The Prime Minister has recognised the parents of Connor Saunders for their tireless good work after the death of their son.
David Cameron praised the Brighton couple Shaun and Darran Saunders “who have dedicated their time to educating young people about the tragic consequences of violence and tirelessly raised awareness of the importance of organ donation after the death of their son Connor”.
Shaun and Darran Saunders, both 52, from Brighton, have received Points of Light awards in response to their charitable work.
The couple established the Connor Saunders Foundation after Connor was killed in an unprovoked attack four years ago.
After Connor died, his parents found out that he’d registered as an organ donor at the age of 16.
The Prime Minister’s office said: “Connor gave the gift of life to five other people. In Connor’s memory his parents now promote organ donation.
“They have also raised over £35,000 to buy defibrillators for local sports clubs and provided first aid training for over 4,000 school children.
“Shaun and Darran Saunders are the latest recipients of a Point of Light award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers, people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others.
“Each day, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements.
“Shaun and Darran have hosted a number of events including football matches with the emergency services, fetes and coffee mornings raising over £35,000.
“The money has enabled the installation of 35 defibrillators at local sports clubs and schools providing vital life-saving equipment.
“Shaun and Darran have inspired others to volunteer and support their drive to provide first aid training at schools across Sussex.
“To date they’ve provided first aid training to over 4,000 school children. They have also funded football coaches with FA or UEFA badges to work with children with special needs in three schools.
“These children would usually miss out on the opportunity to play football in clubs as coaches are not normally trained to support the needs of children with special needs.
“The children have benefited from being able to engage in teamwork and have learnt leadership skills.”
Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Shaun and Darran have both made a remarkable commitment to raising awareness of the importance of organ donation in their son’s memory.
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