Foster carer Avril Head has been inundated with pledges of sponsorship and messages of goodwill ever since winning Adoption-net's sponsorship to take part in a fund-raising trek to China.

Avril (pictured) will be leaving for Beijing on Sunday and since being chosen last month to go on the ten-day trek, has been flooded with pledges of support amounting to more than £1,000.

The money, together with Adoption-net's £2,000 sponsorship, is for the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering and a Chinese fostering project Care for Children.

Since winning the trip, Avril has been enjoying celebrity status in Croydon where the local newspaper the Croydon Advertiser featured her story.

Letters, messages and pledges started flowing and Avril has been contacted by people she has not spoken to for years, including former fostered children and parents who adopted children she once looked after.

"I have been quite humbled by the lovely things people have said," said Avril. "Ron and I have been amazed at the reponse from people."

Friends have rallied round and pledged sponsorship and her local rugby club, Warlingham, and local church, St Gertrude's, in Croydon, have also helped to boost the amount of money raised.

The following are extracts from some of her messages of support she has received:

"I think it is a fantastic story and I am sure you will have a superb trip. I find people like yourself very uplifting and I will pledge £20 to such a worthwhile cause."

"Congratulations. I won't say that you are lucky because luck doesn't come into it, you deserve it! We think it is wonderful how you and Ron take on what you do and always seem to be able to keep your patience no matter what is going on."

"I was thrilled for you. It couldn't have been awarded to a better person. All that hard work and hard times you've been through, makes it even more justified. If there were more Avril Heads in the world, we would all benefit greatly."

"Well done you and yes, you more than deserve it!"

"Many congratulations...we have always admired the resolve of you and Ron. When it comes to doing a duty for society, so few do so well and in such good spirit, even through the horrid times."

Avril has been busy preparing for her trip by taking her dog for daily walks with the disabled toddler she is looking after strapped into a back-pack baby carrier.

The 22-month-old foster child also helped out during Avril's long wait for a visa at the Chinese embassy in London. As well as keeping the crowds amused in a way that only small children can, he also spurred the great Chinese bureaucratic machine into action.

"We kept going round and round in this great long queue.

"Eventally after the lady behind the counter has seen us three times, she was about to tell us it would be another 10 minutes and send us back to the end of the queue. Then she took a look at Andrew and said 'wait here a minute'.

"It was him that prompted to go and get all the passports people were waiting for. When she came back there was a great cheer from the queue."

She added: "I still find it hard to believe that this time next week I will be in China."

If you would like to sponsor Avril or send her a message of support contact us.

See also:

The one that didn't say goodbye
'I don't foster for social services, I do it for the children'
I'm on Cloud Nine, says winner
Avril's winning entry