Sophie Tea Art and Charity Shop Friday at Hornchurch Superstore

When talented artist Sophie Tea Art invited Saint Francis Hospice to take part in her Charity Shop Friday series, we jumped at the chance to be involved. With her huge social media following (1.1m followers on Tiktok and 725k followers on Instagram), Sophie is helping raise the profile of charity shops across the country.

Sophie popped into our new Superstore in High Street, Hornchurch on Friday 11th October and bought a Barbie remote-controlled car. She then went away for a few hours, transformed the bright pink convertible car into a unique piece of art and then returned it to the shop.

Shoppers, many of whom follow Sophie on social media and had seen her social posts about coming to the superstore, were then handed raffle tickets giving them the chance to buy the car for the price it was originally sold for.   

“It’ been such a fantastic day and I’ve been blown away by the amazing work of the retail team at Saint Francis Hospice,” said Sophie.

“What I love most about helping charities is the sense of community and connection.  

“Knowing that I can use my creativity to support a cause and inspire others to do the same is incredibly rewarding.  

“It’s not just about creating art or raising money—it’s about being part of something bigger, something that brings people together for a shared purpose.  

That sense of giving back, of making even a small difference, is what drives me to keep doing this. 

"Working closely with charities has opened my eyes to how much these organisations do with limited resources and how important every contribution is.  

“It’s made me realise that even small actions—like donating an item or volunteering—can have a huge impact. These people are the kindest and most hardworking people I’ve encountered, it’s incredible how much they do and mostly on a voluntary basis!”

Tania Howe, the lucky winner of the car, said, “This is just amazing. I normally never win anything!  

“I have been following Sophie for a few years and my daughter Chloe has been one of the nudes at her live shows.   

“She is a genuinely lovely person. Sophie is so humble and gives so much to charity.  

“This has been such a positive experience, and it has really made my day.”

There was a fantastic atmosphere in the shop as people purchased donations so Sophie could draw her signature nude design on them.   

Clare Hunt, Area Manager for the shop, said, “It was such an exciting day and we’re so grateful to Sophie for choosing our fabulous new shop.   

“She spent time chatting and having her photo taken with customers, as well as personalising donations with her amazing artwork.   

“Sophie’s special visit attracted lots of new customers and she has helped to raise awareness of hospice care.  

“Our shops provide vital income to help fund our compassionate palliative and end-of-life care services.   

“There are so many ways people can support us - whether it is donating good-quality donations, shopping in our shops, or volunteering.”

Saint Francis Hospice now has 14 shops across its catchment area of Havering, Brentwood, Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge and West Essex.