A Celebration of Love that Helped Change Young Lives

When Sophie and Steve began planning their wedding, they found themselves facing a question familiar to many couples: “What would you like as a gift?” But for them, the answer felt surprisingly simple…

“We’ve both worked very hard to get to where we are now,” they shared. “When our family and friends started asking us what wedding gifts we wanted for our wedding or if we had a honeymoon fund, it didn’t feel right being on the receiving end of such generosity. However, we still wanted to give people the opportunity to contribute something meaningful to us if they wanted to. So, we decided to use this as an opportunity to support a charity close to us.”

For Steve, who grew up in a single-parent household on benefits in North Tyneside, choosing to support Children North East was especially meaningful. He explained, “I understand what a struggle life can be growing up in a disadvantaged area. There are even fewer opportunities for kids to get out of the poverty cycle now, so the need for charities like Children North East is more crucial than ever.”

Although he has since moved away from the North East, the people who supported him through challenging times still plays a central role in shaping who he is today. Steve has remained closely connected to the issues affecting the region through friends, the news and social media. Over the years, he and Sophie noticed Children North East appearing in articles and fundraising events, and they have been regular supporters ever since.

So, when they set up a JustGiving page and shared their decision with loved ones, they had no idea just how powerful the response would be!

Sophie, Steve and their guests collectively donated an incredible total of £1,813 to Children North East. This is equivalent the equivalent of:

• 13 children being able to attend a session learning how to cook and eat a nutritious hot meal with their family and
• 14 neurodiverse young people accessing monthly peer support sessions for a year and
• 12 young people who have experienced abuse receiving vital support through counselling

These are not just statistics or monetary amounts; these represent real lives being transformed.

“We were absolutely gobsmacked,” they said. “It really seemed to strike a chord with people, and they gave so generously. We were really moved and felt very grateful to everyone for their kindness. We are really pleased with the opportunity this gave us to contribute to the great and important work of Children North East.”

What began as a simple, thoughtful gesture soon became something much bigger. Their wedding was more than a celebration of their love, it became an opportunity to make a lasting difference for babies, children, young people and families across the North East.

“We’re really pleased that this gave us the chance to support the great and important work of Children North East,” they added. “It means the world to us.”

Thank you so much to Sophie, Steve and every wedding guest who chose to support us, your kindness is the heart of our work.

If this story has inspired you to fundraise for Children North East, we would love to support you! Feel free to get in touch at [email protected] to chat with a member from the team.