THE annual awareness raising campaign aims toencourage a diverse range of people with the rightskills and qualities to foster to come forward tomeet the needs of children in care.With a shortage of 10,000 foster carers across the UK,more foster carers are needed to provide children withsafe and caring homes while they are unable to live withtheir own families.For more information about how you can get involved infostering, or how you support the work of the FosteringNetwork go to www.fostering.net/could-you-foster

AT Barnardo’s Cymru Pembrokeshire Family Linkthey are urging people to make a big differenceto the lives of disabled children, some of whomstruggle with challenging behaviour and/or complexmedical needs, and their families.Short break carers are people who, in their own homes,look after a child or young person during overnight stayson a regular basis.They are registered foster carers.Short breaks are a win-win situation.Whilst the child oryoung person enjoys new experiences, their parents areable to re-energise.And the carers constantly say they get alot more out of it than they put in.Barnardo’s has been providing short break care supportto disabled children and young people in Pembrokeshirefor 30 years and is keen to recruit more carers.The organisation provide full training, allowances andcomprehensive support.

Contact Barnardo’s today on 01646 687064.

Foster CareFortnightMay 12-25

Giving a little time doesmake a big difference!

Do you have time, energy, commitment and room tohelp care for a disabled child?We are looking for people who are able to help disabled children andyoung people and their families by providing overnightstays on a regular basis.

We provide all relevant training, allowances and comprehensive support.

Contact us today to ind out morecall Deirdre on 01646 687 064 or emailpembs.familylink@barnardos.org.uk

‘The more you do it the more rewarding it gets.’Barnardo’s short break carer

Rhifau Cofrestru’r Elusen 216250 a SC037605Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos. 216250 and SC037605

All welcome to attendskatepark’s amazingopening celebration

By Jenny Hanson01437 761767jha@westerntelegraph.co.ukTwitter @WTelegraph

DIVING IN: Neptune’s Army members David Jones, Dave Kennard and Lloyd Jones (NARC)celebrate the group’s Folly Farm sponsorship with penguin keeper Catrin Thomas.

PEMBROKESHIRE’S seabed clean-upteam is being sponsored by anothergroup of divers - the penguins at FollyFarm.Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Clean-

ers (NARC) funds dives that protectwildlife from the dangers of discardedocean litter. Items including shoppingtrolleys, bikes and fishing tackle havebeen rescued from the deep by thevoluntary divers, with items beingcleaned and recycled if possible.Folly Farm’s penguin enclosure,

home to 24 endangered Humboldtpenguins, has now become an officialsponsor of NARC.Zoo manager, Tim Morphew, said:

“Taking care of the environment is acause close to Folly Farm’s heart, andteaming up with NARC was a naturalpartnership.”NARC secretary, David Jones, added:

“Along with our dedicated volunteers,our funders and sponsors are key tous being able to carry out our clean-up dives. Without them, we wouldn’tbe able to get out there and collect themarine litter that can be so damagingto marine life.”

Penguins team up with seadivers to protect marine life

P E M B R O K E S H I R ESkatepark’s OfficialOpening Celebration Jamon May 17 promises to bean amazing event, wheth-er you skate or not.Running from12pm to 5pm

at Picton Playing Fields inHaverfordwest – with musicuntil 9pm – entry to the Jamis free.This great day out at the

long-awaited skatepark of-fers the chance to see amaz-ing skills, and win some in-credible prizes, in a friendlyand informal atmosphere.Pro-riders will attend the

Jam, which is being run byskatepark designers/build-ers Maverick Industries.

Spot competitions for bothlocal and pro riders areplanned. First place win-ners in the skate and BMXover 16s competitions willqualify for the Internation-al Pro Park Competition atNASS (Action Sports andMusic Festival) and receivea free festival weekend pass,as well as being in with achance to win a slice of the£25,000 prize purse.Food and merchandise

will be on offer, and repre-

sentatives from local servic-es, including the Haverford-west Skatepark Association(HSA), will be there to chatto. The HSA will hold a raffleto win a Diamond Back BMX(donated by Mikes Bikes) aDrift HD720 Action Camera(donated by Merlin’s Autos)and a complete Oath skate-board (donated by Oath UK).Every penny raised will gotowards the upkeep and light-ing of the skatepark, as willmoney made through salesof brand-new PembrokeshireSkatepark T-Shirts.Organisers are asking driv-

ers to use Scotchwell CarPark (SA61 2LH). It’s 80p foran all-day ticket and just a

short walk away from PictonPlaying Fields. The way to theevent will be clearly signedand stewarded. Alternativeparking can be found in themulti-storey car park (SA612ND), costing £1.30. Childrenunder 12 must be accompa-nied by a parent. Unless con-fident using a skatepark anddoing tricks, youngsters areadvised to watch rather thanuse the park when the compe-titions are running.For details, visit facebook.

com/events/313824985436791or Haverfordwest SkateparkAssociation facebook.com/groups/47191508519/ andemail any enquiries tohsainfo@yahoo.co.uk

Wednesday, May 14, 2014 22westerntelegraph.co.uk

Salons will be cutting hair to support three cancer charitiesA CHANCE to get aheadand support three cancercharities is being offered bya Pembrokeshire hairdress-ing family.On Friday, June 6, Todaro’s

will be donating all of themoney received for men’shaircuts in its Haverford-west and Milford Havensalons to the Paul SartoriFoundation, Shalom House

and Prostate Cancer UK.The charities have been

chosen in memory of thebusiness’s founder, FrankTodaro, who passed awayin April at the age of 83following a long battle withprostate cancer.Company director, Michael

Todaro, said: “As a localfamily business, we feel it isimportant to support chari-

ties which, in turn, havesupported our own familymembers.”Anyone in need of a trim

and wanting to help raisemoney for these specialcharities should contacteither salon.Since opening his first

salon in 1962, Frank revo-lutionised hairdressing inPembrokeshire, rubbing

heads with top names suchas Toni and Guy, and evencutting celebrity stylist LeeStafford’s hair.“He will be sadly missed by

everyone in the town,” saidDomenico. “He was one ofthe last original shopkeepersin Charles Street.”“He could talk to people at

their level, and they lovedhim for it.”

Natalie and her husband Colinfostered their first child in their mid-twenties. Since then, they havefostered another twenty children,between the ages of 0 and 18. Mosthave been long-term, with the longestbeing eight years.The couple alsohave a daughter and two sons of theirown, aged fifteen, nine and eight.

The couple, who live in Rosemarket, say thatstarting fostering at a young age and bringingup their own children with their fosterchildren has been a definite plus.

“It’s easy.You find the time to look after yourown children. It’s exactly the same,” saidNatalie.“We treat all our children equally, andthe rules are the same for everyone. It’s reallyimportant, so that nobody feels any different.”

“All of our friends and family know all ourchildren and treat them all the same,” addedColin, a trained paramedic.

Many of the children which the couple havewelcomed into their home have beenteenagers and Natalie says they are mucheasier than some people think.

“In the beginning, they can be hard and willpush their boundaries, but if you connect withthem, they are away and independent. It’s allabout respecting one another,” she said.

“Trust is a big thing.You have got to build uptrust; that you are not going to treat themdifferently or harm them.Nine times out often they are just normal children who needto be shown attention, want to be loved, andneed some boundaries.”

The couple foster through PembrokeshireCounty Council. ‘We have had fantasticsupport,” said Colin.“Any time we have askedfor help, we have had it.The relationship wehave got is brilliant. It helps knowing that youhave got the backing from the team.”

Both are passionate about the benefits offostering, and urge anyone who thinks it mightbe for them to give it a go.

“As long as you have got empathy and careabout others, and have understanding of howpeople want to be treated and respected, it’s

well worth it,” said Natalie.

“All the good timesoutweigh by far the rockypatches in the beginning. Ifanybody thinks it might befor them, they should give ita try at least. It’s definitelychanged our lives for thebetter.”

Said Colin;“You can give achild that environment toflourish and turn their wholelife around. Some of thechildren we have fosteredhave felt they are worthless.So to see a child grow inconfidence, totally change, anddo well at school or go on thestraight and narrow is fantastic.

“We’ve helped to turn themaround, make something oftheir lives, to get an education,to get a job.

“I’ve loved every minute of it.”

“Foster children are nodifferent from your ownchildren.They maybe justhaven’t had the start in lifethat other children have. Butit’s our job to give them thatlife that every child deserves,”says Natalie Picton, a fosterparent for the past 13 years.

Foster Care Fortnight 2014

“It’s definitely changed...our lives for the better”..

Fostering full page WT advert 320x259_Layout 1 09/05/2014 10:56 Page 1

Wednesday, May 14, 2014 23westerntelegraph.co.uk