IT’S been a decade since Eastleigh parents set up a charity in memory of their daughter.
And in that time they have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to help children with cancer and their families.
When Sophie Barringer was diagnosed with Wilm’s disease in 2003 at the age of five she urged her parents to help all the other poorly children.
Setting out to fulfil her wish Lin and Mike Barringer, from Eastleigh, started the Sophie Barringer Trust.
Sophie lost her battle in December 2004, aged six, but her parents have continued to raise thousands to help other families touched by cancer.
Memories So far Sophie’s Appeal, the charity’s fundraising arm, has raised more than £320,000, sent 60 families on respite breaks, sponsored 12 last wish holidays – which have created lasting memories for the families of sick children – and donated thousands to improve children’s facilities at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and Southampton General Hospital.
The charity has also funded and designed Sophie’s Place, a dedicated children’s assessment area at the Winchester hospital’s Northbrook children’s and young people’s unit in Winchester, which helps more than 400 children every month.
Over the years they have seen a great deal of support from James and Sarah Beattie, who became patrons of the charity after meeting Sophie while she was undergoing treatment.
The former Saints captain (pictured above with Sophie in 2004) and his wife were among the 238 guests who attended Sophie’s Appeal’s celebratory 10th anniversary masquerade ball on Saturday which itself raised more than £10,000 towards the charity’s work.
Guests tucked in to a three-course meal, took part in raffles and auctions and were entertained by belly dancers and Poppin Ron, Southampton street dancer who recently appeared on Britain’s Got Talent.
Co-founder Lin Barringer, 55,(below) said: “When Sophie was first diagnosed it was very evident that Sophie wasn’t the only child with cancer so we wanted to make a difference, and in Sophie’s words help all the other poorly children.
“We try to do the things that were important to us.
“We’ve done phenomenally over the years, but we couldn’t have done it without the love and support of close friends and local supporters.”
The charity is currently run with the support of 14 voluntary committee members who continue to work towards the charity’s aim to make a difference to sick children and their families through emotional and practical support and research.
For more information, visit: sophiesappeal.org.
FACTFILE
The charity has donated £80,000 towards a reception area at the Northbrook Children’s Ward in Winchester.
-Sophie’s Place, a dedicated children’s assessment area at the Winchester hospital funded by Sophie’s Appeal sees more than 400 children a month.
-They have sent 12 families on last wish holidays and sent 60 families on respite holidays in the New Forest through another local charity, Hannah’s Holiday Home.
-They have donated £30,000 towards research into future treatments for childhood cancers and £60,000 towards research into Wilm’s Disease, the form of cancer that took Sophie’s life.
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