A FAMILY day and football tournament will take place this weekend and a borough business will be hosting a charity event later this month in support of a charity created following the death from cancer of an inspirational young woman.

Sammy Jo Brandon, who has family connections in Thurrock, was 29 when she lost her battle to Triple Negative Breast Cancer on 14 May 2018.

When Sammy Jo was going through chemotherapy she often spoke about young children and babies she came across having to go through similar treatment. This upset her immensely and promised that she would help them in some way once

Having initially appeared to have beaten the disease, she got the devastating news that the cancer had returned in her brain and lungs and she only had weeks to live.

Through the remaining weeks of her life she made a commitment to helping those children she had been inspired by, a mission carried on by friends and family after her death

The charity, the Sammy Jo Brandon Foundation, was set up to help remember her and to continue to show how loving and caring she was. Her life and death has inspired many people to help others.

Among them are staff at the TotsWorld play area at Walton Hall Farm, Linford, which has organised a play day event including entertainment from 4 to 6pm on Friday, 15 July.

And this weekend a charity football tournament and family fun day will take place at Aveley Football Club which will feature a DJ, food, family entertainment and more. The fun will begin at 12 noon.