Debbie Morris, Managing Director of Concilium HR Ltd, is taking to the skies in April to wing walk to raise money for Cots for Tots, a charity very close to her heart.
In September 2013, Debbie’s son, Mackenzie, was born 16 weeks prematurely weighing just 642g. Mackenzie underwent six surgeries, two of which were life-saving, and he spent a total of six months at St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Bristol before being able to come home.
It was during this time that Debbie and her family learnt about Cots for Tots, which is part of The Grand Appeal Charity. Their fundraising not only provides ‘home from home’ accommodation minutes from the hospital enabling parents to remain close to their critically ill babies 24/7, but also provides life-saving equipment and the Neonatal Emergency Transportation Service, a specialist ambulance for hospital transfers across the South West. 
It was towards the end of 2014 when Debbie’s maternity leave was coming to an end that she decided to leave the full time, senior HR role she loved and go self-employed and Concilium HR Ltd was founded in November 2014.
Debbie said: “I absolutely love working with my clients as their flexible HR Manager and have no regrets whatsoever about leaving regular employment! 2013/2014 was an extremely stressful period but it helped me to appreciate what is important in life.
“I now have a great work-life balance and am extremely proud of both my son and my company. Concilium HR wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Mackenzie’s journey and he wouldn’t have lived without the amazing care he received.
“I wanted to mark my fifth business anniversary by doing something significant so on New Years’ Day when I received an email from Cots for Tots about Wing Walking, and I thought ‘why not!’.
“I signed-up with a mix of excitement and fear, as this will take me totally outside of my comfort zone, but just knowing the very real difference fundraising like this makes for critically ill babies and their families will make every terrifying minute worth it, especially when I’m upside down in the loop the loop! I can’t wait to see what the next five years brings.”
To sponsor Debbie and help her reach her £1,500 goal visit her Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/debanddettywingwalk
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