Cheque for £80K is handed over

A local charity has handed a cheque for £80,000 to a national good cause.

Zoe Crowson, who founded The Phoebe Research Fund, and her partner Steven Arnold handed over the cheque to Sharmila Collins from the national charity Cure EB on Thursday last week.

Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa, known as RDEB, is a devastating skin condition which causes the skin to blister and shear at the slightest touch causing the equivalent to a third degree burn.

Zoe’s daughter Phoebe and Sohana, the daughter of Sharmila and James Collins who founded Cure EB, both suffer from this devastating skin condition.

Zoe said: “It’s such a nice feeling being part of something which could potentially cure not only my daughter Phoebe but other children who suffer with

this devastating skin condition.”

Sharmila and James previously raised funds under the name of The Sohana Fund but recently rebranded in recognition of how much their charity has grown.

Zoe added: “I have huge admiration for Sohana’s parents, they have already funded projects which I put my entire trust in and know how important a cure is to them personally.

“Sohana is now 16 and at the time of handing over the funds was awaiting a throat stretch the following day.”

Zoe and Sharmila’s daughters have never had a day free from pain, never had a playtime and are continually having to have their wounds carefully tended to.

Sharmila’s positive attitude inspired Zoe to start her charity, based in the Stamford area.

Zoe and Steven have not stopped fundraising though. At the beginning of this year they set up Psychotastic Productions, where 25 per cent of profits will go directly to the charity, in a bid to create a continual revenue stream.

Steven is currently rehearsing for a production of Kes, which will be performed at Stamford Corn Exchange on October 26 and 27, and has been supported by local businesses.

For ticket sales visit www.stamfordcornexchange.co.uk

Other fundraising events in the pipeline include the Santa Fun Run at Burghley and The Pilot Fish annual golf day in September.