EDIT: WE DID IT! I have never been so proud of my friends in all my life! To everyone who donated, thank you ever so much. Our final total was 21,153.75! HOW incredible. Thank you so very much to all. It was for a truly wonderful friend and incredible charity and i'm so pleased to have been involved.
I know, I know. I promised Fashion and Food and you thought feminism was as serious as I got. Well, sorry to disappoint but hopefully this post will both touch and inspire you.
It's time for another F, or maybe a few. Friendship and fundraising.
.

This is my beautiful friend Sophia
Whilst I only knew her for a short time, meeting her at college through mutual friends, I was immediately struck by how friendly, cheerful and downright infectiously happy she was. She made me feel instantly comfortable in a new friendship group and had time for everyone. Having both applied for Leeds University we quickly bonded over plans to tear up Leeds together, on results day when I was sobbing over not getting in, it was Soph who comforted me and cheered me up. She truly was one of the nicest people I have ever had the fortune to meet.
Unfortunately, and for reasons that are still hard to understand, Sophia passed away in 2011. Her death was a result of
Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, at the time I personally knew very little about the condition and many of our friends were also uneducated on what exactly SADs was.
Slowly emerging from our group grieving process we began to investigate the condition and discovered the charity
CRY which stands for Cardiac Risk in the Young. CRY was founded in 1995 to raise awareness of conditions that can lead to young sudden cardiac death (YSCD); sudden death syndrome (SDS); SADS. Through research, screening opportunities and fundraising the charity seeks to make the general public aware of these often little understood conditions.
After discovering CRY members of our friendship group, along with Sophia's elder sister decided to aim to raise 10,000 in 10 months for CRY, in time for what would be Sophia's 21st birthday, through various charitable events. Calling ourselves Sophia's Gang there were mountain climbs, bracelet selling, charity auctions, marathons, general hassling for donations and much more. We very quickly smashed our £10,000 target and are now heading towards an incredible £20,000 for a charity which truly deserves it.
So, yes this post is a tribute to an incredible friend but also an appeal for those of you out there who can to donate. This is being done in memory of a girl anyone who met her was touched by and for a charity that really does deserve the help and publicity. We have one day remaining to hit £20,000 as tomorrow will mark Sophia's 21st birthday, an event she should be enjoying with her friends but sadly will not be.
Please please
DONATE HERE if possible, I will love you long time.
Liss xoxo