A PORTHMADOG woman has received a prestigious award for her role as a foster carer for 35 years which has seen her care for over 100 children.

Janet Williams won the Citizenship award at this year’s St David’s Awards in Cardiff.

As well as bringing up her own three children, she has fostered more than 100 children over the past 35 years, even going as far as adopting, and has made a real difference to the lives of children who could not, for whatever reason, live with their own families.

Janet, 70, told the Cambrian News she discovered fostering by accident when she cared for a young boy whose mother went into hospital.

She said: “It all began by accident, a lady in Porthmadog wasn’t very well and needed to go into hospital and I ended up looking after her little boy and my interest in the field of fostering all started from then.

“Being a foster carer can be a challenge at times, I have fostered children of all ages, from babies to 18-year-old teenagers, but it’s a real joy for me seeing these young people succeed in life.”

Mrs Williams, who lives with her husband Gareth, also founded and chaired the Gwynedd Fosters Carer Association.

See the full story in this Thursday’s Arfon/Dwyfor edition of the Cambrian News