On the 11th August 2007, 20 year-old Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend, Rob, were viciously beaten unconscious by a gang of youths. Sophie never regained consciousness. Unprovoked; the attack was carried out purely because Sophie and Rob looked different. They were alternative.
After Sophie’s death, her mum, Sylvia Lancaster, vowed to create a lasting legacy to her daughter, and has dedicated her life’s work to changing attitudes in society and the law to make the world a safer and more tolerant place for alternative subcultures. Sylvia’s work has captured the hearts & minds of mainstream society, celebrities, politicians and even royalty, with the recent announcement of her OBE in recognition of her groundbreaking work in the name of tolerance.
And now, the charity has joined forces with alternative band, Bad Pollyanna, to launch the poignant charity song – Invincible Girl – which will be available to purchase on download and on collectable, limited-edition 30 inch vinyl – in Sophie’s favourite hue, purple. The single will be available to buy from the 11th August 2014, the seventh anniversary of Sophie’s attack.
Last night, to celebrate the launch of the charity single, the Sophie Lancaster Foundation hosted an exclusive acoustic warm up gig with Bad Pollyanna and supporting acts, Chasing Dragons and Ashestoangels at the stunning Leeds Trinity Church. It was a fantastic evening with emotions running high as Sylvia paid tribute to the people that have supported her and the charity over the past seven years. She praised the work Illamasqua and Propaganda have done over the past seven years to support the charity and raise the profile of this important cause.
Leeds Trinity Church was the perfect backdrop for the event, which saw Olivia Hyde of Bad Pollyanna captivate the audience with her stripped back, beautiful performance of the stunning Invincible Girl song. And was the perfect warm up for next week’s launch event, which will take place in Sophie’s home city of Manchester at Sound Control on the 7th August. Don’t miss out on the chance to be at launch, you can still purchase tickets here.
Here’s a few photos from the event, all credit for the photography goes to Maekstar facebook.com/maekstar.
