The S.O.P.H.I.E Lancaster Foundation In 2023

Terms such as Weirdo, Mosher, and Freak aren’t entirely unfamiliar to the alternative community. Often paraded around in a derogatory fashion by classmates, colleagues, strangers, perhaps even friends, or family. These same terms that Alison Wright, a proud Trustee of The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, is confident are beginning to be reclaimed.
“If you see our merch around you might see Mosher, Weirdo, Freak, and we’re reclaiming that for ourselves.” Alison says from her home office. An ardent member of the metal community for over thirty-five years, Alison kindly took the time to speak with Metal Wani’s Carl Rourke about The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, and where it stands in 2023.
“It was set up by a powerhouse of a woman called Sylvia Lancaster, “Alison begins. “who, very tragically, lost her daughter, Sophie, at the hands of a group of lads who, one night, when she was walking with her boyfriend, decided that they would set upon these two because of the way that they looked. They screamed abusive terms at them, some of which we’ve reclaimed.” Alison continues, “But these lads, they first attacked her boyfriend, and then in trying to protect him, she was attacked as well and, tragically, she died from her injuries.”
Sophie passed away on August 24, 2007. She was twenty years old.
“So, her mother [Sylvia Lancaster], in her memory, set up The Sophie Lancaster Foundation to bring hope from hate, and to set up a foundation that would educate and would enable people to better understand the alternative cultures, and alternative subcultures, and knock out some of the prejudice against them.”
Despite some very real progress, public discourse in relation to hate crimes toward the alternative community, indeed many communities, sadly remains notably complicit and unforgivably supine in 2023. Making the kind of work carried out by The Sophie Lancaster Foundation more necessary than ever. Work that faces its own challenges as the foundation navigates the impact of the pandemic.
“The foundation is incredibly small, “Alison acknowledges “it’s one of those where it’s small, but it’s mighty. Its reach is huge for the size that it is. And we can’t lie, the pandemic hit us in a big way.” She shares, “We don’t get any funding from government. Everything that we get we have to go out and earn for ourselves. In Covid, that was very much restricted. I think also, it’s worth pointing out, the death of Sylvia last year, an incredibly sad part of the foundation’s history, it did leave us, as a group, trying to work out, do we still resonate? Do we still have a purpose? Do we still continue? And, resoundingly, we had to. To be a voice for the community that we represent.”
In the lead up to festival season, a brief moment of worry gave light to a cautionary tale when the foundation found themselves in a position where they were temporarily unable to attend this year’s Download Festival.
“I want to point out that the Download team have been phenomenal throughout.” Alison highlights. “I don’t want anything bad about them. Them coming, after such feedback from the community and, like I say, I was literally in tears at the scope of how many people felt it, and responded, it was amazing that Download, that the organizers did come and approach us, literally the following day to help us out.”
Excited for the future of the foundation, Alison shares,
“If I go back to what I see as the three pillars of the foundation; To Educate, To Advocate, and To Support. So, Educate, we have our two wonderful supporters who go into schools and businesses, “Alison continues, “and run workshops in schools about anti-hate, hate crimes, and as was Sylvia’s objective, knocking out those prejudices around people in the alternative community.” Looking to September, Alison says “We’re looking at launching a Train the Trainer. This is just phenomenal. We can train up teachers in schools who can then deliver to their own students or to other staff.”
The Sophie Lancaster Foundation will have a presence at the following festivals in 2023.
Bloodstock Festival (Derbyshire)
Download Festival (Donington)
The Festival of Gothica (Leeds),
Two Thousand Trees Festival (Cheltenham)
Stone-Dead Festival, The Festival of Gothica (Leeds)
If you, or anyone you know, has been a victim of hate crime, the following services are here to support.
In an emergency, please dial 999.
To report an incident to the police, call 101
Report online on True Vision (national police hate crime reporting website) www.report-it.org.uk/
The Sophie Lancaster Foundation at www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/