THERE were big smiles all round when homegrown reality TV star Brian Belo helped launch an event in Pitsea to encourage more foster parents to come forward.
Brian, 20, who recently moved to Billericay, put in an appearance at Wat Tyler Country Park yesterday morning to launch Essex County Council's Foster Care Awareness Fortnight.
Big Brother 2007 winner Brian was in foster care for a period when he was a toddler.
He took time to chat to foster parents from across south Essex and announced details of special events happening in the coming two weeks.
He was joined at the event by county councillor Ray Gooding, who is responsible for schools, children and families.
Brian, who grew up in Ampers End, Basildon, also donated the white Big Brother shirt he wore for the BB final. It will be auctioned off to raise funds to support foster children.
The county council wants to recruit 200 new foster carers across Essex by 2010.
Brian told the crowd he was "devastated" to have missed an earlier ECC foster care launch last month due to what he described as "a diary mix-up".
For more information about fostering, click the link below.
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