John Stokes
Living in the eye of the hurricane. That’s been my life as a Foster Carer. Mostly, it’s been in a peacefully calm and loving place that is, however, constantly surrounded by the raging storms of trauma, fury and teenage angst. Drugs, drink, crime and all the horrors of abuse can come to visit and disrupt our lives but a loving home survives and is always shelter from the storm and sometimes for the storm.I would not for anything change a life that has also allowed me so many wonderful, crazy and magical experiences whilst showing so many young people that there is a path to a different life and that a storm can pass and be recovered from. Most of all, I have been blessed to look after some amazing young people who have enriched my life as you will see from the stories of my life in the Shadowlands.A single man, a Foster Carer raising other people’s children for over 35 years and always looking forward to the next storm that a Social Worker brings to my door.
