Debbie is the Founder and CEO of To Children With Love. She has been working tirelessly in Russia since 1998 with the orphaned and abandoned children of the Bryansk Region. Debbie is also the Chairperson of the Russian registered charity To Children With Love in Russia. This is the sister charity of To Russia With Love that strives to raise funds in Russia itself.
What started off in 1998 as one woman’s promise to a child that she would come back to hug and kiss them has grown into a successful charity, doing life changing work with thousands of orphaned and abandoned children across the Russian Federation. Buildings have been rebuilt, care and education programmes developed, local Russian staff hired and most importantly, children supported, loved and guided through their most difficult years.
This work exposed her to the immense and considerable hospitality of the Russian people – she has built extraordinary relationships and made wonderful friends from every walk of life, being as comfortable in the company of Governors and Ambassadors, as with the children she works with on her regular visits.
In 2014 Debbie opened the “With Love” Charity Shop, ( she maintains it is the nicest charity shop in Ireland by far). This and her other work fundraising and raising awareness has led to her receiving numerous awards and accolades over her years running the Charity, including, amongst others:
- Image Businesswoman of the Year for Social Entrepreneurship
- WMB Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2014
- Unesco Tolerance award in 2012
- Irish Rehab International Person the Year award 2011
- Spirit of Ireland award 2006
- Sunday Independent Woman of the Year Award
In 2018 Debbie received the highest honour in Russia when she was given the Order of Friendship Award by President Vladimir Putin at a special ceremony in the Kremlin. Debbie is also honoured to have received awards from her supportive Russian Administration acknowledging her work over the past 21 years:
- Honorary Medal (First Degree) awarded by Russia’s Governor of Bryansk, 2010
- UNESCO Tolerance Award Winner, Russia 2009
- Honorary Medal (Second Degree) awarded by Russia’s Governor of Bryansk, 2008
- Honorary Medal (Third Degree) awarded by Russia’s Governor of Bryansk, 2006
However, by her own admission, her most precious awards are those given to her from the children over the years, her favourites include her “Smile ” award, her “Mama” award, her ” Best Friend to the Children” medal, and many others during her years in her beloved Russia.
Debbie is a mother of three wonderful children. Her origins began in Management and Retail, she has gone on to do many courses relating to children’s issues such as attachment issues, fostering, etc. She has a Diploma in Child Psychology, has studied Life Coaching and has taken many personal development courses during her years running the charity. She does not feel it is necessary to have letters after your name to make a huge difference in this world. Passion, combined with hard work, is her personal motto. Her favouite mentors are Michael Ostenelli of the Pacific Institute and Neil O’Brien, Mentor and Lifecoach. Doctor Peter Hanlon is another Mentor whom she discusses the children’s issues with regularly. He has travelled with her extensively, examined and audited the benefits of the To Children With Love Beslan Programme and has an indepth insight into abandoned and orphaned children’s lives. Joanna Fortune, Psychotherapist, is another voice that Debbie listens to. Joanna and Debbie regularly discuss the children’s problems.
Debbie has many close friends and colleagues that she seeks advice from, from every level of society. She uses this for fundraising and, more importantly, for the benefit of the children she works with. It becomes many of the threads in the wonderful tapestry of the Charity and, in turn, becomes part of the self esteem building programmes that To Children With Love implement daily. She has three gorgeous dogs and still manages to remain married to the same man after 29 years! He is the rock in her life, as is her mother.
