Christmas is a magical time for children: the excitement of putting baubles on the tree; searching the night sky for Santa’s sleigh; the joy of leaving a carrot for Rudolph and a glass of milk for Santa on Christmas Eve… the list in endless.
But, as many people with children will understand, some of this magic begins to fade as they grow older. This was the case for Moyra and Peter Paterson from Campbeltown.
“We have five grown-up children between us and, although I truly treasure the time we spend together over Christmas, it’s not the same as when they were little” said Moyra.
This year is different, however, as the couple have become foster parents and have a young child in their care.
Moyra said: “It’s fantastic – the whole house is filled with an air of excitement. Every morning there’s a door on the advent calendar to open, our tree has decorations hanging on it that the little one made at nursery and we’ve written a letter to Santa. We’ve also got the nursery Christmas concert to look forward to. These are truly special times and I’m delighted that we get to make a difference to this little one’s life.
“We’re making special memories – memories that will last a lifetime, and the joy that we get out of fostering and making a difference to young peoples’ lives can’t be underestimated.
“Fostering is one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. I’d urge anyone considering applying to get in touch with the council’s fostering team.”
To find out how you can help make a difference to a young person's life, visit: www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/fostering