The Willow Foundation is a national charity established in 1999 by Arsenal footballer and BBC sports commentator Bob Wilson and his wife Megs as a lasting memorial to their daughter, Anna, who died of cancer aged 31. It is the only national charity to provide psychological and emotional support for seriously ill 16- to 40-year-olds through the provision of special day experiences. Every special day aims to provide beneficiaries and their loved ones with a break from the realities of their diagnosis and treatment and the inspiration to make the most out of life. At a time of uncertainty, spending quality time with family and friends can help restore a sense of normality, boost confidence and create precious memories for the future. To date, Willow has provided more than 15,000 special days for young adults living with life-threatening conditions including cancer, motor neurone disease, cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease. 2013 saw the 10,000th Special Day Willow provided and 2019 will see the 16,000th. The importance of having something positive to look forward to at such a difficult time cannot be overestimated and provides memories and motivation for the beneficiaries and those close to them. The charity receives no government or lottery funding and is totally reliant on the generosity of individuals, companies and trusts to fund its work. Among donors and supporters have been

Pat Jennings Patrick Anthony Jennings (born 12 June 1945) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played 119 international matches for Northern Ireland in an international career which lasted for over 22 years. D ...

OBE KSG, Natasha Kaplinsky, DJ Tim Westwood,

Bob Finch Robert 'Bob' Finch was Head of Coal Trading at leading energy trading company The Vitol Group until June 2015. He was born in the London suburb of Kingston-upon-Thames in 1954 as the son of an RAF fighter pilot. After leaving school at the age o ...

and Michael Holland's Oil Aid. In 2018 a football superfan raised £17,500 for the charity by touring 92 league stadiums in 12 days and becoming the first person to run around every ground he visited in the country.

Stars on Canvas

Stars on Canvas was a high-profile charity event held in December 2008 and again in 2010 involving numerous famous celebrities, sports personalities, artists, actors and comedians. Each star was asked to create an art image on canvas that portrayed aspects of their personality and character. The event was repeated successfully in 2012 - with a press night and public showing at Maddox Arts Gallery in London. Mo Farah's canvas fetched over £2,000 alone. Among the celebrities who donated their art were actors Lord Attenborough,

John Hurt Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors. Director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in t ...

and Jude Law, artists Peter Blake, Tracy Emin, Karen Burt, Sara Abbott, and Jamie McCartney, comedians

Michael "Atters" Attree Michael "Atters" Attree (born 22 April 1965 in Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the ...

, Steve Coogan,

Matt Lucas Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series ''Little Britain'' (2003–2006, 2020) and '' Come Fl ...

Catherine Tate Catherine Jane Ford (born 5 December 1969), known professionally as Catherine Tate, is an English actress, comedian and writer. She has won numerous awards for her work on the BBC sketch comedy series '' The Catherine Tate Show'' (2004–2007) ...

and London Mayor

Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...

References

{{reflist Health charities in the United Kingdom Charities based in Hertfordshire