New Years Honour for St Helens Foster Carers Sue and Dave

When Sue and Dave Cook opened their mail to find an unusual letter, their first thought wasn’t about a royal invitation. Like many of us would, they thought it was a prank.

“We rang up our supervising social worker and the Cabinet Office to make sure it was real,” Sue laughed. But it was very real. Sue and Dave have officially been named in the King’s New Year Honours list, receiving MBEs for their incredible services to foster care at St Helens Council. Sue said: “It’s still sinking in, we are so happy and proud.

For the St Helens community, this news is a wonderful reminder of the quiet heroes living right next door.

A Journey That Started by Accident

The most amazing part of Sue and Dave’s story is how it began. They didn’t set out with a 20-year plan to foster over 60 children. In fact, they “fell into it” by accident.

Two decades ago, they agreed to help a friend look after a foster baby for just one night. By the morning, their hearts were captured and their lives were changed. “We didn’t want to give her back,” Sue recalled. “We started fostering, but every time we moved a child on, we had a void that needed filling.”

More Than Just a Bed 

Fostering isn’t just about providing a bed; it’s about providing a safe and loving home when a child needs it most. Over the years, Sue and Dave have cared for dozens of children. Some stayed for days, others for a decade. But regardless of the time spent in their home, the bond remains.

The pair, who have five “amazing” children and seven grandchildren of their own, view their former foster children as members of their family too. They recently shared the proud news that one of their very first foster children is about to graduate from university, a testament to the stability and love they provided during those formative years.

Sue said the work is hard and challenging, especially watching the struggles the children have to go through. But she added: “We like to show the children there is a nice side to life.  The most rewarding thing is seeing them grow into their own person, seeing their character come out and all their problems going. We are so proud to see the people they become.”

Dave is honest about the reality of fostering “It’s tough, but it’s worth it”. He acknowledges there are tough times and challenges, particularly when seeing the struggles children have faced. However, the reward far outweighs the difficulty. “The end result is they become independent people who can live on their own and have their own lives,” Dave shared. “”We have an amazing lifetime of work. There is no amount of money we could get that would replace the feeling of helping someone. That is what keeps us going.”

Could You Be the Next Sue or Dave?

Inspired by Sue and Dave’s story? The Foster4 team is out in the community right now looking for people just like you.

You don’t need to be a superhero to foster—you just need to be someone who cares. Who knows? In twenty years, it might be you receiving a letter from the King!