Hello, my name is Deirdre Bounds. I am the working-mum who came up with the idea of Parties Around The World and it was not an idea that simply came out of the blue.

I was driven to action one year after my son Frankie's birthday. We had a great party, but as I looked at the large pile of gifts the other children had kindly brought I felt irritated and frustrated.

Irritated at the convention that had squeezed a present out of everyone, even though no child could find the time to appreciate so many and frustrated that this 'party scene' happens hundreds if not thousands of times a day on almost every day of the week.

My mind started whirring and I kept on thinking that there has to be a better way than this. A way that would give our children a great day, teach them about the world they live in and raise money for some fabulous causes. Not only that, I also reckoned that any help to make organising a party more convenient, such as doing it online, would definitely be a success.

I knew there must be other mums and dads who felt the same way – who if they could, would say to other parents; "no really, no presents, not this year, it isn't necessary".

Parties Around the World is not meant to replace the gifts that you as parents buy your children but to offer an alternative to your party guests.

Through PAW™, you are asking the other mums and dads to divert the cost of a piece of plastic to a charity that you and your child have decided to support.

I asked my friends what they thought of the idea and they loved it! So I got the ball rolling straight away and created Parties Around The World.

As parents we now have a way to ask our friends and families to do what feels natural, to not simply buy a 'normal' gift, but to give a gift in a way that is good for our planet's future and for our children's future too.

And because they have been asked by you the child's parent, then your guests don’t feel embarrassed or awkward because they haven’t brought a 'normal' gift.

Please take your time to look through the site and see the fantastic charitable themes that I know will engage with your children and let’s start having parties that have a point!

Thanks for your support, and here’s to hassle free parties stuffed full of ethics!

Deirdre Bounds
Founder Parties Around The World