'First time it felt like he mattered': Shropshire hit-and-run victim's mum speaks to MPs in Parliament
The mother of a Shropshire hit-and-run victim said she "felt like her son mattered" for the first time when she told MPs laws need to be stricter on people who flee crashes.
Mandy Oliver, whose son Will Rogers was killed last April, visited Parliament with the charity RoadPeace to support its "remain and report" campaign.
Will, an agricultural contractor who was popular in south Shropshire rugby circles, died on April 30 last year on the B4368 at Diddlebury.
His death came a matter of months after another hit-and-run victim was killed in the south of the county. Dylan Price died after being hit in Bishop's Castle the day before his 18th birthday in September 2021. The culprit has still not been found.
Mandy, who went to the House of Commons with her daughter, and Will's sister, Lydia, took a lot from the trip.
She said: "I had the opportunity to speak to many MPs about what happened to Will and the way the whole legal process has affected me.
"Philip Dunne (Ludlow MP) came. He was very interested and was lovely.
"It was very emotional for us and for them to hear. I think they were quite shocked.
"For myself and Lydia it felt for the first time that we matter, and that Will mattered, and that we can make a difference."
As well as speaking to politicians, the visit gave Mandy and Lydia the chance to connect with other families who have been devastated by hit-and-run deaths.
"In my mind, nobody can hurt more than me, but it made you feel like you're not on your own," said Mandy.
"A lot of people, when they're talking to you, they don't know what to say. But being there around other people who have been through a similar thing, they were so supportive.
"We met a couple from Cornwall whose son died in similar circumstances. They were talking to us at great length about it and I think it did us both good."
RoadPeace, a charity which supports bereaved families of people who have died in road crashes, is running a campaign which calls for new criminal charges of failing to remain at the scene of a serious or fatal collision, a reduction in the reporting time allowed - which is currently 24 hours - and an immediate driving licence suspension for those arrested on suspicion of causing a serious injury or fatality.
The visit to Parliament was set up by RoadPeace's West Midlands group co-ordinator Lucy Harrison, Action Vision Zero's traffic justice co-ordinator Amy Aeron-Thomas and Rachel Maclean, MP for Redditch.
Mandy added: "I think for us to support the campaign is something that Will would have wanted. He always wanted to helped everybody.
"Lots of people were taking an interest. Hopefully events like this can make a difference.
"I hope we did Will proud."
Christopher Carloman, aged 57, of Blakemore, Brookside, Telford, was due to appear in court this week facing charges relating to Will. He is accused of failing to stop and report an accident. However, the case has been adjourned.
For more information about RoadPeace visit roadpeace.org
