroughly enjoyed the evening; it was a very special event for us.

“Juliet and I support each other to do this, we work as a partnership.

“We love it and 30 years later, we wouldn’t change a thing.”