Foster Dad of Six Crowned Dad of the Year

A Northampton based dad of six has been crowned Super Dad of the Year after winning a national competition.

45-year-old Tim Johnstone-Edwards received the Card Factory award after judges were deeply moved by his dedication to his family and children.

The paramedic, who is a dad to two children, step-dad to two and foster dad to two, all aged between seven and eighteen, has had a difficult year after taking on extra shifts during the pandemic and grieving for lost friends and colleagues.

His wife, Jen Johnstone-Edwards, who nominated him for the accolade, said that despite the long working hours, Tim still found time to be there for his children, including regularly driving for four hours for a window visit with his boys during lockdown.

Specialist card retailer, Card Factory, launched the brand-new Father’s Day competition to find the UK’s first ever Super Dad or L.A.D (Like A Dad) of the year.

The competition champions not only traditional father figures, but L.A.D (Like A Dad) figures too – meaning that single mums, same sex parents, aunties and uncles can get the recognition they deserve this Father’s Day.

Alongside the accolade of Card Factory’s first ever Super Dad of the Year, Tim will be awarded a £1,000 Center Parcs voucher to go towards a family holiday.

According to the judges, as a step-dad and foster father, Tim is the perfect embodiment of both a Dad and L.A.D figure. This, coupled with his family dedication and hard graft as a key worker during the pandemic, made him more than worthy of the accolade. Although the pandemic proved extremely difficult in many ways, to Tim it was very much his day-to-day and what he’d been trained to do, his calm, unwavering attitude carrying him through.

Tim and Jen started to foster just over a year ago, as they wanted to give other children the love, care and roots that they’d be able to give to their own. Despite the long hours he was working, super dad Tim still found time to learn to plait his foster daughter’s hair, embracing having a girl to care for alongside his five boys.

Jen Johnstone-Edwards said: “Tim loves all the children who come into our home and has the patience of a saint. He teaches them life skills, how to laugh, and celebrates every one of their triumphs.

“When I call him to say ‘I’ve agreed to have two more foster children’ he doesn’t bat an eyelid. He will simply say ‘What can I pick up on the way home?’.”

Tim Johnstone-Edwards said: “I’m really grateful and absolutely delighted to have won Card Factory’s Super Dad of the year. I couldn’t do any of it without my wife, Jen. It’s a team effort, and she’s the one that really holds us all together.

“The Centre Parcs vouchers are a fantastic prize, and I can’t wait to spend some time there together as a family.”

Georgia Walsh, Brand, Campaign and PR manager at Card Factory said: “Lots of people have an idea in their head about what a perfect ‘traditional’ family looks like. The reality is, families come in all shapes and sizes, and whether you have a Dad, L.A.D or combination of both, what matters is that the family receives love and support they deserve.

“We are thrilled that Tim has been given the recognition that he deserves this Father’s Day. We know how dedicated he is to his six children, and we couldn’t be happier to award him the title of Super Dad of the year.”