Former Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh has paid a touching tribute to Sylvia Lancaster, describing her as a 'force for good and inclusion'. Campaigning Sylvia worked tirelessly to combat prejudice, hatred and intolerance after the shocking murder of her 20-year-old daughter, Sophie, in 2007 - setting up the Sophie Lancaster Foundation in her name.
Sophie and her boyfriend, Robert Maltby, were attacked by a gang in a park in Bacup, Lancashire, with Sophie dying from her injuries 13 days later. Sylvia's sudden death at Blackburn Hospital on Tuesday morning was confirmed by the foundation - who said she 'put her energy into championing people from alternative subcultures and creating educational programmes to tackle prejudice and intolerance'.
Accrington-born Julie, who played Hayley Cropper in the long-running soap, was a patron and long-standing supporter of the foundation. In 2012, she appeared at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, portraying Sylvia in the critically-acclaimed 'Black Roses: The Killing Of Sophie Lancaster', a play based on the real-life story of Sophie.
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Black Roses was originally written as a drama cum poem for BBC Radio 4 by the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage. It went on to win BBC Radio Best Speech Programme of 2011 and was short-listed for the 2011 Ted Hughes Award.
After transferring to the theatre, the play toured the region to promote the foundation's message before being produced as a BBC film. Black Roses won 'Best Single Drama of Year' and 'Female Performance of the year' at the Royal Television Society Awards 2015. Julie was nominated for a Bafta for her portrayal of Sylvia.
Julie also launched a creative writing competition in memory of Sophie, who was herself a talented artist and writer. She told the Manchester Evening News at the time: "I am a mother and I was horrified to hear about how they were attacked just because they looked different."
Writing on social media after Sylvia's death was confirmed, Julie said Sophie's legacy would live on through the foundation's ongoing work.
She said on Twitter: "It was a privilege to know and work alongside Sylvia over many years. She was a force for good, for inclusion, for celebration of difference. Sophie's incredible legacy lives on in the work of the foundation. Love and thoughts to Adam and the family. Rest in power incredible woman."
Coronation Street worked with the foundation for a hate crime storyline last year. The ITV soap tackled the issue when characters Nina Lucas, who had a Victorian goth identity, and Seb Franklin were subjected to an unprovoked violent attack while out walking.
Corrie producer Iain MacLeod said at the time: "The issue of intolerance and hatred towards people from different cultures and subcultures is arguably more relevant now than it's ever been.
"This incredibly hard-hitting storyline, which centres on a senseless act of violence, will draw in characters from all corners of our narrative universe and will, we hope, leave the audience with a clear message - everyone, regardless of how they look, how they dress or any aspect of how they live their life, should be treated with tolerance and respect."
Speaking about the storyline, Sylvia said at the time: "I know first-hand the abuse, harassment and violence that alternative people suffer. Hate crime is usually directed at already stigmatised and minority groups and Sophie was assaulted three times before that final, sustained and brutal attack that took her life – but she never reported the earlier assaults.
"Coronation Street covering this issue means such a huge amount to me. We want alternative people to know that they shouldn’t be putting up with this prejudice and intolerance, and they should report it."
Announcing her death, the foundation said on Tuesday: "This is the hardest statement to write. It is with great shock and disbelief that we announce that Sylvia Lancaster has passed away. She died early this morning in Blackburn hospital. She had suffered from ill health for the last couple of years, but her death was sudden and unexpected.
"Sylvia had such a powerful life force; we cannot imagine a world without her in it. Following Sophie's brutal murder, Sylvia put her energy into championing people from alternative subcultures and creating educational programmes to tackle prejudice and intolerance. She worked tirelessly to combat the inaccurate and lazy stereotyping that all too often leads to violent prejudice and promoted a culture of celebrating difference; something that leads to safer communities for us all.
"Sylvia was formidable. She challenged authority and fought for what she believed in. Her legacy is that Sophie will never be forgotten, and her daughter's name will always represent her mission – to Stamp Out Prejudice, Hatred and Intolerance Everywhere. She will be sadly missed."
Ryan Herbert was 16 when he was detained for life in 2008 for Sophie's murder. He was ordered to serve a minimum of 16 years behind bars, but his sentence was later reduced to 14 and a half years on appeal. Last month the Parole Board said Herbert, now 30, can be released from prison after making 'significant changes to his life'.
Brenden Harris, who was also found guilty of Sophie's murder and admitted the attack on Mr Maltby, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years.
