Foster carer Geoff Wilson (right) and partner Stephen.
On the day he retired, he opened a Victorian-themed tearoom and the adjoining village shop with his partner Stephen and a few years later the pair embarked on a life-changing journey as foster carers.
Geoff and Stephen, who live in South Lakes, welcomed Jay, then nine, to their family shortly before Christmas five years ago – and wholeheartedly recommend others to ‘take the leap’ and make a difference to a child’s life, describing fostering as “best thing we’ve ever done”.
Fostering had always been a dream of Geoff’s despite already having two birth daughters and a son, but it was while on holiday with partner Stephen, who had not yet had children, that he finally decided to take the plunge.