Foster carer Stephen inspires colleagues and friend in epic running challenge for children in care!
Our Manchester-based foster carer, Stephen’s personal commitment to helping vulnerable children in care is inspirational. In fact two of his work colleagues and a friend are doing a gruelling running challenge to raise vital funds for our charity.
Stephen, who works for construction firm Schofield and Sons, and his wife, Julie, from Greater Manchester, have been fostering with us for three years. In that time, they have provided a loving and caring home for six children.
The couple’s fostering journey has deeply impacted those around them. And, it’s prompted Stephen’s colleagues Ben Scholes and Syabonga Mnembe (S’ya), alongside Phil Crampton, Ben’s brother-in-law, to take on the “496 Challenge” to raise £3,000 to help foster carers and families.
The determined trio are running progressively increasing distances each day in July. By the end of the month they’ll have completed a total of 496 kilometres (308 miles). Designed by Sean Conway, statistics show only 10 per cent of 496 challengers actually finish, making this commitment all the more amazing.
“The challenge demands the same dedication and perseverance needed to be a foster carer,” says Steve Field, our director of Child Care. “The 496 Challenge requires commitment and stamina. Key values and skills we look for in our compassionate foster carers. There are lots of connections between this challenge and fostering.
“We’re incredibly grateful to these inspiring individuals for taking this on. Every kilometre they run brings them closer to our goal of raising at least £3,000 – which will be used to provide vital support and training to our foster carers and foster families.”
The 496 Challenge takes the same perseverance as being a foster carer
The fundraising team will run 1km on the 1st July, 2km on the 2nd and so on. By the end of the challenge they will have run a total of 496 km – the equivalent of just under 12 marathons!
Ben says: “Stephen has just devoted his life to fostering. What he does for these kids, I couldn’t ever do anything like that myself. I just couldn’t commit. But what I can do is run – a lot!”
The challenge really highlights the need for more foster carers. On average, a child enters the care system every 15 minutes – roughly the time it takes to run around 2 km. Over the course of our 496 Challenge, potentially nearly 250 children will enter into the foster care system.
According to Greater Manchester Combined Authority, over 6,000 children are currently in care in Greater Manchester. Whilst at the same time the number of fostering applications has fallen by 14 per cent.
Each runner will tackle the challenge individually. But some of our staff will join in on day 1, day 15 and day 31 of the challenge. This is as a symbol of support and appreciation for this test of endurance. We are proud to be supported by Schofield and Sons in this fundraising challenge.
Here at The Foster Care Charity we are dedicated to putting children first. Our mission is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for vulnerable children who need it most.
