'It all started in the late 1800s when my great-grandad helped Belfast people move house with a horse and cart'

Foster and Sons is a family run Removals and Storage business.

It all started in the late 1800s when Samuel Foster, my great-grandad, helped people move house in and around Belfast with a horse and cart. The first truck was put on the road in 1921 and the business was born.

The Foster family originally came from Tate’s Avenue in Belfast, where they stayed until the late Maurice Foster, my dad, moved to East Belfast in the 1970s.

Samuel, who founded the business, was succeeded by his son Robert, my grandfather, in the 1930/1940’s, who passed the business on to his son Maurice, my dad, in the 70s.

My dad was more interested in being on the trucks than going to school and after working with his dad from the age of 13, took over in the 1930/1940s. He married my mum Barbara and they moved the business to East Belfast, then to Holywood.

My dad allowed me to first work alongside him at the age of 10. I reluctantly went to school but couldn’t wait to leave school to work full time with dad in the removals business. I took over from him in 2007 after his untimely death.

I took on the business just as the world and the housing market was thrown into a recession. When many others would have given up, I brought in business consultants to help the business survive and grow during tough economic times.

Thankfully we not only survived the recession, but we grew to what it is today. Back in Belfast, Fosters is now based on the Holywood Road. We have four trucks on the road, a storage warehouse, a team of removal staff and four office staff. Alongside removals, we now offer packing and cleaning services and have recently branched out into house clearance.

I got married in 2017 to Meabh, who’s from South Belfast. She came on board as a director in 2018 and together we run the business now, with my mum Barbara still answering phones in the office, 50 years after she started helping my dad.

My oldest Joshua is already hot on my heels to take over the business once he finishes his education. He spends summer holidays from school on the trucks learning the trade, just like I used to. Sometimes he works alongside his Uncle Scott, a musician by trade who works part time for the family business when he can.

We recently learnt we’re finalists in the Family Business Awards 2024 in two categories Best Small Family Business and Family Business Longevity award.

I’m absolutely delighted, the Business Longevity award especially means so much to me because our business has passed from father to son for generations and everyone has worked so hard over the years.

Because we’re finalists we have have also been entered in the People’s Choice Award which is based on public votes. So need everyone’s help and we’re asking our customers and the people of Northern Ireland to support us by voting for us.

My great grandad, grandad and dad would be proud. Sadly, my dad didn’t live to see the business grow into what it is now. Being shortlisted for these awards feels like a lovely way to honour him. If we won it would be unbelievable.

Foster and Sons is one of only six from Northern Ireland to be nominated alongside Wilsons Auctions (Co Antrim), The Dairy, Co Antrim, Long Meadow Cider, Co Armagh, McElmeel Mobility Services, Co Armagh and TS Foods in Co Down.

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