Birthday party time for Sophie

2:28pm Friday 23rd May 2008

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FAMILY and friends of a Hampshire teenager left in a coma after a horror car smash are to mark her 18th birthday with a day of wacky fundraising events.

Sophie Wilkinson's loved ones are not going to let her milestone birthday pass without celebrating her spirit and determination.

They hope that Sophie's Fun Day, on June 8, will see hundreds of people getting involved with bizarre and entertaining activities to raise money for the charity they set up, Sophie's Gift.

Sophie's younger sister Ella, 11, and her two friends have already agreed to sit in a bath of beans and Sophie's cousins are organising a special fundraising show jumping event and non-uniform day at their school.

Sophie's Gift is looking to raise £300,000 to buy a Ceretom head and neck mobile CT scanner and other equipment for the Wessex Neurological Centre at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Despite being in a coma since the road crash in Swanmore last October, Sophie, from Bishop's Waltham, has continued to surprise doctors with her fighting spirit and progress.

They say she is beginning to respond to voices and focusing on those around her.

Sophie's parents, Andrew and Alison, have had a good response from their calls for famous voices to record physical commands.

As revealed by the Daily Echo, Hollywood heartthrob Johnny Depp, Sharon Osbourne, Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond and This Morning presenter Fern Britton have signed up.

Dad Andrew said: "Sophie is having her 18th birthday on June 8, and, while she is not in a position to enjoy this as she would have normally, we have decided to have a Sophie Fun Day instead.

"So many of her friends and family have jumped on board and are getting involved in wacky events which is fantastic.

"Sophie would have loved everything we are doing. It will be a very special day for all of us and we hope it will help us raise enough funds, in conjunction with the gala ball, to hand over Sophie's first gift."

lIf you want to get involved and help the Wilkinson family reach their target visit sophies-gift.com.