A jewelery designer has raised more than £10,000 for a mental health charity thanks to the support of Kate Middleton.
The designer behind EARSASS, Sophie McGown, from Perthshire, created The Issy Star earrings in memory of her cousin Issy Phipps, a budding rugby player who took her life last year at the age of 17 after battling the Depression.
During a visit to Maidenhead Rugby Club in May, where Issy played rugby, the Princess of Wales, 42, shared a sweet moment with Issy’s mother and Sophie’s cousin Sarah Renton, who gave her the earrings and hugged her .
Kate wore the sentimental earrings on two occasions, prompting a surge in sales with orders coming in from all over the world, she reported. Scottish countryside.
With £5 from every purchase of Issy Star earrings donated to mental health charity Brave Mind, Sophie has managed to raise over £10,000.
Kate is pictured when she met Issy’s mother Sarah Renton in May last year and was given the earrings.
“It feels truly monumental to have reached over £10,000 in funds raised for Brave Mind from sales of the Issy Star,” Sophie said.
‘We will do everything we can to continue to support the charity’s crucial work in educating and putting mental health issues at the heart of communities.
“It still seems surreal that the Princess of Wales has a pair of our earrings, possibly on her dressing table.”
Sophie went on to thank the Princess of Wales for her “phenomenal” support and the important role she has played in Issy’s memory.
Issy Phipps, a keen rugby player, had played for Maidenhead RFC from the age of four, before moving to Reading RFC as she grew older.
The rugby ace played at county level for several years and was even part of the England U18 touch rugby team at the European Championships in Vichy, France, last year, where he took home gold medals.
Following his sudden death at the end of April last year, a charity match was held in his memory between Maidenhead RFC and Macclesfield at the Sixways Stadium, attended by Mrs Renton and Issy’s father Simon.
After meeting the princess, Mrs Renton said: “Proceeds from the earrings will go to a charity called Brave Minds, a mental health charity that supports children using rugby club platforms.” Mental health is a very important topic.
The Princess of Wales has invited the jewelery designer who created the Issy Star earrings in memory of the tragic 17-year-old Issy Phipps to her Christmas carol concert.
Issy Phipps, a budding rugby player who played for Maidenhead RFC, took her own life in April last year after battling depression.
—It was wonderful, Issy, a real breath of fresh air.
He had wonderful friends, he surrounded himself with the best people. She owned life, she did so well at her A levels, she was going to do an elite rugby programme, she paid for touch rugby for England and got a gold medal in the summer.
‘But she was also battling depression. Everything was harder than it was supposed to be.
‘We thought he was obviously doing better than he was. But I think one of the things we’re looking at is GPs, medications and lack of support.
“It was left a bit in the void. “It has affected a lot of parents and children here at the club, but we are getting through it together.”
The mother-of-three also praised the princess for the visit to the rugby club, adding that it was clear Kate is “passionate about what she does.”
Kate was visibly touched by her interaction with Mrs Renton, who coaches under-14s at the club, and put her arm around the mum before giving her a warm hug.
Sophie McGown, who designed a pair of earrings in memory of her cousin Issy Phipps, revealed on Twitter that she was a guest at Kate’s Carol concert.
Mrs Renton later said that the princess had promised to wear the jewelery at a later date in Issy’s memory.
Kate stayed true to her world and donned the earrings during a visit to Birmingham with Prince William on World Mental Health Day, where they attended a summit focusing on the mental wellbeing of young people in particular.
And in another gesture of support for Issy’s family, her jewelery designer cousin was included on the very special guest list at Westminster Abbey’s carol service.
Posting a photo of her invitation on invitation”. “A wonderful recognition of the support.”
The invitation reveals a few details about the event, including that the dress code is “stylish and casual.”
Sophie previously explained why she designed the earrings in a video on her Instagram Story.
She said through tears: ‘Issy was my cousin and she took her own life. She has been an incredibly emotional rollercoaster, as many people know when it comes to suicide and mental health.”
She went on to thank everyone who bought and wore a pair of Issy Star earrings, including the Princess of Wales.