On 3rd April 2024, 11-year-old Matilda Pritchard from Leeds tragically and unexpectedly passed away, leaving her parents, Anna and Steve, heartbroken. Matilda had an undiagnosed heart condition, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), which affects 1 in 1,000 people. Until that heartbreaking day, she had shown no signs of the condition and passed away peacefully in her sleep.
In the midst of their grief, Anna and Steve decided to honour their daughter’s memory by launching a fundraising campaign for something that was close to Matilda’s heart: litter and the environment. What started as a goal to raise £11,213 (representing Matilda’s birthday) has now grown into a much larger campaign in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy.
Steve Pritchard, Matilda’s dad, shared why this cause was so meaningful to her:
“Matilda had such a compassionate heart and a deep sense of responsibility towards the environment. Seeing litter around our community upset her, and she was very aware of its harmful impact on nature. She cared so much that she joined a local litter-picking group in Pudsey, dedicating her time to cleaning up the community she loved.”
Steve fondly remembered how they would often pick up bags of litter on their family dog walks, making sure local public spaces stayed clean and beautiful for everyone to enjoy. “We were always so proud of her spirit and awareness for the environment,” he added.
With the original target quickly reached, the family worked closely with Keep Britain Tidy to decide how best to use the funds to achieve Matilda’s dream of a cleaner world. They’ve chosen to support the Eco-Schools programme, which empowers children to take action for the environment in their schools and communities. The goal now is to raise £42,000 – the number of pounds symbolising the five years Matilda would have spent in secondary school.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said:
“We want to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to Anna and Steve for fundraising in memory of Matilda. Matilda dreamed of a world without rubbish, a dream we share. Her passion for keeping her local parks clean and tidy reminds us all that one person really can make a difference.
“No matter how big the environmental challenges we face, we should look at this beautiful country through the eyes of our children – through Matilda’s eyes – and keep striving for a world without rubbish.”
The Pritchard family is now calling on the community to help keep Matilda’s legacy alive by supporting the fundraising effort. You can learn more about Matilda’s story and contribute to the campaign by visiting matildaslegacy.com.
Let’s all join together to continue Matilda’s mission and make a real difference in our local spaces.
