A fundraising drive has been launched to support the creation of the Frank Williams Academy, which will deliver additional much-needed resource to help people living with spinal cord injury (SCI).
The Academy, pioneered by the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA), will help to build vital specialist expertise across the health and care sector, to support the SIA’s vision of people with SCI living a fulfilled life.
An appeal has now been launched by Claire Williams, daughter of Frank and vice president of the SIA, to raise £1.5million to launch and establish the Academy.
Funding will be used to help educate and train those affected by SCI and healthcare professionals to ensure safe, appropriate care is provided. Through research and development, the Academy intends to champion best practice, raise national standards and build an evidence base to influence long-term transformational change.
The Academy is named in tribute to motor racing legend Sir Frank Williams. Following Sir Frank’s car accident in 1986, which left him with SCI, the SIA was integral to his recovery and return to work, with the Williams F1 team achieving nine Formula One World Championship Constructors’ Titles.
SIA have been the team’s official charity since 2015 and during the upcoming 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Frank Williams Academy logo will run on the FW45’s of both Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant.
The Frank Williams Academy was officially launched at a reception at Hoare Memorial Hall in Westminster attended by the charity’s patron, HRH The Princess Royal.
“My father lived the most extraordinary life, not least as one of the most successful Team Principals in the history of the sport and doing so from a wheelchair as a tetraplegic for the greater part of it,” said Claire Williams.
“His tenacity in the face of this adversity was just one of the many things that made him such an inspiration to many while he was alive.
“Following his death, I wanted to do something to continue that legacy, and the Frank Williams Academy couldn’t be a more fitting tribute. The work that the Academy will do will provide potentially life changing care for spinal cord injured people, just as the SIA did for my dad.
“With that support, the bounds of possibility are endless.”
Matthew Savage, chairman of the board, Williams Racing said: “We’re delighted to support the launch of the Frank Williams Academy. To honour Sir Frank’s life by providing fundamental education, care and support to change the lives of people affected by spinal cord injuries is truly special. Everyone at Williams Racing is looking forward to helping the Academy flourish.”
Nik Hartley, CEO of the SIA, added: “The launch of the Frank Williams Academy is momentous, not only for SIA but for spinal cord injured people across the UK.
“Inspired by Sir Frank’s success and motivated by the challenges he faced, the vision is to completely transform the availability of specialist expertise in health and care so that anyone anywhere has the best chance of a fulfilled life after injury. Sir Frank was the living example of such a life.
“We’re so grateful to his daughter, our amazing vice president Claire Williams, and to Williams Racing for backing this.”
