As many of you are aware, we recently held our annual foster carer award ceremony to honour the accomplishments of our foster carers. The fact that this year commemorates 25 years of Sunbeam made it even more memorable than previous years!
The well-being and positive outcomes of children have been the cornerstones of the last 25 years. Three social workers came together with the goal of changing the lives of children when Sunbeam was founded in 2000. Having been on the front lines of social work themselves, they saw the struggles children experienced and decided to start an organisation that would allow them to flourish and reach their full potential, regardless of the struggles they may have suffered.

To date, Sunbeam, which is headquartered in London, has successfully grown into the Midlands, Northwest England, and Home Countries (Pride Fostering Services) thanks to the efforts of its three founders, who still serve as its directors. Sunbeam has helped thousands of children so far because to the hard work of our dedicated and experienced employees and foster carers. Additionally, Sunbeam’s growth and development expanded by acquiring a highly performing and reputable fostering agency, Footprints Foster Care, located in Poole, Dorset.

With so many accomplishments to date, we made sure our 25-year celebration was our best event yet! At our silver jubilee ceremony, which was hosted at the magnificent Grand Meridian in typical Sunbeam fashion, more than 300 staff members and foster carers gathered to commemorate not just their individual accomplishments but also our amazing milestone.

Mocktails and canopies were provided to guests upon their arrival, and skilled photographers documented stunning moments throughout the event. Staff and foster carers connected and shared stories throughout the years over a three-course dinner. The surprise video that was made to celebrate our foster carers’ 25-year journey with Sunbeam was the night’s high point (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHogbzsdqJk). In addition, a care leaver spoke movingly about her experience with Sunbeam and her foster parents, describing how we all influenced her life. LED dancers and our very own social worker Sofia, who performed a fusion dance of Indian traditions, provided amazing entertainment. Every guest left smiling because the 360-degree camera caught our shared moments as one.

 As we collectively reflected on Sunbeam’s 25 years, we were honoured to have had such a profound influence on so many people. It was a genuinely unforgettable event that gave us the motivation to continue for another twenty-five years and more…

Witten by Chanel Thomas (Recruitment Officer)