TV stars Lydia Bright and Debbie Douglas were surprised with a special Patron’s Award in recognition of their unwavering support of Barnardo’s at the charity’s annual awards ceremony.
Barnardo’s celebrated the former TOWIE stars, who are Fostering and Adoption Ambassadors for Barnardo’s, alongside its young achievers and volunteers at a ceremony in London yesterday (19 December).
Debbie her husband Dave, daughter Lydia and the rest of her siblings, have been a loving foster family for more than 250 babies, children and teenagers over the past 25 years. And Barnardo’s fostering and adoption work with vulnerable children is close to their hearts.
Since becoming ambassadors for the cause in 2012, both Lydia and Debbie have taken part in Barnardo’s bi-annual Fostering and Adoption campaigns. They’ve shared family photos and memories to demonstrate the importance of having a stable, loving family, while urging more people to consider fostering or adopting.
Lydia has also undertaken several testing fundraising challenges for Barnardo’s. Earlier this year, Lydia, and her brother Freddie, joined a group of celebrities to battle extreme weather, altitude and a gruelling jungle trek to climb Borneo’s highest mountain peak, Mount Kinabalu. At 4,095m it is almost four times the height of Mount Snowdon in North Wales.
Despite having a fear of heights, Lydia previously tested her nerves by abseiling 114m down the ArcelorMittal Orbit, in Stratford, and just last week pushed her stamina to the limit by taking part in Barnardo’s new Urban Summit fundraising event. This saw her race up 1,250 steps to the top of London’s Leadenhall Building, also known as the Cheesegrater, with her sister Georgia.
