A FOSTER carer has celebrated the importance of families with the launch of her new book.
Sarah Byrom has spent more than a decade working on Marmalade Raspberries & Albrecht – Poetry Prose Memoir.
The book is an illustrated memoir and collection of short stories, poems and recipes celebrating Sarah’s childhood, and a tribute to “the wonderment and often bonkersness of daily, family life”.
The author, who lives in Musselburgh, became a foster carer with Aberlour – which has premises in Prestonpans – just over a year ago.
Recognising the importance of the charity’s work to support struggling families through its urgent assistance fund, Sarah is covering all the costs of the book herself so that every penny donated for the book and cards will go to the emergency relief fund.
The author said: “Over the past 14 years I have been working on Marmalade Raspberries & Albrecht – Poetry Prose Memoir and it’s great to finally see it in print.
“It was wonderful to think about my childhood and how important it was in making me the person I am today.
“I have always loved kids and during lockdown I decided to investigate becoming a foster carer to give a child the opportunities and love I had growing up. That was when I was introduced to Aberlour Children’s Charity.
“My little one has now been with me for over a year now.
“I wanted to use my book to help families struggling across the country.
“Life is tough for everyone now, but it is especially difficult for many low-income families.”
Aberlour works across Scotland providing a range of services, including family support and fostering.
The good cause’s urgent assistance fund has been a lifeline for many desperate families during the Covid-19 pandemic and the current cost-of-living crisis, providing emergency cash grants for food, utilities, clothing, nappies and other basics.
Since April 2021, more than 16,000 people have received grants from the Aberlour urgent assistance fund, worth £1.8 million.
Nicola Fearon, head of fostering at Aberlour, thanked Sarah for her efforts.
She said: “We are so proud of Sarah.
“Not only has she published this wonderful book about her childhood and the important people in it, but she is using the book to raise much-needed funds to help families struggling to make ends meet.”
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