A charity shop has gone viral after a visit from a TikTok artist.
Sophie Tea, a contemporary visual artist with more than 1.3 million TikTok followers, visited Sobell House Hospice’s Bicester shop as part of her charity shop series.
The series sees her transform second-hand items into her distinctive artwork, before raffling them off to raise money.
The video of her visit has been viewed more than two million times.
The team at Sobell House Hospice reached out to Sophie after spotting she was travelling in the area, resulting in Bicester becoming the latest stop in her viral series.
In the store, Sophie selected a £40 rocking horse to transform.
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After giving it her signature colourful makeover on the shop floor, the finished piece was raffled off to her fans.
The visit attracted a surge of shoppers and followers to the Bicester store, with fans getting the chance to meet Sophie, enter the raffle, and have items signed by the artist.
Charlee White from Sobell House Hospice said: “Lots of our shop team and volunteers were already big fans of Sophie and had been following and interacting with her charity shop series.
“As soon as they realised she was heading our way, they sprung into action and managed to persuade her to pay us a visit.
“It created such a buzz in the shop. We had Sophie’s followers coming along to meet her and enter the raffle, and the video itself has now been viewed more than two million times and received 254,000 likes.
“It’s fantastic exposure for the shop and for Sobell House Hospice.”
Beyond the raffle, the hospice estimates that shoppers spent more than £500 above the store’s average takings that day, thanks to the extra footfall Sophie attracted.
Charlee added: “Our charity shops play a really important role in raising the funds we need to provide hospice care across Oxfordshire.
“Last year, 1,439 patients were under our care at any one time, so every purchase, donation, and fundraising boost helps us continue supporting local people and their families.
“We’re always looking for new ways to bring people into our shops and raise awareness of what their support makes possible, so having more than two million people see our Bicester store through Sophie’s video is very special.”
The Bicester Superstore is open seven days a week and sells everything from books and music to electrical appliances, clothes, and furniture.
The shop is part of Sobell House Hospice’s network, which plays a crucial role in raising funds for hospice care across Oxfordshire.
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