Sultan hosts cake sale to boost Sophie’s Legacy
STAFF AT HMS Sultan pledged their continuing support to Sophie’s Legacy as they held a charitable cake sale within the Defence School of Marine Engineering (DSMarE) recently; which raised a helpful amount of funds and just as crucially continued the growing knowledge of childhood cancer during its “awareness month”.
The local charity was set up in memory of Sophie Fairall, who passed away in 2021 following a battle against a rare form of rhabdomyosarcoma. Her story gained national and local headlines with politician Dame Caroline Dinenage campaigning for support in Westminster; whilst the charity has held community events in their bid to raise money.
It aims to improve the experience of children while they stay in hospital, to provide practical support to parents and to highlight and improve care and research into childhood cancer. This fundraiser, which also included a collection of donations towards charity hospital welfare boxes, was organised by Babcock duo Sam Martin and Lisa Down.
Lisa said: “My children go to the same school that Sophie used to and she really affected a lot of people. I’ve been into hospital with my own children and not had any food with us and I really like the idea of supporting other parents, so they don’t have that same challenge.”
“Everyone has been really generous, both financially and with their donations of gifts towards parents’ boxes. The charity also has the option for people to support ‘pizza Saturdays’, which provide both children in hospital and their families something which they can really look forward to during difficult times, so we really hoped to raise £300 today so we could also support that.”
PICTURED BY PEPE HOGAN: Sam Martin and Lisa Down held a cake Sale within DSMarE, HMS Sultan for Sophie’s Legacy.