A CHARITABLE foundation set up in memory of a talented athlete from Bulford who was killed in a car accident at the age of 23 has raised almost £14,000 in just over a year.

Lewis Andrews, a promising triathlete who was a member of Salisbury Tri Club, died just three weeks before achieving his ambition to represent his country.

Determined to keep his name fresh in the minds of those who take part in triathlon, several of his friends and family decided to start a charitable foundation to raise money to help promote the sport to the community at large.

With fundraising events such as bike rides and an annual dinner dance, the Lewis Andrews Foundation (LAF) has raised thousands of pounds since it was established in December 2011.

Staff at Capita in Salisbury raised £1,656 for the charity through a variety of events including raffles, cake sales and ‘dress down’ days at the end of the month, while a musical event held at the High Post Golf Club, where Lewis worked as a green-keeper, raised more than £800.

Lewis’ mother Collette Bradbury, who used to work at Capita, said: “The amount of money that has been raised is phenomenal. “I think Lewis would find it quite unbelievable that so many people of all ages would support him. He touched a lot of people.”

One of LAF’s founding trustees, Dan Brunton, who trained regularly with Lewis, said the funds were being used to help fund the ongoing promotion of the sport of triathlon.

He said: “Just recently we have secured a three-year agreement with the Salisbury Triathlon Club to pump funding into the club, which will use the funds to promote the sport to new people in the area, as well as allow funding to be targeted at the purchase of new equipment and professional training sessions for the club as it assists its members in achieving their own personal goals and bettering themselves in the sport that Lewis was so fond of.”

For more details on LAF email dan@brunton.co.uk or shaunbenfield@gmail.com.

* Other charities supported by Capita during 2012 included the National Autistic Society and Wessex Heartbeat, which each received a donation of £828 and the Piam Brown Ward, which received £1,587.