Sophie's Legacy shouldn't exist.

It shouldn't exist, because it's the evolution of a Facebook page called Sophie's Journey. That shouldn't have ever existed, either.

Why?

Because Sophie's Journey documented the progress of a bright & happy 9yr old girl who'd just been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Due to being passed off as a number of less-serious ailments by various medical professionals, it wasn't until a trip to hospital than a 12cm tumour was discovered in her abdomen. It could have been caught earlier, and it shouldn't have existed in the first place.

I never met Sophie. I've probably walked or driven past her plenty of times, without knowing. We're from the same community and our paths probably crossed plenty of times - as they would with other members - and she should just be as insignifcant to me as anybody else!

But she isn't.

I shouldn't have met Charlotte, either. She should just be one of the many mums who live nearby, taking her kids to swimming practice or dragging them to school in the morning, or whatever. She certainly shouldn't have started a charity in honour of Sophie's memory, and I certainly shouldn't have met her last year in the back of my Citroen DS to talk about Sophie and the work the charity has done - and continues to do - in her memory, not to mention the ongoing fights and issues in hand to raise awareness about childhood cancer, how forgotten it seems to be and how we have SUCH A LONG WAY to go with both the disease, and the treatment families recieve when battling it. The frontline is good, but everything else behind it is sub-par. That's where Sophie's Legacy steps in.

Last November, I set out to live stream on YouTube for 24hr, assisted by viewers from all around the world, and a set list of guests to help keep me going. Could sitting there talking about old cars (mostly) really make a difference? Could we all help Sophie's Legacy make a real difference to the lives of people going through hell?

As it turned out, yes. Yes, it can make a BIG difference, because of people like you.

When I set out to raise funds, initially I set a target of £1000. To come away with £8395 was mind-bending, and at the time was the largest fundraising campaign the charity had ever recieved. It only seems natural that this should be the target for 2023!

Just a number of the ways the funds can help:

· Help with transport costs (fuel vouchers, bus or train passes or taxis)

· Clothes when admitted in an emergency with their child

· End of life wishes for children and their families

· Snack and toiletry box in every parent room

· Parent packs which contain essential toiletry items, phone chargers, note pad and pen, snack etc.

· We fund washing powder for NICU in Portsmouth

· We have funded new bedding, highchairs, pushchairs, microwaves, freezers, cutlery, crockery etc.

· We provide toys, activities for children in hospital when needed.

· We provide gifts on Mothers and Father’s Day

· We provide activities over Easter, Halloween, Christmas

· We provide a Christmas dinner to all staff and parents on the children’s wards.

As soon as last year's stream finished, having been blown away by the generousity of viewers (in what are admittedly difficult times), I decided immediately I would do it again in 2023. This time, I'm choosing to do it in September, as that is childhood cancer awareness month. The 29th of September is childhood cancer awareness day, and so the live stream will take place on September 29th.

As viewers of the channel will know, streaming from the back of 'Clement', my 1975 Citroen D Super5 is currently difficult (because it's in pieces), so I'm treating myself to a 'studio'! To go one bigger than last year, I'm going for an additional hour - yes, 25 hours straight! Starting at 3pm on the 29th, and ending on the 30th.

I hope to be joined by the likes of other motoring-based YouTubers, such as HubNut, Number27, JayEmm on Cars, idriveaclassic & more. There will be some special challenges, and some secret special guests! We will also once again welcome Charlotte Fairall in to talk about things nearly a year later, what we've achieved so far and what is still to be done.

The most important thing is to raise as much as we can for this amazing charity. That's why I, and all the guests are doing this.

Thank you!