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Golfers from around the North East took part in an event to raise money for two of the region’s children’s charities.

The event, organised by financial advisers Carterbar, of Billingham, Teesside, and their accountants Pullan Barnes, of Hetton le Hole and Durham, raised £1200 to be divided between Zoe’s Place, the children’s hospice on Teesside, and the Tyneside-based Tiny Lives charity.

For one of the players taking part, the link with Tiny Lives had special significance. Arthur Dornan, a director of Carterbar, knows the family of charity supporter Sophie Proud, who made national headlines when she was born 13 years ago, 16 weeks premature and weighing in at just 1lb 9oz.

In her first few months of life, Sophie, from Sunderland, endured open-heart surgery, pneumonia, blood poisoning and collapsed lungs.

She became one of the most premature babies to survive and recover well. The Tiny Lives Appeal supports the work of the neo-natal service at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary and Sophie has taken part in a wide range of charity events to raise money for its work in gratitude for the part it played in helping her survive.

Acting in the role of ambassador, she is involved in charity events and gives speeches promoting the charity, including addressing the eleven teams involved in the golf day at Beamish Park Golf Club, in County Durham.

Arthur said: “I have known Sophie and her family for five years, and given the difficulties that she has had to face, she is simply amazing.”

Sophie said: “People say it costs too much money to keep premature babies alive, but we didn’t ask to be born premature. We need companies like Carterbar and Pullan Barnes to raise as much money as possible to help more babies”.

The day also supported Zoe’s Place because of links with between the charity and Carterbar Financial Planner Suzanne Cox, both of whose daughters have worked there. Stephanie still does.

Suzanne said: “Zoe’s Place does a terrific job and we wanted to find a way of supporting it. The golf day was an ideal way of raising money for it.”

Carterbar director Craig Dyball said: “The golf day was a lot of fun but we also wanted to raise money to help these two charities, both of which do amazing work.”

Carterbar, based at Manor Way, on the Belasis Business Park, in Billingham, provides services including advice on mortgages, life assurance, income protection, pensions and investments.