Murder of Sophie Lancaster - Tributes To Sophie Lancaster

Tributes To Sophie Lancaster

The park where the attack occurred was covered with floral tributes to the couple soon after the attack, and online message boards have seen many tributes to Lancaster from well-wishers, including some from Europe and America, including a special Facebook and a Bebo group in her honour.

The attack was widely condemned in Lancashire and Rossendale by Council leaders and the local community. At the alternative electronic music festival Infest in Bradford on 26 August 2007, just after Lancaster's death, Ronan Harris of VNV Nation dedicated the song "Illusion" to her and contacted the family to offer his condolences. There has also been discussion of a plaque in her memory in the park. A song was dedicated to Lancaster in concerts at Bacup’s Royal Court Theatre on 6/7 September 2007, and a collection taken. A twelve hour long concert in her honour was held on 6 October 2007, at the grounds of Bacup Borough F.C. featuring 10 bands. The club played a game during the concert with all the takings going to the memorial fund. This included a song written in Lancaster's honour. Lancaster's family and friends have set up a website in her memory and have decided to use the contributions from wellwishers and these events to set up a special fund to be known as "S.O.P.H.I.E" standing for "Stamp Out Prejudice Hatred and Intolerance Everywhere" aiming to "provide an appropriate memorial; a lasting legacy to raise awareness of the injustice perpetrated against Sophie Lancaster and to work towards a more tolerant, less violent society."

Lancaster's mother said: "it will also help fund group sessions with young people to teach them about alternative cultures and to respect everyone." A special black ribbon was being sold to support the fund available at the many events being held across Rossendale and in local shops. Lancaster's memory was further honoured at the Eccentrik Festival in North Carolina, "and three more concerts are planned in California, Iowa and Brisbane, Australia." A number of gothic gigs and club nights across the UK and Ireland dedicated a night to Lancaster in October and November 2007, including the Whitby Gothic Weekend. A collection of over £3000 was raised from these events to place a memorial bench to her in Whitby. The bench was put in place on Whitby's West Cliff in January 2008.

The "Sophie Award" has been established as an ongoing prize for innovative and experimental film-making at Bacup Film Festival. Lancaster's funeral was public and organised for 12 November 2007, and was attended by hundreds of people and BBC film crews. Lancaster's friends held a memorial concert to "commemorate Sophie’s uniqueness" featuring Lancaster's favourite local bands held on 25 November 2007, the night before what would have been Lancaster's 21st birthday at St Mary’s Chambers, Rawtenstall, the concert was covered by Granada Television. A repeat event is planned for 26 November 2008 headlined by The Damned and AOR featuring Dave Sharp founder member of The Alarm.

On 13 January 2009, it was announced that the Bloodstock Open Air festival were to rename their second stage to The Sophie Lancaster Stage in tribute and to promote the S.O.P.H.I.E. Campaign. The second stage again carried the name of The Sophie Lancaster Stage in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

On 24/25 June 2008, Carabas Theatre Company performed a new dark comedy that dealt with perceptions of the Gothic subculture, donating all profits to the S.O.P.H.I.E fund. The work was performed at the Gregson Centre, Moor Lane, Lancaster. In a discussion after the performance, the cast and audience discussed Goth culture, the issues raised in the performance, and the possibility of educating young people about different subcultures to foster unity and acceptance from a young age. The work, "Suckers", was written and directed by MJ Wesolowski, and the production raised £200 for the S.O.P.H.I.E fund.

On 3 June 2010, Robert Maltby began an exhibition of his own art at Affleck's Palace in Manchester containing 15 paintings inspired by Lancaster. The exhibition was called Crimson Iris: The Art of Sophie. The money raised went to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

The Delain album, We Are The Others, is dedicated to her memory.