To celebrate its one-year anniversary, Adoption Counts unveiled its very own super-sized Bee sculpture, as part of Bee in the City’s Hive of Creativity Festival at the National Football Museum.

Cheshire East Council is one of the five local authorities that make up this collaborative adoption agency.

The giant Bee is a symbol of the difference a year can make in the life of an adopted child and parent.

It forms part of Adoption Counts’ anniversary campaign which shares stories from adoptive parents about the life changing family moments they’ll never forget.

Working closely with talented artist Lois Cordelia, adoptive parents submitted words and phrases about their adoption experiences to help create the Bee design, while enchanting illustrations of family and children cover the Bee in playful scenes.

Councillor Jos Saunders, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “We are so proud to be supporting this exciting festival, celebrating young people’s involvement in ‘Bee in the City’.

“Lois Cordelia’s design captures our message perfectly, that adoption can transform a child’s life into a world of love, creativity and imagination.

“We recognise that by joining together with our partners across Manchester makes it easier to find the best family for each child.

“Our key aim remains to provide the right adopters at the right time, reduce the delay in finding forever homes for these children and working hard for those who have waited the longest to be placed.

“We are committed to not just to finding new families but supporting these families into the future, helping them to give children the security they need.”

Visit www.adoptioncounts.org.uk to find out more.