Eirwen Helen Harbottle

15th February 1921 – 6th February 2022

It is with very great sadness that we announce that Eirwen Harbottle, Founder of Peace Child, passed away peacefully in her sleep – ten days short of her 101st birthday.

Eirwen had a truly inspiring life and has made a difference around the world. She is remembered as our Founder and as a Peace-maker. She remained to her final hours Peace Child’s most passionate advocate and ambassador.

It was Eirwen and her late husband, Brigadier Michael Harbottle who at the height of the cold war had the vision to combine David Gordon’s Alpha Omega and Bernard Benson’s The Peace Book to create the musical, Peace Child. Encouraging Rosey, David and the whole team at every step of the way she never stopped believing in the power of young people to strive for a more peaceful and fairer world.

When Eirwen first developed the idea of a youth musical 40 years ago, nobody could have imagined the impact it would have, or been able to comprehend how many thousands of lives Peace Child would go on to inspire with such powerful messages of hope.

Eirwen has and will always be our inspiration and driving force, she empowered hundreds of interns who came through the White House, Buntingford. She was always eager to listen and learn attending numerous meetings on peace and the United Nations until well into her 90s.

Words can never express how much love we all have for Eirwen, or how grateful we are to have had her in the world for so many years. Her passion, strength and vision for the future continues to inspire us all daily. I know I speak on behalf of many thousands of people around the world that she will live on in our hearts and our work forever.

Thank you Eirwen.