Norfolk MP’s wife, Samantha Cameron, and Joanna Lumley celebrate charity’s achievement
Host Samantha Cameron, Co-founders Victoria Bacon and Sarah Hope, and Patron Joanna Lumley
By ADAM GRETTON Thursday, August 2, 2012
3:59 PM
A fledgling charity, established by the wife of a Norfolk MP and her twin sister, has celebrated a milestone with a Downing Street reception, hosted by Samantha Cameron.
Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope was established by sisters Victoria Bacon and Sarah Hope last year to help young amputees across the world, in memory of their mother, Elizabeth Panton, who was killed by an out of control bus in London five years ago.
The same crash also injured Mrs Hope and her two-year-old daughter, Pollyanna, who lost a leg, which spurred the sisters on to set up a charity to help amputees in the developing world.
Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope has so far raised more than £150,000 and helped fit new limbs for more than 90 children.
Mrs Bacon, wife of South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, and Mrs Hope celebrated the charity’s achievements so far with a reception hosted by the Prime Minister’s wife.
The evening featured the debut of a poignant film, which had creative input from award-winning director Vadim Jean, documenting the charity’s story and its partnership with charities such as Street Child of Sierra Leone.
The star-studded guest list included charity patron Joanna Lumley, minister for disabled people Maria Miller MP, philanthropist Dr Chai Patel, former head of the British Army General Sir Richard Dannatt and founder of Street Child of Sierra Leone Tom Dannatt.
Over the next five years, Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope aims to raise £3.5m to provide comprehensive and sustainable support for up to 5,000 more vulnerable amputees by paying for low-cost prosthetics, operations, educational, social and psychological assistance.
Mrs Hope said: “Unfortunately, many people in developing countries do not have access to the advanced care that Pollyanna received. The charity’s aim is to improve the care and support that is provided to these amputees so that they too, can lead happy, healthy and active lives.”
“This reception and film are huge milestones in the journey of Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope to help give amputees a new life. We are enormously grateful to the team at No 10 for hosting such a wonderful event, and hope that it will help make more people aware of ELoH’s life changing work.”
Last year, Mrs Bacon visited Kagera, one of the poorest regions of Tanzania, to see the work of the Friends of the Children of Tanzania, which was the first organisation to benefit from the charity set up in her mother’s memory.
For more information, visit www.elizabethslegacyofhope.org or the Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/elizabethslegacyofhope
