She was removed from the shortlist over questions about the bankruptcy of a previous company she ran, but the process was stopped after the other two candidates withdrew in protest.
[12] She stood as an independent candidate instead, but withdrew from active campaigning, citing harassment that she was receiving and its effect on her mental health as the reason for doing so.
[13] In 2019, she set up the Sophie Cook Foundation in order to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health in schools, colleges and universities.
Having struggled with her gender identity from childhood and with her mental health, notably posttraumatic stress disorder, self harming and suicidal ideation both during and after her military service, Cook transitioned in July 2015 while working at AFC Bournemouth.
[15][16] Cook was awarded an honorary doctorate by Bournemouth University for her work raising awareness of mental health issues in November 2019,[17] and invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) in 2020.