Our Patrons

Our Patrons & Ambassadors are a very important part of Families for Children, and help to make it what it is today.

Michael Caines - Patron

"Families for Children is a charity close to my heart as I myself am adopted and have benefited from growing up in a loving family."

"Adoption does work and gives a huge amount of benefit for the adoptee and parent alike. Families for Children is a brilliant charity. I do believe in adoption and Families for Children need support for funding - not just for adoptions but also for after care. The backgrounds of children being adopted now are different. These children have real issues and need support and care to make sure they don’t fall through the net. FFC support the wellbeing of the parent and the child. Together they teach the capacity to love and the good side of human nature through family life and help the children to grow up and be in a better place." Michael Caines is one of Britain's most acclaimed chefs. AA Chef's Chef of the Year in 2007, and awarded MBE in 2006 for services to the hospitality industry, Michael was previously Executive Chef at Gidleigh Park, the prestigious country house hotel on the edge of Dartmoor at Chagford, Devon, where he has earned his reputation - as well as two Michelin stars - serving distinctive modern European cuisine utilising the finest local and regional produce and ingredients. He is currently working on his own restaurants in Lympstone and Wales. Michael was born in Exeter in 1969 and adopted into a large and loving family. He gained his passion for food from his mother who he used to enjoy helping in the kitchen. Says Michael, "I grew up in a large family and my love of food and cooking came from the big family meals we always shared together, prepared by my mother, who was a wonderful cook. My father loved to grow vegetables and fruit in our garden and so I grew up appreciating the flavours of the freshest foods, picked that day and simply prepared."

Judi Spiers - Patron

"Judi Spiers is a true 'Devon Maid' who returned to her home ground after spending several years with BBC Radio 2."

Ann Barwood - Patron

Ann Barwood has been a Trustee with Families for Children for almost 15 years. She regarded this as a great privilege to be supporting a team of committed people.

However , due to other pressures she has reluctantly decided to retire from the Board.

Ann describes her time as a Trustee as having been a great privilege. She feels that she has been able to support a team of committed people whose focus was to provide children, who for various reasons could no longer live with their birth families, with a loving and supported family. The support for life that is offered to families and children is something which Ann considers is unique and makes FFC very special.

Ann is a qualified Social Worker with over 40+ years’ experience working in the field of Social Care/Health, the last five of which were spent in the Department of Health, Social Care Group, supporting the Secretary of State in exercising statutory powers of guidance, direction, inspection and enquiries.

Ann is currently a Lay Canon of Exeter Cathedral and Head of Exeter Cathedral’s Library and Archive Service, a post she has held since 2009. She is responsible for supporting the professional members of the Library and Archive Team and has facilitated the team in working towards, among other things, achieving National Archive Accreditation in 2013. Ann also recommended the Exeter Book for Inscription on the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register in 2016. The Library and Archives are an academic resource involved in research and academic studies for people from all over the world including those researching their family or local history.

Ann was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the Cathedral Library and Archives in the New Year’s Honours list 2013 and in January 2018 it was announced that she had been appointed an Honorary Associate Research Fellow in the College of Humanities at the University of Exeter in recognition of her work in strengthening the academic links between the University and the Cathedral.

Louise Allen - Ambassador

Louise Allen is an author and painter/ illustrator. As an activist she campaigns on behalf of looked after children and those that care for them.

Louise has spent most of her working life teaching Art and Design in Higher Education. Louise has joined Families for Children as an Ambassador –the relationship started when she spotted a collection tin at one of her book signings; after a little investigation into our charity she decided that she would be able to support us wholeheartedly as she felt that the model used by FFC to support adopted children is one that should be rolled our across the UK due to its successes. Louise has had much experience with using Art therapy and a nurturing environment to help and support foster children; we are looking forward to working with Louise to bring more of these assets to our post adoption support.

She has recently published her first book, Thrown Away Child, a memoir covering Louise Allen’s abusive childhood in a foster home, how she survived using her love of art as a sanctuary and how she hopes to right old wrongs now by fostering children herself.

Louise campaigns for the rights of Foster Care workers and for the rights of vulnerable children.

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Michael Caines - Patron

Judi Spiers - Patron

Ann Barwood - Patron

Louise Allen - Ambassador

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