Phillips 66 becomes North East Lincolnshire Councils 100th Foster Friendly business

In April 2024 Grimsby Town Football Club became the first Foster Friendly business as NELC aimed to raise awareness of the need for foster carers in the local area. This week one of the boroughs biggest employers signed up to pledge their support to the initiative.

The Foster Friendly businesses scheme offers the opportunity for local businesses and organisations to make provisions for employees who are also foster carers, or those who may choose to become foster carers in the future.  Foster Friendly organisations can offer flexible support in lots of different ways including supporting raising the profile of the need for local cares.

Ann-Marie Matson the Director of Children’s Services at North East Lincolnshire Council and Councillor Margaret Cracknell joined Paul Fursey and Nina Stobart of Phillips 66 earlier this week to thank them for committing to the initiative.

Ann-Marie Matson said of the visit:

“Having Phillips 66 join us as our 100^th Foster Friendly business is a huge milestone for us.

“The business community in North East Lincolnshire has really got on board with this initiative and we can’t thank them enough for supporting us and the difference this makes in enabling children in our care to experience loving, stable homes.

“We are grateful to all businesses, big and small, for getting behind our foster carers and showing them that they are appreciated.”

Councillor Margaret Cracknell said:

"I'm thrilled to see this initiative go from strength to strength. It's fantastic to see local businesses taking an interest in fostering and supporting our children and their families.

"My thanks go to Philips 66 for joining our foster-friendly business community, and I'd like to congratulate them on being our 100th business.

"Our foster carers are so vital to supporting our children and young people, and it's important that our community and businesses support them in turn."

Paul Fursey, UK Lead and General Manager for the Humber Refinery added:

“We are proud to be one of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Foster Friendly Businesses and to sign up as their 100^th business. We know our region has some of the highest number of looked after children, and as a major employer we believe we have a responsibility to work with local partners and to support our community in providing a safe and nurturing environment where our young people can thrive.

We take our responsibility of being a good neighbour and supporting the communities where we are based seriously.”

Interested in becoming a foster-friendly business? Get in touch with the Fostering team at North East Lincolnshire Council. Email: fosteringandadoption@nelincs.gov.uk.

To find out more about becoming a foster carer in North East Lincolnshire or to discuss how you apply to be a foster carer, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/fostering, or call 01472 323966.