Willow Foundation
Supported by 
From its humble beginnings, Willow's branches have spread across the nation
Some Willow team members with chief executive David Williams. To date they have provided 2,506 special days
By Welwyn and Hatfield Times Editor
Terry Mitchinson
Eight years ago marked one of the proudest moments of my life.
For, August 25, 1999, was the day when the Willow Foundation was launched.
The charity was formed by Bob and Megs Wilson in memory of their daughter Anna who had died of a rare form of cancer.
She was not quite 32 years old.
From its conception myself and the WHT team were closely involved in the formation of the Willow Foundation.
I am still a founder trustee.
Inspired by the brave way Anna dealt with her illness, its aim was to provide special days for seriously ill young adults. It was her own special days with family and friends which had helped her cope.
It started as a local charity.
It was - and still is - based in Hatfield. Bob and Megs lived in Brookmans Park and Anna had been a nurse in the area.
Now it is a well-respected national charity giving special days to people throughout the UK.
It will need to raise £2m this year alone to fund special days and future growth.
To date the charity has provided 2,506 special day experiences for young people living with a variety of life threatening conditions.
Bob Wilson, former Arsenal and Scotland goalkeeper - and one of TV's most popular sports presenters - said: “The Welwyn and Hatfield Times helped launch the Willow Foundation in 1999 and if it had not been for the generous base of supporters in this area, it would not be the charity it is today.
“The Foundation began by providing special days for young people in this local community.
“But since launching as a national charity in October 2005, we have been overwhelmed by the demand for Willow's services.
“This need to provide quality of life and quality of time for seriously ill young people was recognised first by the people of Hertfordshire.
“Thank you so much to all of those supporters who have been involved from the very beginning and who continue to support us.â€
Stuart McCreery, managing director of Archant Herts and Cambs, publishers of the WHT, said: “The Willow Foundation does a wonderful job and its staff should be praised for their hard work and dedication.
“Our papers throughout the group pride themselves in their involvement with a host of local charities and worthy causes.
“It is particularly pleasing to see how a charity which the WHT helped launch eight years ago has now become a successful national charity with a reputation for quality in everything it does.
“Editorially we have closely followed the progress the Foundation has made. We wish it continued success in its endeavours to help those less fortunate than ourselves enjoy some amazing experiences that, without Willow, they would not get to do.â€
The team behind the scenes
The Willow Foundation was founded in 1999 by Brookmans Park couple Bob Wilson and his wife Megs as a memorial to their daughter, Anna, who died of cancer aged 31.
The charity has expanded rapidly over the past eight years and now employs 27 people at its Old Hatfield base, across four teams: special days organisation, fundraising, communications and administration.
From humble beginnings in Megs' home office - with founder trustees meetings taking place at the WHT's HQ in WGC - the charity moved to Sylvia Adams House then to its current home, Willow House off Salisbury Square.
How the charity has grown
Beneficiaries of special days live with a wide range of life threatening conditions, at various stages of prognosis. These include cancer, Huntington's, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and motor neurone disease.
Back in 1999/2000 the Willow Foundation organised 17 special days. That number had grown to 205 in 2003, to 407 in 2005 and 890 last year. It is estimated that the total for 2007 will be 1,050.
