Antiques Roadshow star Ronnie Archer-Morgan was given a “perfect” start in life thanks to children’s homes.

He was brought up in care from birth and his childhood is full of happy memories.

Ronnie, 69, said: “If I hadn’t been in care, I don’t know how I would have survived.”

That’s why the antiques expert is backing our Give Kids a Cracking Christmas campaign, which has already raised more than £20,000 for Action for Children.

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Ronnie fondly recalls making daisy chains, planting apple pips and being swept up in a tablecloth and swung around by his favourite care worker.

He said: “I felt very lucky.

“My experience was that of a child who had been brought up in a loving family. I would call it perfect under the circumstances.”

Aged three, Ronnie moved to a home in Southport, Merseyside, which he grew to love.

It was a National Children’s Home – which is now known as Action for Children. But at nearly six he went to live in London with his mentally unstable, depressive mum who was occasionally sectioned for violence.

He said: “She was unable to care for me. It was hell.

“I was often severely punished and I went to school with cuts and bruises.”

At 11 he and his sister were removed from the family and he stayed in care until he was 16.

Ronnie hopes our appeal will help make a huge difference for others. He said: “Anybody who isn’t having a nice Christmas is reminded of it with everything they see and read.

“I wish all little children both in care or in a loving home a wonderful Christmas. It should be a time when they can just remember all the happiness.”

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