Patrick and Diane McCourt each received a British Empire Medal for services to foster care in Northern Ireland . The couple, who have opened up their home to over 330 vulnerable children since becoming foster carers over four decades ago, previously received the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award in 2022, as well as the Sunday Life Spirit of Northern Ireland Unsung Hero Award in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Earlier this year, they were recognised for their efforts by hit ITV show Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway Pat and Diane, who continued into their early 70s to foster young children – even through the Covid pandemic – won a ‘Takeaway Getaway’ on the programme after being nominated by family members. The news of their double Honours came while she and Pat were on a cruise holiday, Diane explained. “We’d got the letter a few weeks before, but we thought we were just shortlisted,” she added.
“Then when we were in Crete, the text came through [from family] that our names were on the list. We couldn’t believe it.” Pat and Diane first began fostering in the 1978, and it soon became a way of life for them.
“When we first started, it was fostering newborn babies; then it got to older children and longer term. We just got that used to it,” Diane said. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, several of their for.
