Foster carer who looked after more than 150 children receives MBE from Prince William

A Lynn fostering service carer who has transformed the lives of more than 150 children has received her MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) from Prince William, the Prince of Wales.Barbara ‘Barbie’ Howell has shared her home and life with dozens of children in need, despite having to overcome many challenges in her own childhood.Barbie’s mum died when she was just five and she left school with no qualifications at the age of 14 – meaning she and her family had to live with friends and relatives for many years.

At 14, she started nannying and later met her now-husband Ben.They decided to foster once they had started their own family, taking in their first child when their youngest was just three months old.Barbie said: “Fundamentally, fostering is about love. Fostering is the joy of the journey.”

Three children, more than 150 foster children and 10 grandchildren later, Barbie and Ben have been fostering for 41 years. “I’ve loved every minute, there’s ups and downs, but it’s just the best,” added Barbie.The children that they cared for were instrumental in Barbie’s MBE nomination – masterminded by her late friend and employer Sue, numerous foster children wrote in support of her nomination. Carlos, who spent 21 years living with Barbie and Ben, said: “I lived in a different world before I came into care.“From the word go I gelled with Barbie. I knew that I was loved.”Barbie and Ben’s oldest daughter Amy said: “As a child who fosters, you play a major part, but you don’t really realise that at the time. “Mum is incredibly good at sharing her time, she always has been. I think that’s probably the secret to their success.”Katy, their youngest daughter, said: “As a parent myself now, always rushed off of my feet I marvel at how they did it.“They’ve always had so much time for us all and so much love to share.”Cllr Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for Children’s Social Services at Norfolk County Council, said: “People like Barbie Howell are unique. “She represents the very essence of fostering. With quiet determination she and her family have given countless children a loving home, ensuring they are happy and well looked after, often going far further than the extra mile.“The number of former foster children who were happy to write letters to contribute to her MBE nomination is truly humbling.”Reporting by Cara Fiore