AFTER providing more than 30 children with a home over almost 35 years, a Knighton couple are preparing to hand over the fostering baton to their daughter.

Since the early 1980s, Gina and Roy Lynch have been providing some of the most needy and vulnerable youngster with a foster home.

But the couple say after being graced with the honour of sharing their home with scores of children and teenagers, they are doing their bit to encourage a new generation of foster carers to take over the mantle.

Fostering has been a vocation for Roy and Gina. "We have always been sociable people and don’t see it as a big deal to share our home and belongings with others," said former 69-year-old chef Roy.

The couple moved from Birmingham to Knighton 45-years-ago after falling in love with their secluded home, where they later raised their six children. Roy said that the decision to become foster carers was an easy one.

"We have always loved having children around and as our children grew up it seemed an obvious choice to foster," he said. The couple remember vividly the first boy they gave a home in 1982. She said: "He had been living in an institution for a long time and needed help to develop life skills. He had no family to speak of and needed the skills to live day to day, like cooking, cleaning, paying bills and budgeting. We do still see him occasionally."

Since 1982 the couple have helped more than 30 children, providing a safe home for scores of children and siblings for a variety of reasons for up to five years in some cases.

"They needed a home for a variety of reasons," said Gina. "Their parents may have neglected them, could have been too ill to look after them or needed respite for one reason or another. They all needed somewhere safe and secure to stay. Siblings we had a few years ago found it hard to deal with moving from an urban area to the country. They really didn’t like it at all, but they soon settled and loved the countryside when they left us."

Jealousy between biological children and those who the couple foster has never really been a problem, with the couple’s children and grandchildren welcoming the youngsters into their home with open arms.

"The children need to know that they have somewhere to go where they won’t come to any harm," said Roy. "We want to prove to them that they are safe with us and that not all parents shout and scream at each other. All of our children and grandchildren have always got on so well with those we have fostered so they know that this is their home and they are part of the family.

"Here with us they have their own room as well as a games room, with a pool table, DJ decks and a darts board, so that they can relax with their friends or get some space. If they want to talk about anything they can, we are not here to judge."

As much as they would like to say that each child that they supported went on to achieve greatness, the couple admit that not all placements have been success stories.

Gina said: "It does upset me when I think of the few which went on to offend or experience mental health problems but the rewards do out weigh the low points."

Gina and Roy have received the prestigious, Silver Kite Award from Powys Council to honour their long service. They are now supporting their daughter Teresa as she begins to provide a supportive, loving home as her parents did.

"Her children are of the right age," said Gina. "Old enough to understand and get on with whoever shares their home with them.

"We are sharing our story in the hope that others will be inspired to become foster carers and see the same rewards we have."

Powys County Council urgently needs new foster carers to meet the needs of local children and young people. For further information and an informal chat contact the team on 01874 614035.