Fife Couple Celebrate Fifty Years As Foster Carers

Fife Council is holding a double celebration to mark George and Edith Penman’s remarkable 50 years of being Fife Council carers and the renaming of the Community Living Service.

The event is taking place on Saturday 17th October at the Rothes Halls Glenrothes.

Sheena Robertson Service Manager said: It is wonderful to celebrate George and Edith’s 50 years of dedication and commitment. Over the years the service and society have seen many changes but they have remained constant in dedicating their lives to caring for others. Their story is a true inspiration for all of us in caring roles and professions. They see themselves as ordinary people but they have achieved extraordinary things. If you feel you could offer a vulnerable adult, care and support I would encourage you to contact us.” 

Edith and George say: “We started out as foster carers 50 years ago and 41 years ago Heather was brought to us at 3 weeks old – a tiny baby with Downs Syndrome. In those days people didn’t know much about Downs Syndrome and the first 18 months were very tricky. She was fragile and not expected to live more than 10 years. But she defied the experts and when she became eighteen and too old to be a foster child we became Shared Lives carers. 
We brought her up as one of the family and treated her just like our other children. Now we are no longer able to care for her the Shared Lives Service has been able to find her a new carer. It’s been hard for us to let go but much better for her if something should happen to us. We meet up with her every week and she continues to bring tremendous pleasure to our lives.” 

The Community Living service is being relaunched as Shared Lives Fife to bring the service into line with the national Shared Lives network. It is only the name of the service that has changed. The service and the people involved with the service remains exactly the same. 

The Community Living Service now called Shared Lives Fife provides family-based care to adults with disabilities and mental health difficulties in the homes of carers across Fife. The service is developing further to offer the service to people over the age of 65 years who are in need of additional support. Shared Lives Fife aims to match families or individuals who are willing to share their homes, lives, interests, experience and skills with adults who need support to live their lives to the full.