07/08/2026
In memory of Debbie Aldridge
It is with a very heavy heart that we share the sad news of the death of Debs — Debbie Aldridge — Miracles’ long-standing Crisis Casework Coordinator.
Debs was part of Miracles for more than 25 years and was instrumental in shaping so much of the charity’s work. She helped launch and run many of Miracles’ key projects, always bringing tenacious commitment, professionalism and care.
One of her earliest and most significant contributions was her work with Theo Ellert, Miracles’ founder, on the annual Goodwood fundraising dinners. Debs played a central role in making those events happen, from the complex logistics of the evening, to sourcing auction prizes, managing fulfilment and making sure every detail was right. Those evenings were always full of warmth, laughter, friendship and a fierce determination to raise as much as possible for families supported by Miracles. They were also beautifully organised, and Debs was at the heart of that.
Debs was also instrumental in developing Miracles’ respite holiday caravans at Selsey. For more than ten years, these breaks gave families precious time away from trauma, treatment and crisis. For some families, it meant a brief escape from gruelling hospital appointments and aggressive treatment plans. For others, it offered space and kindness during the unimaginable pain of bereavement after the death of a child. Debs understood how much these moments mattered.
But perhaps Debs’ greatest legacy is the role she played in developing Miracles’ crisis support work.
Miracles supports families living in poverty while facing some of the hardest circumstances imaginable: serious childhood illness, disability, bereavement, homelessness, domestic abuse, financial crisis and trauma. Debs helped build the partnerships that allowed us to reach those families, working closely with Great Ormond Street Hospital, Young Lives vs Cancer and many other hospitals, children’s charities and frontline professionals.
She also worked alongside an extraordinary group of parents who had been through similar crises with their own children and who supported Miracles as referral workers in hospitals. Together, they helped identify families who were falling through the cracks and made sure Miracles could step in with practical help when it was needed most.
Debs leaves behind a tremendous legacy. Thousands of children and families have been supported because of her direct intervention, coordination and care. She kept meticulous records of every family, every child, their circumstances, their needs and the support provided. She cared deeply, and she never missed an opportunity to help someone.
It is no exaggeration to say that Debs was instrumental in shaping Miracles, our work and our impact over many years.
I am personally proud to have known her, to have worked with her, to have shared ideas and, at times, differing opinions — always finding our way to the right outcome for the families we served.
I know life became extremely difficult for Debs, but I do not remember her ever complaining or bemoaning her circumstances. I was looking back at my last contact with her, only a few weeks ago, when I asked how retirement was going. She said it was difficult because she felt so ill, but even then she brushed it off. She had a strength that I do not think many of us could fully comprehend.
To Debs’ family and friends, we send our deepest condolences and love. I hope there is comfort in knowing the scale of her generosity, the lives she helped change, and the families she helped carry through some of the most unimaginable hardship.
Miracles Crisis works continues to this day and is needed more than ever.
Thank you, Debs, for helping. Thank you for your friendship, your professionalism, your compassion and, often, your patience when I must have driven you mad.
I will miss you and I am glad I knew you.
