From Tobolsk to “Team G & T”: ellenor’s George Duffort on Fate, Family, and Fundraising

“It would be selfish of me, having had the opportunity to be adopted, if I wasn’t now doing as much as I can for my local community. I feel very, very strongly about that.”

It’s an exciting time to be George Duffort.

Having passed all his A-Levels mere months ago, the 19-year-old has recently taken a position as a Community Fundraising Officer with ellenor – a hospice charity that provides care and support for Kent and Bexley patients, and their families, facing life-limiting conditions.

George’s role? “I help anyone in the community looking to fundraise for ellenor,” he says, “be that an individual, a group, a school, or a club. Usually, they come to my colleague Tina and I with an idea [perhaps running a marathon or arranging a cake sale] and we help them make it work. That could mean supplying them with fundraising buckets or t-shirts; they let us know what they’re after. Then, we support them on the day of their event, too."

“Basically, if you want to fundraise for ellenor – we’re your people!”

Fundraising in the community is absolutely crucial to ellenor – which relies on the generosity of local Kent and Bexley residents for the majority of the £7.5m the hospice charity must raise, each year, to continue being there for families facing life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses: such as cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, and Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Knowing that life-limiting illness can affect anyone, anytime, is a powerful motivator for George – who himself is quick to acknowledge that, bar a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck, he wouldn’t be here today having this conversation.

Why? Because though “George Duffort” is about as English a name as one can imagine, George started life as a young infant in an orphanage in the Russian town of Tobolsk, over 3,000 miles from his current home in Kent. Nestled in the heart of Siberia, Tobolsk is closer to North Korea than to Northfleet. George speaks with humility about how grateful he is that his adoptive parents - who were unable to adopt in the UK due to being in their mid-40s at the time - chose him from his cot.

“My adoptive parents have been incredibly supportive and selfless,” says George. “They’re the best mum and dad I could’ve asked for. I’m hugely proud to call them that; and fortunate, too, considering how slim the odds were for me to be where I am today. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and for my mum and dad to walk into that orphanage, and to choose me amid the other 300 babies there – the chances are tiny."

“For all of that to line up and lead me to where I am today? I see that as fate. There’s a purpose behind it, and I believe my purpose is to give back.”

If that’s true – if there is some cosmic, celestial plan working through this Gravesend teenager, and if giving back really is George’s purpose – he’s setting to his task with gusto.

Previously, being a leading voice on the Kent Youth County Council – a group of local people, aged 11 to 18, elected to act upon and represent the views, opinions, and issues of Kent’s youth – George also has a long history of volunteering, including organising coach trips for the elderly. Recently, George was recognised with a Coronation Community Champion Award – an accolade designed to celebrate the inspiring work and impact of local volunteers. 

Now, George is loving his role at ellenor – the latest entry to a CV that, even for a professional twice his age, would represent an impressive career. And, though he already has work experience in sectors such as hospitality and local government, it’s his position at ellenor – working alongside his local community to motivate and encourage them to raise vital funds for ellenor – that inspires him most.

“There’s something so rewarding about working for a charity like ellenor,” says George.

“You get such a feeling of accomplishment. George, who recently visited ellenor’s inpatient ward, adds, “Seeing who we’re working for – meeting the patients we’re supporting, and their loved ones, in person – makes me want to push harder. It’s such a pleasure and a privilege to meet the people we’re doing it all for.”

These, of course, are the words of George now. But if you’d have asked him 12 months ago whether he could have seen himself working in a hospice in a year’s time, you’d have got a different answer. “Probably not!!” George says with a smile, acknowledging that he shared the common misconception of what hospices are and do. “The stereotypes around hospices are that they’re sad or dull – but walk into ellenor and you realise it’s actually the opposite."

“Every staff member and volunteer here is never without a smile on their face. I couldn’t believe it when I first walked in – everyone was beaming! The team here is just so nice and supportive. It’s such a positive culture to be a part of; one in which everyone is equal, and you can have a conversation with someone regardless of their position in the organisation.”

That’s not to say working in a hospice is easy, though. Walking the ward the other day, it was only when George saw someone younger than his own mum that the nature of ellenor’s work – and that work’s enduring emotional resonance for the families it supports – hit home. “I started to reflect on it,” says George, “and, although it’s a cliché, life really isn’t fair. I began to think of our first world problems – why am I worried about my phone not working when there are people for whom life is far too short?”

Personally, the last year has been big for George. He located his biological mother and, via the aid of a Russian translator, spoke to her for the first time on a video call. Professionally, meanwhile, it’s clear that George is thriving – and will continue to thrive – at ellenor. From making up half of the duo he and his colleague Tina so proudly call “Team G & T” to meeting new local fundraisers every day, George is loving it – and he encourages you to pop in and find out for yourself what ellenor is all about.

“Don’t be afraid! ellenor is a safe space, and we’ll care for you – no matter who you are, or what background you come from. Whether you have a loved one in our ward, or are coming to one of our physiotherapy sessions, or are simply popping in to see Tina or me about fundraising sessions – don’t be afraid. We will support you.”

And if you, like George, are young and are thinking about volunteering (perhaps for the first time) for a hospice? Well, George has a message for you, too.

“We need you! You can offer a different point of view, and change – like teamwork – only happens with multiple views. Your voice will be heard here, and you will be listened to – that’s a promise.”