One year on...

Just a note to apologise for not updating the blog for a long while. It is wonderful to know that so many people do keep checking it and I hope that re-reading Sophie's posts has brought a smile to your face as it does for me on hard days.

We have a video Soph recorded for this blog that we never got to upload, which I'll put up later today if I can make the tech work! For now I just want to thank all of you who have already contacted Mum, Dad, Iain, Kofi, Cali, Jag and I to let us know you are remembering Sophie in an extra special way today - one year on from her sudden passing on 14th December 2009. There are lots of cupcakes being made which is great as I think we all need a little sugar rush in this cold weather.

If you have any special memories of Soph you'd like to share please do post them here - it is always wonderful for us to hear other treasured memories from friends.

Light a candle, say a prayer, eat a cupcake, tell everyone special you love them.

Thank you. Alex. xx

Two teams running 10k and 5k for Sophie - please sponsor us!

Thank you to all of you who have donated so generously in Sophie's memory. We have over £7000 on her Macmillan page, which is an incredible sum that will do such a lot of good for everyone affected, directly or indirectly by cancer.

All of us have been coping pretty well thanks to the incredible support of family and friends but we are now ready for some positive action in Sophie's memory and to continue to support her two favourite charities, Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK.

Therefore, Kofi, Cali and I are running, with Sophie's friends Gemma, Scott, Iain, Angela and Carly, the BUPA 10k in London on 31st May for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Mum is also tackling a running challenge with her wonderful friends from Bruton, Caroline, Bridget, Denise, Julie and Deborah. Running as 'the King's Ladies' and they will be fundraising for Cancer Research UK. As well as running the 5k race they are holding a number of fund-raising events (including tea parties, mufti days at school etc) in Bruton and Wanstrow so do get involved!

We are hoping to get the total for Sophie above £10k so if any of you would be kind enough to sponsor us yet again we would be immensely grateful! Both links are below so thank you in advance for your incredible continued support.

http://www.justgiving.com/10k-for-Sophie

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/rosieparr

Thank you.

Alex.

A LIST OF THANK YOU'S

Thank you to each and every one of the 600plus people who braved the rain, sleet and snow to join us for Sophie's funeral last week.

It was truly a celebration of her adventurous life and a testament to her remarkable strength, humour and love that so many of you came to share the day. For us, it was as positive an experience as such an occasion can be and we were so very proud of Sophie and grateful for all the support from the community, school, friends and family.

Thank you also to all of you who brought cupcakes, brownies and other goodies in Sophie's honour. She would definitely have approved of the sugar overload in the Mem Hall!

Those that we didn't manage to devour were shared out to the elderly residents of Sexey's Hospital, the almshouse in Bruton; and with the doctors and staff of Bruton Surgery.

Finally, thank you to all of you who have so generously donated to Sophie's justgiving site for Macmillan Cancer Support. We are rapidly approaching £5000; a staggering sum, which she would have been ecstatic about! Thank you for this tribute to our darling Soph.

Alex. xx