Northampton paramedic and father-of-six is crowned 'super dad of the year'

A Northampton father-of-six has been crowned 'super dad of the year' after winning a national competition ran by Card Factory

Paramedic, Tim Johnstone-Edwards, 45, is a father to two children, a step-father to two and a foster father to another two, all aged between seven and 18-years-old. Judges were deeply moved by his dedication to his family, particularly after a difficult year of taking on additional shifts during the pandemic and grieving for lost friends and colleagues.

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 - meaning that single mums, same sex parents, aunties and uncles could also get the deserved Father's Day recognition.

Tim's wife, Jen Johnstone-Edwards, nominated her husband for the accolade. She 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?’"

Jen, in her nomination, said that Tim still found time to be there for his children despite his long working hours. This included driving regularly for four hours at a time to make a window visit with his boys during lockdown.

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

Super Dad of the Year, Tim, 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 Center Parcs vouchers are a fantastic prize and I can’t wait to spend some time there together as a family.”

Judges of the Card Factory competition said that Tim is the "perfect embodiment of both a Dad and L.A.D figure". They said that it was this coupled with his family dedication and hard graft as a key worker during the pandemic, that made him more than worthy of the award.

Tim and Jen made the decision to start fostering just over a year ago because they wanted to give other children the love, care and roots they were able to give to their own. Despite the long hours Tim was working, he still found time to plait his foster daughter's hair embracing having a girl to care for alongside his five boys.

Brand, campaign and PR manager at Card Factory, Georgia Walsh, 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.”

For more information about Card Factory, visit their website at: https://www.cardfactory.co.uk/.