Family and friends of Sue Sheppard celebrated her bold and sparkling approach to life and at same time raised a whopping £2,500 for charity at a fun filled garden fete at the weekend.
Sue, who was well-known for her love of bold colours and beautiful bling, was the inspiration for the bright and beautiful event organised by her family and friends to give hope out of sorrow.
The money raised at the garden festival will be split between two charities; AMMF, the UK’s only cholangiocarcinoma (CC) charity and child bereavement charity Simon Says.
Sue, who was only 44, died in April this year, only two months after being diagnosed with CC, a rare form of cancer which initially starts in the bile duct. The charity’s aim is to raise awareness of this little known disease and to support specialised research teams to find the causes, methods of earlier diagnosis and treatments.
Sue was a mother of two daughters and a well-loved personality in Andover where she’d lived all her life. As well as being the Andover Vision manager from 2007 to 2012 her achievements include overseeing the instigation of the cinema and The Lights, as well as being a board member for the Jamie G Sporting Trust. After leaving Andover Vision she became a civil celebrant presiding over weddings and funerals and became a team leader at the Princes Trust in Andover for 2012.
Sue’s husband Matt Sheppard said: “We all wanted to acknowledge Sue’s birthday (she would’ve been 45 on Tuesday [16]) in some way at the same time as raise money for two great charities. We never for one minute thought it would be so successful. The outpouring of love shown to my wife in the amount of people who turned up, raffle prizes donated and cakes baked, it was overwhelming.”
The day was filled with laughter and fun for all ages, stalls included a vintage tea and cake stall, poetry tent, coconut shy, hook a duck, and even a human fruit machine. There was also a memory tree where people could pin messages and share their memories of Sue.
In honour of Sue, there will be a new award added to this year’s Pride Awards. The Sue Sheppard Award will be given to someone who against all the odds has turned their life around and shown that with hard work, passion and belief anyone, despite their circumstances, can make a success of things.
Nominations have now closed and the winner will be announced at the awards ceremony held at The Lights 28 October.
Such a big light full of lust for life….the space that she has left is vast