Campaign briefing sheet

Today (Monday 4th September) we are launching a new campaign to recruit foster carers in Northamptonshire.

This campaign is being delivered in conjunction with the Northamptonshire Foster Carers’ Association and with September being a key time for enquiries about becoming a foster carer, there will be an impactful mix of marketing, media and social media activities featuring our foster carers and children and young people in care to raise awareness and generate enquiries.

1000 pairs of shoes

Entitled ‘1000 Pairs of Shoes’ we wanted to do something a bit different for our new fostering campaign, something with impact to really hit home about the high number of children in care in the county – as of today there are over 1000.

It was one of our fantastic foster carers’ idea to use children’s shoes to do this. Paul and his wife have fostered over 25 children during their nine years as foster carers, and throughout their journey they have collected a lot of shoes for the children they have cared for.

Every pair of shoes tells a story, and by sharing this message, we will emotionally connect with our audience and encourage people to find out more about fostering.

We have collected shoes from foster carers for the children and young people they’ve looked after, and Paul has made a huge banner (11ft by 4ft) to display all the shoes with the number 1000.

This will be displayed at events across the county where foster carers will be on hand to share their experiences, and people wanting to know more can get all their questions answered from our fostering team.

For the campaign, we have also had a poem written for us by Steph who experienced time in foster care as she was growing up. Entitled ‘1000 Pairs of Shoes’ the poem is very emotive and we have brought it to life through a short promotional video featuring many of the shoes that have been collected, our foster carers and children and young people (all children and young people featured in the film are actors).

1000 pairs of shoes

Sitting in a row

A little scuffed from where they’ve been

Unsure of where they’ll go

One thousand shoes all sizes

Big right down to small

Shoes that long to be placed with care

In their own space in the hall

Between the boots that keep you safe

And the slippers that speak of much love

One thousand shoes needing footsteps to follow

Of which there just aren’t enough

But you have the space, right there on the stair!

To offer a very fresh start

To a child that needs a loving home

And the soul that needs a heart

Your chance to change a journey

A challenge for which you could rise

Indeed they are big shoes to fill

But they might be exactly your size

Campaign objectives

  • To support the council’s objective of recruiting new foster carers in 2017/18
  • To highlight the number of children in care in Northamptonshire and how we need people to find out about fostering now
  • To raise awareness of the difference people can make to a child by becoming a foster carer
  • To generate good quality enquiries from people across the county about fostering
  • To bust the myths around fostering so people understand the requirements and qualities needed to be a good foster carer
  • To keep momentum going for the council’s fostering recruitment campaign
  • To raise awareness of the different groups of children and young people who need foster carers including children with additional needs, older children, sibling groups and children from BME backgrounds.

Campaign activity

  • Promotional video to bring ‘1000 Pairs of Shoes’ to life, this can be viewed at and will be shared through social media
  • Time-lapse video of foster carer Paul Martin making the shoe display, this can be viewed at
  • Press release with interview and photo opportunity
  • Events – the shoes will be on display in the lower mall at the Grosvenor Centre (outside Primark) during week commencing 4th September with foster carers and staff from the council’s fostering team
  • A two week radio advertising campaign on Connect FM featuring the ‘1000 Pairs of Shoes’ poem
  • Poster campaign
  • Promotional postcards
  • Launch of a fostering blog hosted on our website including the videos and the footsteps to becoming a foster carer
  • Social media campaign – sharing stories and quotes with the ‘every pair of shoes tells a story’ theme
  • Google Adwords campaign
  • Roadside banners at targeted locations across the county
  • Campaign page on the NCC website
  • Internal communications with staff at NCC and associated companies including corporate desktop, intranet news, Informer stories, e-mail signature, and featuring the videos on the big screen in the atrium at One Angel Square
  • Advert in Family Times magazine
  • Sharing the campaign with our partners in district and borough councils, police and health
  • Article for In Northamptonshire and other council newsletters

Further information

Sarah HobbsJoni Ager

Marketing SpecialistMedia Relations Specialist

01604 36638101604 361271