Milton Keynes says final goodbye to remarkable woman who was 'mum' to more than 500 children

Incredible Anne Falcus was raised in Bletchley by adopted parents and met and married husband Mike when they were both in the army.

Mike had been raised in an orphanage, the former Fegans at Stony Stratford, and this spurred the pair to vow to spend their lives helping children in need of a living home.

The pair started fostering in their small three bedroom house in Bletchley, filling it with children and love.

Then in the mid 1970s they opened The Ark in Wolverton, a large home that specialised in vulnerable teenagers who were homeless or in danger of becoming homeless in the Milton Keynes area.

Anne and Mike ran The Ark as a charity and, over the next 25 years, took in hundreds of youngsters in need of help, support and nurturing.

With no real funding for years, Anne worked at several jobs – including an ambulance driver and a barmaid, to feed the ever-growing brood.

Her daughter Kirstie said: “Mum was always a huge driving force for fundraising for the Ark to ensure they could not only provide a family home for all but to also include birthday and Christmas treats and an annual holiday to Devon.

The couple, who won a Citizen Pride award for their efforts, only left The Ark when Mike’s health deteriorated. They moved to Milton Keynes Village where Anne continued to help those in need.

"Even as late at 2018, she was still taking ex Ark residents into her her home and putting them up in times of homelessness or relationship breakdowns,” said Kirstie.

“Mum was loved by so many and was still in contact with many former residents. We have been inundated with messages of love from as far afield as Arizona and Canada.”

Anne’s funeral is to be held on Thursday June 26 at 2pm at All Saints Church in Milton Keynes Village. The family would welcome flowers or donations in her name to Jo’s Hope charity via Heritage & Sons funeral directors in Bletchley.