ADOPTION COUNTS UNVEILS SUPER-SIZED BEE TO CELEBRATE FIRST ANNIVERSARY

To celebrate its one-year anniversary, Adoption Counts unveiled its very own super-sized Bee sculpture today, as part of Bee in the City’s Hive of Creativity Festival at the National Football Museum.

The giant Bee is a symbol of the difference a year can make in the life of an adopted child and parent. It forms part of Adoption Counts’ anniversary campaign which shares stories from adoptive parents about the life changing family moments they’ll never forget.

Working closely with talented artist Lois Cordelia, adoptive parents submitted words and phrases about their adoption experiences to help create the Bee design, while enchanting illustrations of family and children cover the Bee in playful scenes.

The five local authorities in Greater Manchester and Cheshire that make up the adoption agency, were joined by adoptive parents and primary school children to unveil the Bee.

Councillor Jos Saunders , Cheshire East Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “We are so proud to be supporting this exciting festival, celebrating young people’s involvement in ‘Bee in the City’. Lois Cordelia’s design captures our message perfectly, that adoption can transform a child’s life into a world of love, creativity and imagination.

“We recognise that by joining together with our partners across Manchester makes it easier to find the best family for each child. Our key aim remains to provide the right adopters at the right time, reduce the delay in finding forever homes for these children and working hard for those who have waited the longest to be placed.

“We are committed to not just to finding new families but supporting these families into the future, helping them to give children the security they need.”

The Bee, named ‘Bee-YOU-ti-ful’, will now form part of the Bee in the City art trail, opening on July 23^rd, before it is auctioned off to raise funds for The Lord Mayor of Manchester’s, We Love MCR Charity, in October.

Adoptive parent, Paul, said: “The process of adoption can be challenging, but Adoption Counts were with us every step of the way and, a year on, we’re thriving as a family. It’s lovely to be part of the anniversary and to see the Bee with words which resonate with us as adoptive parents. I hope it will open people’s eyes to adoption and how truly life changing it can be.”

There are currently a high number of children, some of them with their siblings, in desperate need of a loving home in Greater Manchester and Cheshire. Adoption Counts hopes this campaign will encourage people to think about adopting and contact them for support.

Adoption is life changing. Visit www.adoptioncounts.org.uk to find out more.