Sophie Kinsella’s author event, organised by Jenny Colgan
Sophie Kinsella has been one of The Charity’s High Profile Supporters since her own diagnosis in 2022. She and her family and friends held their first fundraising event for us with a classical concert in July.
In early October, they held an event with fellow authors when fans flew in from as far away as the USA to be part of the celebration, speak with Sophie, listen to readings, take part in quizzes and – in some instances – dress up as beloved characters from Sophie’s novels!
Organised by acclaimed author Jenny Colgan, fellow writers Mike Gayle, Matt Thorne, Lisa Jewell, Stella Duffy, Lulu Taylor, Lucy Dillon and Jojo Moyes add their star sparkle.
Jojo, Mike, Lisa, Matt and Lulu performed readings from Sophie’s work; best friend and soloist Ana Maria Rincon sang alongside Sophie’s sons Freddy and Hugo Wickham; and the whole evening was hosted by Jenny Colgan, overseeing a brilliant raffle that included memorabilia from the film set of Confessions of a Shopaholic.
Avid Sophie fan, former Young Ambassador and now Involvement Champion for The Brain Tumour Charity, Gemma Ford, said: “I’ve been a Sophie Kinsella fan since I was a teenager, and so attending an event dedicated to her writing was incredible. I particularly enjoyed the quiz and hearing excerpts of her books read out by fellow writers.
“Having lost my mum to a brain tumour and been involved with The Brain Tumour Charity for several years, it was extra poignant that the evening was also supporting the charity. You can tell just how special it was for her fans – myself included.”
Gemma chats to Sophie
Sophie’s latest novella What Does it Feel Like? charts her character Eve’s brain tumour diagnosis – based on Sophie’s own brain tumour diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
Sophie has sold around 50 million copies of her books which have been translated into 40 languages in more than 60 countries. She is the author of several bestsellers, including the hugely popular Shopaholic series and The Burnout, which was published last October. She has also written seven bestselling novels under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, and several books for children.
Sophie continues to support the work we do to drive vital awareness and raise funds for research into brain tumours. She, her husband Henry and their family have our utmost thanks and gratitude for continuing to highlight the work being done for everyone diagnosed, and for being such an incredible source of inspiration and comfort to her worldwide fans.
Read more about the classical concert in July.