Grimsby Town Football Club have become the first business in North East Lincolnshire to sign-up to the Council’s new foster-friendly scheme.
The scheme encourages businesses in our area to sign-up to support employees who are also foster carers.
Foster carers provide temporary homes for vulnerable children and young people. Many of these young people have experienced traumatic events and need support whilst they adjust to their new environments, and this can often have additional demands on foster carers time.
The Club made the announcement during the build-up to one of the final home games of the season, against Swindon Town FC. T-shirts worn by GTFC players during the warm-up for the game featured messages encouraging fans to consider becoming foster carers.
Recruitment adverts also featured on boards around the pitch, and on the big screen before the match.
Officers from North East Lincolnshire Council greeted fans as they entered the ground, handing out flyers with information about becoming a foster carer.
As a foster-friendly business, Grimsby Town Football Club have committed to supporting any of their employees who choose to become foster carers, offering benefits including additional annual leave for appointments and training.
Speaking ahead of the announcement, chairman Jason Stockwood said:
“We are delighted to be the first business in North East Lincolnshire to have signed up for this scheme. We hope to be the first of many backing the scheme which will help many children in need of care.”
“Not only will this help vulnerable children, but it will help employees who are already foster carers as well as employees who are looking to become foster carers in the future.”
“We were very happy to welcome representatives from the council to Blundell Park last Saturday to announce our partnership and we look forward to working with the council on this scheme in the future!”
North East Lincolnshire Council’s Children’s Services Director, Ann-Marie Matson, welcomed the announcement:
“As a lifelong GTFC fan, I’m thrilled that the Club are becoming our first foster-friendly business. This is a signal to other businesses in North East Lincolnshire that, as a place, we have to wrap-around our vulnerable children and young people and be supportive of them.
“I’m proud that North East Lincolnshire Council are Foster Friendly Employers and joining ourselves and GTFC to become a foster-friendly business is one way of helping support the most vulnerable children in our area. I would encourage any organisations interested in joining the club in this achievement to get in touch.”
Interested in becoming a foster-friendly business? Get in touch with the Fostering team at North East Lincolnshire Council. Email: mailto:fosteringandadoption@nelincs.gov.uk
To find out more about becoming a foster carer in North East Lincolnshire or to discuss how you apply to be a foster carer, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/fostering, or call 01472 323966.
UTM
