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Foster carer shortlisted for woman of the year





Patsy Stone (pictured), aged 64, has been shortlisted for the Clarins Most Dynamisante Woman of the Year 2012 award, which recognises inspirational British women who work selflessly to help underprivileged or sick children, here or overseas, on a professional or voluntary basis.
Mrs Stone and her husband John have fostered children for the past 20 years, and she also set up Children 1st West Berkshire, a charity that aims to benefit and support children and young people who are or have been in care in West Berkshire.
She said that a fellow foster carer nominated her because she was still working hard to achieve things for young people, even at retirement age.
She added that it was a shock to be shortlisted, saying: “I’m not the sort of person who blows my own trumpet.”
In 2010, Mr and Mrs Stone set up a home in Thatcham for 18 to 21-year-olds who come out of foster care, the first in the country to cater for young adults of this kind.
It was a project they were determined to get under way after discovering that there was no such place for young people to move to once they had left foster care.
Mrs Stone said: “It’s quite surprising how many young people have nowhere to live and are homeless.”
The award is organised by The Mail on Sunday You magazine and the winner will receive £30,000 for their charity.
Mrs Stone said that if she won, she wanted to convert a room in the home into a bedroom so that they could help another young person.
She said: “Hopefully we can help more young people and keep them out of prison.
"We are trying to bring in social changes and help young people.
"We want to help not just this generation but future generations.”
She added: “We do want to win.
"It’s nice to be nominated but it will be even nicer to be able to grow the charity.”
Mrs Stone will find out whether she has won next month



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