Prestigious awards for national fostering film project 'Any of Us'

“Any of Us” is the fifth - and most well-supported - film in all to be produced in collaboration with Stockport Council and a growing partnership of 87 councils across the UK to promote local authority fostering.

“Any of Us” fostering film won the “Best Collaboration” and “Best Creative Comms” categories at the comms2point0 UnAwards which recognises excellence in public sector communications at a ceremony held in Birmingham.

The message of the fostering film is “Any of us can foster a child or young person, if you have the capacity to care”. The film looks at three very different people who all show some of the attributes needed to be a foster carer in incidents from their daily lives – Ayesha going to the aid of a pedestrian after a minor road accident, Neil calming down an aggressive situation in a snooker club, and Marsha identifying a young person showing signs of distress and intervening with them at school.

Different individuals in very different scenarios, but each in their own way showing the caring instinct that is fundamental to being a foster carer. The film develops so that it becomes clear that one of these three everyday people will become the foster carer to Chloe. But which one of the three will be the one to make the difference? The main character’s stories are all interwoven with Chloe’s, as we see her journey into fostering.

Caroline Simpson, Stockport’s Chief Executive, Councillor Wendy Meikle and Chris McLoughlin, Director of Children’s Services along with Stockport Family senior managers were presented with the winner’s award certificate by Matthew Fitzpatrick from CAN Digital who submitted the entry on behalf of Stockport and the other councils taking part.

Councillor Wendy Meikle, Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education at Stockport Council, said: "Stockport is delighted to be part of this high quality national award-winning film project. The film highlights the message that anyone who cares has the potential to become a foster carer. We are proud of Stockport’s collaboration with other councils to produce a film that communicates a universal message: We all need more people to step forward and become foster carers and here in Stockport we need local foster carers to give our local children a chance to thrive and become the best person they can be."

The council holds regular information sessions for people who wish to find out more about fostering with the council. The next one is taking place on Wednesday 14th February starting at 6pm at Stockport Town Hall.

To watch the film go to Stockport Council’s website.

To find out more about fostering with Stockport Council click here or contact the recruitment team on 0161 474 3400.