Welsh sport trailblazer Wendy Williams MBE dies aged 83

 Wendy Williams, MBE, a past pupil of South Wilts Grammar School, (1951-58) paved the way for sport in Wales, and was a trail-blazing administrator acclaimed by Olympic gold medallist Lynn Davies as ‘truly inspirational.’

"There are thousands of people from so many sports who owe so much to Wendy," Davies said. "She fought her corner in making a case for all sports at a time when Welsh women’s rugby, football and hockey were nowhere near as popular as they are now.

"Her influence extended beyond Wales to all parts of the UK and beyond. Not many Welsh administrators make it to the top in European and world sport. Wendy did exactly that and her track record speaks for itself."

A schoolteacher by profession, her all-action career across the sporting spectrum started as captain of the Wales lacrosse team.

Wendy had no sooner retired than she hurled herself into a whole host of new roles, driven by a selfless desire to make Welsh sport a better place by increasing participation and raising standards.

Wendy, pictured with her MBE (Image: Nigel Williams)

She held a whole host of positions on the following bodies:

• Secretary of the Welsh Lacrosse Association (1977-97) President (1997-98), the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (1982-87)
• The Sports Council for Wales (1981-97)
• Chairman of the Welsh Sports Association (1984-99)
• The British International Sports Committee (1984-90)
• Council of Europe
• Women in Sports Leadership (1989-93)
• Chair and founder member of the British Sports Forum (1995-98)
• Chair of the Welsh Institute of Sport Advisory Committee
• Chair of the Federation of Sports Associations for the Disabled
• European Olympic Committee.
• Uk delegation to European sports conferences (Athens 1987, Bratislava 1993, Vienna and Budapest (1995)
• Leader of the UK delegation, Amsterdam 1997

Wendy fulfilled all those roles with distinction after a chance meeting which would change her life; bumping into her future husband at Gloucester railway station on October 10, 1970.

George Williams, a noted sports journalist who spent most of his career at the Western Mail, was on his way to his native Cardiff having covered the Fijian rugby tourists’ match against a combined Gloucestershire-Somerset XV at Kingsholm.

Wendy Wallen, born in Southampton during the Second World War and brought up in the Wiltshire village of Landford, was on her way back to Salisbury to visit her parents. George was running late after the match had been delayed due to injury issues.

As their son, Nigel, recalls: "Had that not happened, their paths would never have crossed. In hindsight, I can see that it was meant to be because sport meant so much to both my parents."

They were married in 1971 and lived the rest of their lives in the Pantmawr suburb of north Cardiff.   Having spent the previous summer coaching at summer lacrosse camps in the USA, Wendy had taught physical education at schools in Hampshire and Yorkshire before settling in Wales.

Her contribution to sport in Wales was recognised when she was given an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list of 1995.

Away from sports, Wendy belonged to St. Michael and All Angels Church in Tongwynlais.

Wendy Williams, born June 14, 1940, died April 14, 2024, is survived by her daughter Bridget, son-in-law Sam, son Nigel, daughter-in-law Stef, granddaughter Georgina and grandsons Macsen and Alfie. Husband George Williams died in 2013.