7:10am Sunday 14th March 2010
By Jemma Humphreys
ON Mother’s Day, 65 children across Lancashire will be thanking the same woman for being their mum.
Today, foster mother Dianne Preston’s mantelpiece will be full of cards.
They will come from all across the county, three from her own sons and the rest from dozens of children she has welcomed into her home.
Much like Christmas and her birthday the 55-year-old former nursery nurse will receive letters and photographs from the babies, some who are now adults, that she has taken in over the years.
For 27 years Dianne, who was recently voted Tesco Magazine Caring Mum Of The Year, has fostered new born babies and cared for them as if they were her own, until the time has come for them to join their new family.
“My great grandma was a service nanny so maybe that’s where this side of me came from,” said Dianne, of Manchester Road, Barnoldswick.
And she is modest about her life as a mum to so many.
“I just decided I wanted to do something a bit more permenant after starting childminding,” she said.
“We had our children relatively young, and they were all healthy and we thought we’d like to help those less fortunate.
"So we take in mainly new-borns with health problems,” said Dianne who fosters with husband David.
One baby, Sophie, who has Down’s Syndrome, autism and a congenital heart defect, has lived with the Prestons for 13 years after they adopted her permanently.
While most women Dianne’s age have seen their children fly the nest, the Preston household has a constant stash of nappies and baby food for when they receive that phone call to say another baby needs a home.
“Sometimes we get no warning at all,” she smiled.
“But because they are poorly we tend to know a few days in advance.
"I like to go in to hospital and visit them and get to know them, bath and feed them,” said Dianne, who puts the birthday of each child on her calendar the moment they cross her doorstep.
“As soon as the phone rings with that call, I still get that buzz when another one is on it’s way.”
And most of the extended Preston family have kept in touch.
Years on they still exchange cards and letters and Dianne’s Christmas card list is considerably longer than most.
“It’s really nice to receive things and get that boost that means your fostering helped them along.
"We are quite good friends with some of the families we have fostered children for.
“We send the children birthday cards and still receive them. Seeing them as part of a happy family and doing well is what you strive for.
“It’s hard letting go, there’s no doubt about it. We have them from birth for at least 12 months often for a few years.
"But you have to step back when you’ve done your bit and let them go.”
It is that caring nature that prompted Diane’s three sons, Andy, Daniel and Matthew, now in their 30s, to nominate their mum for the Tesco award as a surprise for Mother’s Day.
Dianne, who also has six grandchildren, attended an awards ceremony at The Waldorf Hilton, in London followed by a visit to number 10 where she met the Prime Minister’s wife Sarah Brown.
“I have been a mum since I was 19 that is what I’ve done all these years, and its really nice to be recognised,” she said.
“I do treat all the children as part of the family, they are like my own when they’re with us.
Dianne is currently fostering two boys, a 10-month-old baby and a toddler.
And while she admits it can be tough at times, she is as keen as ever to foster more children for many years to come.
She added: “It’s worth all the hard work we put in, those first few months are priceless.
“It is stressful at times but it’s very rewarding and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
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