29 November 2005

Sophie Hughes, age 11, decided that she wanted to help her brother, Zak age 9, who has x-linked myotubular myopathy, by raising some money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

"Zak thinks she’s the best sister ever!"

Because she likes art, she thought it might be nice to make some Christmas cards of her own to sell to raise money. Sophie was very determined and, after doing her homework, spent every night for nearly two weeks making 130 hand-made Christmas cards. Sophie Hughes, who sold handmade Christmas cards to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy CampaignThe cards depicted robins, dolphins with Christmas hats, reindeer and penguins and she put a sticker on each card saying that all the money raised from the sale of the card would go to her chosen charity: the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Glue, google eyes, feathers, tissue, glitter and stars filled the kitchen for two weeks!!

When she had finished them and they had dried, her mum helped her neatly package them up in cellophane bags. Her mum took a photo of her making the cards too which Sophie printed onto labels, including a special message to the purchaser saying "I have hand made each card for you to send to someone special: all the money raised will go to my chosen charity: the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.". This was successful, because the purchasers like to see how hard she had worked making them!

Sophie decided to sell the packs of four cards for £3.50 and individual cards for £1 each. Then, during an a school "inset day" in mid-November, she visited each of the shops in her village, Chalfont St Peter, to sell them to the shopkeepers, as well as to local neighbours, friends and even her teachers! Everyone was really pleased with the hand-made cards and they were very quickly snapped up. She even got a few "orders" to make some more! As a result of the card sales, and a few extra donations, Sophie raised £154, for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

She is already planning to make "batches" of cards well in advance of next year so that she can raise even more money for the charity! Her mum and dad are really proud of her. And Zak thinks she’s the best sister ever!