A BERKSHIRE social enterprise The Cornerstone Partnership welcomed Theresa May to the office handing over specially-made shoe biscuits to mark the Prime Minister’s 60th birthday.

The biscuits were made by celebrity chef Claire Clark and given to Mrs May when she visited the office of The Cornerstone Partnership on Friday to hear more about the urgent need for foster carers in Berkshire.

Helen Costa and Clare Brasier, founders of The Cornerstone Partnership - a social enterprise organisation supporting families through adoption and fostering, were able to talk to Mrs May about their work providing mentoring and training to parents as well as the desperate need for more people to be foster carers across the county.

Ms Costa, chief executive, who has two adoptive children, said: “There is a shortage of foster carers across the country and right now there are children in care in Berkshire needing a loving, stable home.

“We were able to talk to Mrs May about fostering and how we are working with local authorities to try and enhance and attract more people to become foster carers. Fostering can be such a rewarding experience for the carer as much as for the child and it is a paid role which offers training and support all the way through.”

“There are many ways in which you can provide a foster home for children. This could be short/long-term care; supported lodgings for over 16s needing a mentor through life and respite or back up care for other carers or parents of children with disabilities.

“We want to hear from anyone who has thought about fostering but never taken that next step. You must be over 21 and have a spare room. If you have energy, patience and big heart and can provide a loving, stable home for a child or young person please do call us now.”

Set up in 2014, The Cornerstone Partnership, partly funded by the Department for Education, now works with 18 Local Authorities across the South East including all the local authorities in Berkshire.

They now employ nine members of staff with 30 mentors volunteering for them to support more than 175 families on their adoption journey.

To find out more about being a foster carer, call Rebecca Curley on 01628 636376, email fostering@thecornerstonepartnership.com or visit www.thecornerstonepartnership.com