Extending the family

Like mother like daughter: Jessica and her mum Brenda

A mother and daughter who have fostered more than 140 Hull children

"I came from a large family of nine, with eight natural brothers and sisters, so I was always used to having a lot of people around me," says Brenda Newman, who fosters with her husband Robert.
"I had three daughters of my own but my mum suggested that, because I was used to having a big family, I could try fostering children. So I gave up work in a fruit and veg shop and had a go. At the last count, we have fostered more than 80 children."
Brenda and Robert are currently foster parents to seven children and young people.
Darren, who is now 12, came to the family when he was 11 months old.
They also foster four brothers - Daniel, 12; Richard, 14; Kai,13; and Warren,17 – who have been with them for seven-and-a-half years. Thanks to Brenda and her husband's guidance, Warren has now fulfilled his lifetime ambition to join the British Army, serving in a tank regiment.
Brenda is also bringing up brother and sister Helen and Eddie, aged eight and five.
Not surprisingly, Brenda says it can be chaos, especially at family occasions. She has to plan the buying of gifts and presents months in advance, but she wouldn't swap it for the world.
"Fostering gives you the chance to give a safe home environment to other people's children," says Brenda. "You can really make a positive difference and for me, that is really important.
"Of course, fostering can be hard work and there are tough times, but Jessica and I support each other, which is a great help."

Like mother, like daughter

"At weekends we go for Sunday lunch together and have family holidays in Wales. My husband is great with them and a very good father figure," says Jessica

Brenda's natural daughter, Jessica, is only 29 but (like mother, like daughter!) wants to extend her family by giving other children a home.
Inspired to become a foster parent with her husband Colin after growing up with foster children around her, Jessica says she may have fostered up to 60 children: "But it could be more than that, because some had an overnight stay, some came for a week or two, and others were long term and became part of the family.
"I grew up with foster children and loved it - there was always something going on and activity in the house."
For six years Jessica has fostered two sisters - Sally, 19, and Victoria, 18 - and is proud that they are now making their own vocation in life.
Sally is now a qualified nursery teacher and Victoria is an up-and-coming hairdresser.
And let's not forget Charlie and Maizie, the couple's two natural daughters, and a one-year-old baby boy, who was fostered from June last year.
"We really are one big family," adds Jessica. "At weekends we go for Sunday lunch together and have family holidays in Wales. My husband is great with them and a very good father figure.
"My foster children are doing really well. I'm so happy to have been able to give them the security they needed for a good start in life."
Both Brenda and Jessica foster children through Hull Fostering, part of Hull City Council. The names of foster children in this article have been changed.