A FOSTER care campaign headed by a Ramsbottom resident to help find homes for more than 1,000 children has been declared a "major success".

The campaign was the brainchild of fostering development social worker, Sarah Jane Rigby, of Richard Street, who spent her summer travelling around the North West on a recruitment mission.

Ms Rigby works for Manchester-based Foster Cares, a family-owned fostering agency, which aims to safeguard and promote the welfare of local children.

She said: “We’ve been working to make people aware of the desperate demand for more foster carers in the North West, with more than 1,200 children in need of homes.

“I’ve travelled in our motorhome, nicknamed Malcolm, along the coast stopping off at different events, towns and cities to inform more people about foster caring.

“We’ve had a fantastic response and it’s been a major success, with lots of potential foster carers showing an interest.

“Fostering is something that is close to my heart so to be able to inform more people of the need for it has been great.

“At first, it was the summer tour but now we’re going to continue to travel with Malcolm and visit even more events around the North West.”

For more information about fostering: e-mail Ms Rigby at sarah.rigby@cares.co.uk