Newsletters
Introducing our new charity - AFTER ADOPTION
After long are careful thought we have decided the time is right to change our corporate charity. As of Monday 4th April Timpson will be giving its wholehearted support to After Adoption, a national charity, which helps those whose lives are affected by adoption.
We have emjoyed a long and hugely successful association with Childline, raising over £1m for the children's helpline, but we can make a real difference to After Adoption, which needs our help even more.
Once again, great customer service will be the main focus of our fund raising efforts - FREE small jobs in return for a £1 donation in the After Adoption charity box.
It's Personal
In 1977, when Alex answered an advert asking for foster carers I didn't realise how much our lives were going to change. We were assessed, passed the test, and six months later two brothers aged 4 and 3 came to live with us.
We thought we knew how to be good parents, after all we were sucessfully bringing up three children of our own. We must have been naive, for nearly 20 years we treated a procession of foster children in the same way we treated Victoria, James and Edward.
We weren't surprised to find several children 'chalenging'. Some sibling groups argued all day until I was near to screaming point. One very disturbed boy used a mallet to smash 120 panes of glass in our vegetable garden, another strangled our cat. But good times far outweighed the bad and the experience brought a welcome addition to our lives.
I decided that we would only look after children younger than our youngest child, Edward, so it was some time before we cared for a teenager. But, in 1992, when we adopted Oliver, that was bound to change.
Ollie was 6 when he arrived, full of nervous energy and lacking in confidence. He was good at running - he set a school record for 1500 metres - but often failed to turn up for games.
