Lynn Hallows and her husband Chris, each lit a cigarette. They looked rather tense of the prospect of being interviewed after being chosen as one of the 18 foster carers awarded for their "outstanding" contribution to the care of vulnerable children.

Like many foster carers, they are just one of thousands of unsung heroes who form an essential part of the care system and are not used to taking the limelight.

Three Manchester authorities felt it was time that changed and so, as the stars of Hollywood's silver screen prepared for their biggest awards ceremony of the year, Manchester, Trafford and Salford councils arranged their own little Oscars ceremony to recognise the efforts of their army of essential carers.

For seven years, Lynn and Chris have given their lives to the care of children. Although they are officially Salford carers, they now share their "ordinary" four-bedroom house in a Welsh seaside town with seven birth, adopted and foster children.

When they were first approved, Chris worked as a caretaker for a health centre but after being made redundant, and as their brood expanded, he decided to join his wife as a full-time carer.

The couple have three children of their own between the ages of 14 and 22. Their oldest is now married and no longer lives at home.

As well as three birth children, they have two other adopted children, aged eight and 13 and also care for three foster children, aged seven, ten and 14, two of which (the oldest two) they are also in the process of adopting.

So how did it all start? Like many foster carers, Lynn was inspired to apply because a neighbour of hers when she lived in Manchester was a carer.

"I just thought, 'I could do that' and applied," said Lynn. "It was a longish procedure, there were thorough checks but it's nothing if you really want to do it."

Unlike some authorities, Salford lives by its extremely open policy of accepting a wide variety of people as carers - so the fact that both Lynn and Chris smoke cigarettes was simply not an issue when they applied, both as foster carers and adoptive parents.

During her time, they have was cared for a wide variety of children, some easy, others more difficult.

But with children, you reap what you sow and for Lynn the effort in helping a child overcome their problems brings a satisfaction that drives her on.

One particular child came to her with fairly severe learning difficulties. But with Lynn's help and encouragement, they pushed and succeeded in getting him through college.

It was this sort of effort that earned Lynn her Oscar. Her nomination said that her and her husband offered children the experience of being part of a warm, loving family.

It added: "Lynn has a tremendous determination to overcome difficulties and can always be relied on to fight for the best for the children she looks after.

"With all the foster children, Lynn and Chris have a huge family. Despite this they make sure each child feels special and has the support they need to rebuild their lives after difficult experiences."

But to Lynn, as with many of the winners of the Oscars, you get the impression that the effort they put into fostering is second nature.

"It's seeing the children go from being upset and sad to seeing them smile and seeing them laugh that makes it worthwhile," she said.

For Jennifer Williams it was what she could offer to black and mixed race children in care that spurred her in becoming a foster carer.

"I saw an advert on TV for three mixed race kids looking for a foster carers and that there were not enough foster carers from ethnic minorities.

"I thought they wouldn't accept me in the place place because I am a single parent."

But in fact, when she approached Trafford Council, they were very welcoming and being a single parent was just not an issue.

Jennifer, 41, an Asda checkout operator, has a 15-year-old son of her own but living in a four-bedroom house means she has been able to offer a home that has allowed groups of brothers and sister to stay together. S

he is currently caring for two boys and a girl.

"I come from a big family. We've always had children around," she said.

And contrary to the popular belief that boys are more difficult, she says she prefers them. "Boys let things go over their head more."

Because of her job, she tends to look after school-age children who are that bit more independent and she draws the line at caring for children who may be a risk to her, and "more importantly" her son.

Ironically, although she went into fostering with the view to having something to offer black children, most of the 32 children she has cared for in her three years as a foster parent, have been white.

However, this has enabled her to sow seeds of a different variety - by giving white children an insignt into and postive view of black family life.

During her time as a foster carer she has taken in children on emergency, respite, short-term and bridging placements. Among the most rewarding experiences of her job are preparing children for adoption.

She believes, the most important quality for foster carers is patience - followed closely by a sense of humour.

Her Oscar nomination described Jennifer a highly committed carer who had worked "extremely well" with the parents of the children in her care.

Other Trafford winners:

Pauline Gibbons, pictured, was praised by a large number of other foster carers for her commitment and the way she copes with difficult teenagers.

She has been fostering for Salford for nearly 25 years with her husband, Derek.

The couple, as well as helping children who need looking after until they can go home, have given many older children a permanent home.

And their care doesn't stop once the children have moved on. The couple act as foster grandparents helping out their grown-up foster children and providing the sort of family support most families take for granted.

They see fostering is a family commitment. Their two daughters and son have grown up with foster children, as did Pauline herself, and all the family are fully involved.

Noreen and John Bailey have been fostering for Salford for more than 15 years and have offered long term care to severely disabled children.

They currently care for three children with learning and physical disabilities, and a severely disabled man whom they have looked after since he was a child.

The couple were nominated for their Oscar by their son Luke, who said: "I have nominated my mum and dad because of their hard work and dedication to the children they have cared for.

"To my parents, fostering isn't a job, it's a pleasure and the kids will always be my parents' priority. I know I speak for all the kids they have cared for."

Janice Collinge and her family won their Oscar for their "exceptional care" to children with physical and learning disabilities.

They have made a full-time commitment to offering short-break care, enabling the parents of severely disabled children to have a well-earned rest, or to spend some time with other family members.

Janice, pictured with TV news presenter Martin Henfield, currently provides respite care for six children with profound disabilities and recently looked after a little girl with a terminal illness, sharing the care with her parents until she died.

The girl's parents have praised Janice's care and commitment, and the fantastic support she provided to help them through a tragic time in their lives.

Kath Tidswell has been a foster carer for Salford for more than 12 years and was described in her nomination as a "truly caring person" and "exceptional lady with enormous energy and a wonderfully warm heart".

A single parent, she manages to care for several foster children at any one time and never likes to say no when she knows a child needs a home in an emergency.

Kath has also adopted two children she cared for as well permanently looking after a little girl who is visually impaired.

Bryony Perry and her husband, Wayne, have been foster carers for Salford for 12 years. Together with their family, they have looked after a whole range of children of all ages and are always willing to help out in an emergency.

The couple have "always shown a huge commitment to children they look after" and many children have stayed with them into adulthood.

Recently one of their long-standing foster children tragically died of a terminal illness. Bryony was there for her right up until the end while carrying on looking after all the other children in her busy household.

Manchester winners:

Joy and John Selley have been approved to care for disabled children for 11 years and last year were approved to adopt Anthony, a profoundly disabled six-year-old boy with complex medical needs, who has lived with the family since 1999 full time, and on a shared-care basis since he was nine months old.

The couple, as well as attending to all his needs, have saved his life on a number of occasions when he has had breathing difficulties. They also provide respite care for a 15-year-old girl with learning difficulties.

Kath and Keith Parry were nominated for the "invaluable service" to fostering. They have provided about 400 placements to children over the past 40 years.

They have also adopted three siblings one of whom is a 20-year-old man with profound physical and learning disabilities who was placed just before his second birthday and another a five-year-old girl who also has complex medical needs and a physical disability.

Linda and Brian Farrand were the first foster carers to be approved to offer short breaks to disabled children in 1979.

The child they were matched with then is now an adult who lives with support in the community. He still visits Mr and Mrs Farrand who continue to offer him invaluable support into adulthood.

The couple, who have also adopted a young woman with learning difficulties, currently look after two children with severe learning disabilities.

Irene Butterworth has devoted her life to caring for babies and has looked after about 120 during her 22 years as a foster carer for Manchester.

She usually cares for three young babies at any one time and can have as many as four, offering a warm, nurturing environment for the children, adopters and professionals alike.

Joan and Brian Waller, meanwhile, have specialised in looking after teenage girls since becoming a foster carer in 1992. She was nominated for "commitment above and beyond the call of duty".

Last year, Joan agreed to look after a young person who was pregnant, supporting her through the last months of ante-natal care and acting as her birth partner.

Jackie Cole has cared for 58 children over the past 13 years, from toddlers to teenagers from the easy to the extremely difficult. She also continues to support a number of ex-foster children living independently in the community.

She was nominated for being "flexible and always prepared to help out in a crisis".

Dot and Alan Probert have been foster carers for more than 20 years and have cared for more than 80 babies and specialising in caring for babies before they move on to adoptive families.

Dot has also recently been passing on her knowledge as a mentor to a new foster carer who is learning the best way to look after babies and let them move on.

Irene Roberts and her husband, Ted, have also specialised in caring for babies, looking after more than 130 since 1972.

She is wellknown for her high coach-built pram, usually carrying two babies with Ted pushing a third baby in a pushchair, and thinks nothing of "topping and tailing" three or four babies at a time.

Trafford winners:

Janet James was nominated by another carer who wrote: "She has years of experience which she shared with others. Her experience does not stop her keeping up to date with all that is going on.

"She always has time to spare if you have a query, however busy she is. Janet and her family blend so well in the fostering system, promoting many happy fostered children."

Tzaraine Cope joined Trafford's home -from-home scheme three years ago and since then has been linked with three disabled children all of whom have had very different needs.

She has worked closely with the social service department and has become an extremely valued member in the training of new carers.

Yvonne and Keith Jones were nominated by another carer who wrote: "When we first did our training Yvonne was very helpful, she assisted with the training, she has also looked after lots of children very well. Also Keith and Yvonne have helped and organised our support regarding NFCA."

Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer in Manchester should call 0161 255 8300 or visit the fostercare website.

See also:

Top carers get Nod of approval