F E AT U R E
>> Finlay’s name after encouragement from Boro’s then
commercial manager Graham Fordy, accountant Nick
Waites and lawyer Lee Bramley. The charity would become a
huge part of the Coopers’ healing process.
“We were blown away and it took a while to take in,”
says Julie. “We hadn’t been in the right place to consider it
ourselves because we were too busy looking after each other.
But when we thought about it we decided it was great way
to allow our trauma, sadness and loss to help other people.
It has become cathartic for the whole family, including our
brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces and our parents as
well. It was a wonderful, wonderful thing.”
The Finlay Cooper Fund has since helped countless
children on Teesside and beyond, stepping in wherever
it sees a need and paying for anything from minibuses to
powered wheelchairs, supporting Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice
and Butterwick Children’s Hospice and even providing
holidays for disadvantaged Teesside families in a static
caravan near Filey.
One of the couple’s favourite causes was that of nine-year-
old Alfie Smith, from Seaton Carew. Alfie has cerebral palsy
and his parents were trying to raise £50,000 for an operation
that could help him to walk. The fund was able to provide
12
“I can’t even begin to tell you
what yoga has done for me”
- JULIE COOPER.