News
We’re excited to announce the launch of the Frank Williams Academy
The late Sir Frank Williams with his daughter, Claire Williams.
The Frank Williams Academy was launched on Wednesday 19 April at an SIA reception at Hoare Memorial Hall in Westminster, attended by our patron, HRH The Princess Royal, as well as Claire Williams, our Vice President and daughter of the late Sir Frank Williams, founder of Williams Racing.
The Academy is a brand new project pioneered by us and supported by Williams Racing. It hopes to honour Sir Frank’s legacy and his achievements while living with a spinal cord injury. Our support following Sir Frank’s car accident in 1986 was integral to his recovery and return to work, with the team he founded achieving nine Formula One World Championship Constructors’ Titles. We have been the team’s Official Charity since 2015, with Claire Williams being our Vice President since 2016.
Claire is spearheading an appeal to raise £1.5m to launch and establish the Academy during its early years. This funding will be used to help educate and train those affected by spinal cord injuries 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.
During the upcoming 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Frank Williams Academy logo will run on the FW45’s of both Williams Racing F1 drivers, Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant.
HRH The Princess Royal engaging with guests at the launch of the Frank Williams Academy
Anna, SIA’s director of business development, with Claire Williams and HRH The Princess Royal
L to R: Stephanie Whitmore, Matthew Savage, Claire Williams, James Matthews and James Vowles
Matthew Savage, Chairman of the Board, Williams Racing: “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.”
Claire Williams, Vice President, SIA: “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. 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.”
Nik Hartley, CEO, Spinal Injuries Association: “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.”
To find out more and to pledge support to the Academy, check out the link below.