About Us

Background to the Trust

Ben Williams was a warm hearted, talented and cheerful boy with a love of all sport and a particular passion for cricket. A keen wicketkeeper and batsman, he played for Haslemere Preparatory School, the Royal Grammar School in Guildford and Grayswood CC, and he represented West Surrey and Surrey from the U9 age group onwards. He went on tour with Surrey to Holland in 2000 and Perth, Australia in 2004. Ben was very much a team player, always encouraging others, and he enjoyed coaching and helping those younger than himself.

At the age of 14 he was found to have a heart arrhythmia, which resulted in him having to stop all forms of sport and physical activity. He died five months later in February 2006 shortly after collapsing at school. It was subsequently determined that he had a rare heart muscle disorder.

Activities

The Trust provides funding to support children and young adults who are suffering from arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), to help them and their families live as normal a life as possible. It is doing this through the funding of a ground-breaking new nursing post at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London. Ben’s Nurse was appointed on 1 April 2008, two years after the creation of the Trust.

The Trustees also wish to celebrate Ben’s love of sport by supporting youth cricket initiatives, with a particular emphasis on wicketkeeping. The Trust has funded specialist wicketkeeping coaching for two young Surrey wicketkeepers by ex-England captain Alec Stewart and the current Surrey keeper Jonathan Batty, both of whom are Patrons. It is also supporting the Hampshire Cricket Board’s new wicketkeeping coaching initiative.

Trustees and Patrons

Follow these links to find out more about our Trustees and Patrons.