Georgia Williams Trust: Mother still amazed by support

She has spoken of the ongoing work of the Georgia Williams Trust, which is rapidly expanding the opportunities it offers to young people as well as continuing to attract huge fundraising drives across Telford.

The charity was set up in memory of the 17-year-old, who was murdered in May 2013. Her killer Jamie Reynolds is serving a whole-life sentence for murder.

Lynnette said: "We have met such lovely people, so generous. I love working with the trust, it is manic but I really enjoy getting out and meeting people of all ages. Everyone is just so friendly and supportive."

And the family are raising money themselves, with Georgia's 25-year-old sister Scarlett set to trek through Africa later this year.

Scarlett, who now works in events, will head to Mount Toubkal where she will take on a gruelling trek of the mountain and also work with a local village who want to set up an association with the trust, setting up a study area and library for its school children.

Scarlett will be joined by Mary Cox, Libby McKendrick and Louise Horner who were sent to the area with funds from the Georgia Williams Trust about two years ago.

However, this time, the girls have all paid for themselves and will be using the money raised to donate to Atlas Villages Education and Community Support Association, which has been set up to provide support in education and in day-to-day living in the Berber villages of Morocco, and the trust.

Lynnette said: "They're all really excited. The girls were brought up to think outside of the box and were encouraged to try lots of different experiences. So Scarlett has really jumped at the chance."

She also praised Georgia's former secondary school Ercall Wood in Wellington for all the work it has done to support the charity.

Year sevens starting at the school in September will wear PE kits which have the Georgia Williams Trust logo stitched on by Baker and Sons Schoolwear, who will be donating five per cent of the takings back to the trust.

The trust bought the school a new trampoline, which it has used to host an annual fundraising bounce-a-thon which raised £1,000 and expanded after-school clubs which now see about 78 children taking up trampolining.

Lynnette said: "They absolutely love it. It is bitter-sweet because I go to the school and there was this line of year sevens and they want to talk to me about Georgia and what she was in to. It is really nice to see."

The trust also provided new football kits for the year eight and nine boys at the school, just one of a number of donations to help young people in sport that has included buying equipment for the Gymfinity gymnastics club.

The trust recently donated new flight simulators to the Wellington Air Cadets to help with their training. And in October it will purchase a plane that was built by cadets in Georgia's memory.

The plane flew in both Cosford Air Show and the Fareham Air Show and will offer pleasure flights to disadvantaged and disabled young people and will be used as a teaching tool at air bases across the country.

The trust also runs scholarships with the Immerse Diving School and the Rock Project.

This year, for the first time, the charity has supported three people to have lessons with the scuba school and said they were all richly deserved by the young people who received them, and were selected in part by Georgia's father Steve.

Eleanor Jackson-Smith, aged 17 and from Adams' Grammar School in Newport, was awarded the 2016 Georgia Williams Diving Scholarship and will have special courses to support her interest in biological sciences and marine life.

On September 4 the charity will host its now annual Golf Day at Shropshire Golf Centre in Muxton and the venue will also host the charity's annual trust ball on September 24.

On September 17, it will be the third Ferret Fest, this year held at Ercall Wood and featuring dozens of local performers and a range of activities. It was named after Georgia's nickname.

Lynnette is continuing to visit schools across the borough to raise awareness of the trust and the money it can provide for young people who want to have life changing experiences.

They are also looking to work with sailing clubs to offer new courses on the water.

• To donate to Scarlett visit crowdfunding.justgiving.com/ScarlettWilliams