STODDART Crane Hire has donated a van to help an Inverness family meet its ambition to improve specialist care for children across the Highlands and Islands.
Keith Mason and his wife Lizzie are establishing the charity Sophie’s Story in memory of their daughter, Sophie, who died in June 2026, shortly after her third birthday. Diagnosed with Batten disease in November 2024, Sophie brought immense love to her family’s lives, from treasured trips away to ordinary days spent together.
Her parents want people to know Sophie for who she was, beyond her diagnosis, and hope her legacy will help other families feel less alone and better supported. Their long-term ambition is to improve services for children with life-shortening or life-limiting conditions and severe medical complexities. Priorities include better access to specialist symptom management and paediatric end-of-life care.
The van provided by Stoddart will take Sophie’s Story to events and business visits, with its branded livery helping introduce the charity to people across the region.
Keith Mason said, “Being Sophie’s parents will always be the greatest privilege. We cannot give her the future she should have had, but we can keep sharing her story and ensure she lives on through Sophie’s Story and the legacy we hope to create for her. Having specialist care closer to home and our family would have made a real difference to us. We will always be grateful for the care and compassion we received, and we want to help other families feel less alone.
“Support from businesses like Stoddart Crane Hire reminds us that we are not trying to do this on our own.”
Kerri MacDonald, director of Stoddart Crane Hire, added, “After hearing about Sophie and the family’s ambitions, we knew we wanted to help. Vehicles are part of our everyday business, so providing a van felt like a natural way to offer practical support. I’d encourage other businesses in our industry to get involved with causes in their communities. It doesn’t always have to mean money. Equipment, time, expertise or simply helping to spread the word can all make a difference.”
Businesses and individuals can contact Sophie’s Story on their Facebook page to discuss fundraising, sponsorship, goods, services or other support.
