Hillsbrough football disaster campaigner Anne Williams given Helen Rollason BBC Award
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2013 Helen Rollason Award is to be awarded posthumously to Anne Williams.
The award is presented to someone who has shown outstanding achievement in the face of adversity and will be accepted on her behalf by her daughter Sara, son Michael and her brother Danny, during the live show broadcast from Leeds this weekend.
Anne was a tireless campaigner for a new inquest for her son Kevin, who died in the Hillsbrough football disaster. She fought for over 20 years, refusing to accept the coroners findings in the controversial first inquest, and joined other victims’ families in campaigning for a fresh inquest. campaigner
Anne, became a key spokesperson in calling for successive governments to re-examine evidence and apply for a new inquest. Her perseverance, along with that of her fellow campaigners, prompted the creation of The Hillsborough Independent Panel, and her testimony and those of the witnesses she uncovered contributed towards new evidence the panel collated. That led to the original verdicts being quashed by the High Court in December 2012, with new inquests ordered for all those who died at Hillsborough.
Anne’s determination knew no bounds; continuing to campaign despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer. She passed away earlier this year leaving an amazing legacy – sadly she didn’t live to see the new inquests which will begin next spring.
My mum embodied the very reason this award was created; strength, determination and passion. Her tireless campaigning was driven by the love she had for her son Kevin and her dedication to seeking a new inquest. If anyone triumphed over adversity, it’s my mum. – Anne’s daughter Sara
BBC Sport is honoured that the family will be at Sunday’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year to accept the award on Anne’s behalf.
The Helen Rollason Award is issued yearly in memory of the presenter who died in 1999 at the age of 43 after suffering from cancer. The gong in her name is given for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.
Previous winners include horse-trainer, Jenny Pitman; Paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson; fundraiser, Jane Tomlinson; Sailor, Ellen MacArthur; Formula One’s Frank Williams, and snooker-player, Paul Hunter (posthumous).
BBC Sports Personality of the Year airs on BBC One this Sunday evening.
