Who is Lee Foster?

1970
I was born. It was July and I was in a maternity hospital called Danesfield in a town called Jarrow. My parents and I lived in South Shields.

1976
The twins came along in November of this year. My choice of a dog or the twins ended up not being a choice at all. It was simply the twins - I'd made the wrong choice! The were called Samantha and Benjamin. We had good times and bad as bothers and sisters usually do.

1986
This was the year I grew up. I learned to drive thanks to my mam and the Bede Industrial estate in Jarrow. I also got my first car - a hand-me-down Vauxhall Cavalier mk1. It was great! Originally the white Cavalier sat in the back yard as I was underage to drive it (16), but it gave me a chance to look at how it all worked. I took the wheels off and on, learned where bits were under the bonnet and even sprayed most of it black with aerosols. It looked a little like an American police car as the only remaining white area was the doors.

It was the year I left Mortimer comprehensive to train as a chef at South Tyneside College. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do and the career advisor at school said that a questionnaire I'd completed to help me decide came up with catering or a shepherd. Strolling fields chasing sheep was not very appealing and as I was pretty good at cooking - catering college it was. After one year of full time and another two on a Youth Training (slave labour) Scheme I qualified with all the required catering qualifications. Once I started work in the industry I found I hated it!

1988
Foolishly young and not thinking properly I got engaged this year. In fact everything was going well until the engagement. Afterwards things went gradually downhill. It was also the year I nearly joined the circus. Sat by the ringside with my girlfriend the ringmaster asked if anybody wanted to join and travel with them. I was so tempted by the new lifestyle. My girlfriend and parents were not to amused by this urge and so the circus left without me! I cant help thinking what I'd be doing now?

This was also the year I passed my driving test and bought my first car. A Vauxhall Astra mk 1. A tax rebate paid for my insurance and the following day I crashed it. The car had to go and I was left paying a loan for the next two years for a car I didn't have.

1989
My final reminder of how bad it was was at a Beefeater restaurant on the Newcastle quayside. Newly opened, the manager had over recruited and sacked people at every little opportunity when he realised his 'error'. I found to my horror that all my training had been a waste of time as the Beefeater was a specialist packet opener. Everything came ready prepared in packets, all the chefs did was heat it up and serve it with a dollop of sauce from the vast range of bottles stood along the counter top. I complained that trained monkeys could do this job and not long after I was looking for another job!

My next career decision was made by sticking my finger at random on the jobs page in the Evening Chronicle. It turned out to be care work. I applied for a job at the Sue Ryder Home in Oxfordshire and was amazed to have got it. Taking this job also meant leaving home

1990
My new role as an auxiliary nurse turned out to be a good choice. I loved this job. It was working in a Hospice for people with terminal cancer. The home is located in a small village called Nettlebed in Oxfordshire, near Henley on Thames. The old mansion (called Joyce Grove) was very secluded in acres of private woodland and little in the way of civilisation for a good few miles.

I learned a lot about cancer and palliative care over the following six and a half years. It introduced me to a lot of new illnesses that required palliative care. It wasn't a morbid or depressing job that some people often think it is. Yes it's dealing with death, suffering, grief, last offices, mortuary and other gruesome details that I'll spare you. But it was also about giving people relief from pain, dying with dignity in beautiful surroundings, supporting relatives through a confusing and frightening time. Those are the things that drive you on.

It was while working at the Sue Ryder Home that I began to write short stories, poems and publish a magazine (called The Grove) to raise money for the home. The buzz I got from publishing and design lead me to want to go down this route further. I redesigned all of the home's nursing forms, care plans, stationary and a communication board with one of the patients to help him communicate faster.

I bought my first Apple Mac in 1994 and spent hours learning how to use the computer and creative software such as Photoshop and Quark XPress. The satisfaction I got from this creativity gave me the idea to take it up as a career - either as a graphic designer, web designer or both. So I applied to Newcastle College. My time at Sue Ryder Home came to an end. I would miss the place, it had shaped me as a person and gave me a direction in life. The beginning of that direction was to move back home to South Shields.

1996
I studied BTEC graphic design at Newcastle College. The course was both inspiring and frustrating. Some projects tested my ability and others were a joy. But after two years I left with a distinction and an opportunity to go on the HNC. But I bottled and returned to care work.

1998
Returned to care work, this time for the council as I missed working with people. I also worked for the BNA where I got experience working in various homes and hospitals as an auxiliary.

My Sue Ryder bubble burst when I came to realise the realities of care work in this country. I had been spoiled or rather left with the false impression that all care services were of such a high and caring standard. I understood money played a major factor in all care services but I began to experience privately owned care homes and I was sickened by what I saw. These were places that ran on profits first, standards of care second. As many as 60 elderly people 'trapped' in huge homes with as little as 6 staff to offer personal care, meals and keep them active and entertained. The last two qualities was very rare. I had discovered conveyor belt care where people were treated like objects - no choice, no dignity and no quality of life. Night shift and day shift dictated when they went to bed and got up. Staff chose what they'd be eating, who they'd be sitting next to and watching on TV that day. Out of the many homes, (council too) there were only a couple of exceptions where they valued people as individuals. As a care worker, I wanted to do something about it but felt powerless.

2000
My role from carer in the elderly sector came to an end when I became a community support worker at Wenlock Lodge, Simonside. Here I was working with adults with learning disabilities. It was a joint residential and short break service. I moved up to a senior position after 3 years. This is the place I would meet my future wife Tracy as she was a CSW at the time too. I spent a lot of time on the respite unit and as with the Sue Ryder Home, I redeveloped all of the support plans and forms to make them more practicle.

2002
I married Tracy in Sept 2002. I gained a 9 year old stepson called Luke and became an instant dad. Not an easy job due to missing out on all the preparation and raising aspect of having children. We all lived in Sunderland.

2003
Dylan was born in April weighing in at 11lb 1oz. From first seeing Dylan as an image on a scanner to watching him develop and grow is an amazing thing - especially when in the back of my mind I keep reminding myself that Dylan exists because of me. It still amazes me as I see parts of my personality come out through him.

2004
We were told by the council that they are going to bulldoze Wenlock to make a new development! Everyone was up for redeployment - something I wasn't keen on. I left Wenlock in November and moved to Real Life Options as its deputy manage for Bisley Drive Short Break Service (for adults with learning disabilities). I had a great time setting the service up with a smashing staff team. The service was a dedicated respite service that rose from the ashes of Wenlock. Again, my need to improve things led to another redevelopment of all the support plans and paperwork - each revision becoming more person centred.

2007
I got my NVQ 4 in care and Registered Managers Award - hurray!

2008
Time to move on. I'm now the manager of a short break service based in Gateshead for Gateshead Council. I've achieved my ambition to get to a post that will allow me to make a difference. It's been an interesting journey getting there and there is more to come. All the experience I had from previous jobs has been poured into this. I have yet again redeveloped all the support plans and paperwork in the service and now other services are planning on using some of it.

Other Stuff
My wife, Tracy, is the Person Centred Planning Facilitator for South Tyneside Council.

My brother Ben lives in Scotland with his wife Emma and children Caleb and Felicity.

My sister lives in Scotland too with her husband Stuart.

Mam and dad still live in South Shields. Dad has retired and is perfecting his golfing skills.

I'm was part of a Paranormal Investigation Team called Northern Ghost Investigations. I also run my own paranormal interest website and forum, see: www.hauntedland.co.uk

The paranormal phase has loosened its grip and now another spirit has taken residence - whisky. Like learning about it and trying various expressions, especially the Islay malts.