Devastated family pay tribute to beloved Blackpool mum, wife, cancer-survivor, and foster-carer to 20 children
“Fostering went through her veins, she was a great mother and loved all the children she fostered”
A heartbroken daughter has paid tribute to her selfless mum - a foster carer of 17 years - who died suddenly just two weeks ago.
Dawn Jones passed away on October 29 in Blackpool Victoria Hospital after complications developed following surgery to remove a blockage from her bowel. Her death has left the fostering community on the Fylde coast devastated, with her shocking passing having left a ‘huge hole’ in what is an extremely tight-knit collective.
Paying tribute to her selfless mother, daughter Lauren Collins has said that Dawn always put others first, right to the end. “Mum was always focusing on someone else,” said Lauren. “Even when she was unwell.”
Dawn, who was just 62, and husband Peter fostered 20 babies and children during their time as foster parents, going as far as to give a permanent home to two girls, both of whom had complex needs. Even on the day before her surgery, Dawn hosted a Halloween party for children and their foster carers, such was her dedication to children.
Last year, the couple - who lived on Winton Avenue - were named Top Trainers for their commitment to promoting fostering at a special event at Blackpool Winter Gardens, deomnstrating their respected place in the Fylde coast fostering community.
Lauren said: “Fostering went through her veins, she was a great mother and loved all the children she fostered - she kept in touch with them. She always made sure they had love and experiences that they may not have had otherwise - the fostering community is devastated, they can’t believe it.”
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Dawn grew up in Blackpool and worked at Marton Newsagents, but when her own children had flown the nest she decided she wanted to give something back and became a foster carer. Not even a bout of kidney cancer - which she battled 10 years ago, resulting in the loss of one of her kidneys - could stop her. Lauren says all she cared about was getting back to fostering.
“It’s so sad, she went through the cancer and came out of it, then this took her,” said Lauren. “When she had cancer she had to rest but she just wanted to get back to what she was good at. They did foster training, a lot of it over Teams and was involved on fostering panels.
“People are shocked...” said Lauren. “They can’t believe she put the Halloween party on the day before [her surgery].”
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Dawn looked after babies, toddlers and was an emergency carer, taking in children in the middle of the night on occasions with no questions asked. She leaves Pete; children Lauren, Brian, and Gemma; and five grandchildren, Chloe, Alfie, Jaxon, Vivvie, and Sydnee.
“Mum was always focusing on someone else, even when she was unwell, it was about other people,” said Lauren. “It was a bit of her downside really.”
The coroner has been informed and an investigation will take place into the circumstances surrounding Dawn’s death. A full inquest will take place on April 12, 2027.