A brave nine-year-old girl girl has been selected by a charity to represent it at Chris Evans’s annual fundraising event CarFest.

CarFest, the family festival created by radio presenter Mr Evans, wants to ensure that everyone who attends the festival this year gains a better understanding of where the money goes.

As part of its mission, CarFest is introducing the young people who each represent one of the charity partners who will receive funds from this year’s event.

One of those is Sophie Williams, from Charlton Down, who represents the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.

The money CarFest raises for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust will support 450 young people like Sophie to go on confidence-building sailing and outdoor adventure trips.

Sophie was 18-months old when she was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare type of eye cancer that meant she needed a lifesaving operation which resulted in removing her right eye. Over the years she has had to accept that she is different and the sailing trips with the Trust have helped build her confidence.

Sophie said: “I was very young when I lost my eye I can’t really remember it, only the bandage around my head. It’s more difficult for me now that I’m older, I feel different and that people are looking at me. I lost my confidence away from my friends and I became shy when I wasn’t with them.

"Learning to sail with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust has made such a difference to my life. I came home feeling different and stronger, my trip gave me so much confidence. I’m really proud to be representing the Trust at CarFest.

“I want people to know how their donations can help children like me. I’m so excited about the festival – I can’t wait to go there."

CarFest takes place in two locations across two weekends in July and August. The Bolesworth, Cheshire, event is from July 23-25 and the Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire event is from August 23-25. The weekends are packed with activities for every member of the family, underpinned by great music, celebrity chefs and of course, plenty of cars.

The event was launched in 2012 by Chris Evans to raise funds for BBC Children in Need.

Children in Need remains in place as the principal charity partner and will receive 50 per cent of the total funds raised. Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, Starlight Children’s Foundation and Teenage Cancer Trust will each receive 10 per cent of the funds raised.

Chris Evans said: “CarFest was created with the primary aim of raising funds for UK children’s charities and this year I wanted to extend our relationship further by also helping some other great charities. Each of these organisations does such great work, and they directly change young people’s lives, through not just research and treatment, but critically, by providing life-changing support, advice, confidence building activities to give them all the strength and belief to carry on fighting."

Tickets for the event go on sale at 8am on May 1. See carfest.org