Heartwarming moment two foster parents who have looked after more than 1,000 kids are thrown a surprise party
Anne and Terry Panks are well known in their area for their amazing acts of charity, so we threw them a special event to say thank you
IN 1980, Anne and Terry Panks opened their home to people in need.
Since then the pair have gone on to care for more than 1,000 troubled boys and girls.
To celebrate their amazing community spirit, we threw them a surprise party to thank them for their 36 years of service.
The pair were told they were on their way to meet a reporter from The Sun, when really they were heading to a local community centre where a roomful of people once in their care were waiting for them.
"It was an amazing surprise!" said Anne, who still runs the Manchester-based Copperdale Trust to this day.
"It seemed impossible and we had no idea how many people would be there. It was so surreal.
"There were over sixty people there that we'd cared for. And there were a lot of people we'd not seen for a while, so it brought us closer to a lot of different people."
Thirty-six years ago the pair took over the old Copperdale police station and opened its doors as a refuge for people in need.
Originally, due to less strict regulation surrounding community support, the pair were allowed to take in as many people as possible in order to provide them shelter, running water and clean clothing.
Anne explained: "We always did the best we could, and we were always ahead of the guidelines that were brought in.
"We always had running water and locks on the doors.
"But a lot has changed since we started.
"Now we have strict guidelines we have to follow, which is all for the good really."
Over the last 30 years they've cared for thousands of children and have become well known not only in the local area, but across the country for their huge hearts and incredible selflessness.
So much so that in 2012, the pair won the Pride of Britain award.
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Anne recalled: "That was an amazing night. I was very grateful that people wanted us to win."
While the pair list the award as one of their greatest achievements, their main focus is still on providing unwavering support for vulnerable young boys and girls.
Anne said: "The best achievement we have is that everyone that has come through our door has gone on and lived a brilliant quality of life.
"A lot of them still ring me up to talk now, and many have gone on to run their own businesses and get all sorts of qualifications.
"We had one girl come in in 1982 when she was 16, and we still keep in touch now."
One story in particular that stands out for Ann and Terry is the tale of Paul - or Del Boy, as they affectionately know him.
Anne explained: "He trained as a jockey, and even ended up racing on TV.
"One day we took him to a stables, and by sheer luck the man who owned it had been a Barnardos boy and took Del on.
"He has this amazing way with horses that nobody knew about, and after leaving us he went to Ireland to train as a jockey."
This is just one example of Anne and Terry's amazing endeavour.
The majority of their work revolves around offering people who have found themselves in difficult situations a better quality of life.
To learn more about the Copperdale Trust, click .
