Smile4Wessex : Our History

Our History

The Wessex Neurological Centre Trust (WNCT) is a registered charity committed to providing support for the Wessex Neurological Centre and the patients it cares for. Since its founding in 1982, the charity has funded many projects, particularly in respect of research into disorders of the nervous system, but also to provide items of medical equipment to the hospital.

In July 2002, 15 year old Richard Bowler collapsed whilst training with his local football club. He was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of QA Hospital in Portsmouth where he was found to have suffered a massive brain haemorrhage. Sadly, he never regained consciousness and died the following day. Following news of his death, hundreds of his friends at Brookfield School in Sarisbury Green, Southampton, left messages on a ‘memory board’ in the school grounds. One such message ended with the words ‘Smile 4 Rich’. Family and friends were devastated by the tragedy and vowed that some good should come from Rich’s death. In the following 18 months over £29,000 was raised for local projects and charities, including donations of over £8,000 each to the Wessex Neurological Centre Trust and the Portsmouth Hospital’s Rocky Appeal raised at a Smile4Rich Fun Day in December 2003. (The programme for the 2003 Smile4Rich Fun Day can now be downloaded from the eNewsletter page under the Fundraising menu)

In April 2004 it was agreed that Smile4Rich would become the ‘public face’ of fundraising for the WNCT and the trustees approved the launch of the Ambulance Appeal. Since then, the appeal has raised over £400,000 for a number of projects which have and continue to benefit thousands of patients.

In 2010, it was decided to re-brand the charity to Smile4Wessex (to more closely reflect the region and unit it supports). This has been a difficult decision, but one which has the full support of Richard's family. Of course, we shall never forget the fact that their tragic loss was the catalyst to a campaign that has benefitted so many, and the annual gala dinner will continue to be known as the Smile4Rich Gala and our annual golf day will continue to be played for the Smile4Rich Trophy in honour of his memory.