Lancaster philanthropist scoops major sports award

Barrie was awarded the prestigious Chairman’s Award at the annual Sports Journalists’ Association Awards in London on Thursday.

Barrie has been recognised for both his sponsorship of world class athletes and his charitable work through the Barrie Wells Trust.

Athletes sponsored by Barrie include Jess Ennis, Katharina Johnson-Thompson, Keely Hodgkinson and Beth Tweddle.

Recent winners of this prestigious award include the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Ellen White, so as a sports fanatic himself Barrie is delighted to be recognised for his contribution.

Barrie also established Box4Kids in 2010 when he purchased an executive box at Anfield exclusively for seriously ill and disabled children to enjoy a VIP experience from the comfort of an executive box, which is still used to this day for the same cause.

Through collaboration with clubs, venues and companies, Box4Kids now spans 12 different sports and operates in more than 100 major sport and entertainment venues across the UK.

The Box4Kids initiative invites seriously ill and disabled children to enjoy VIP experiences from executive boxes at major sporting and entertainment venues.

To date more than 13,000 children and their families have benefited from a VIP experience in venues across the UK.

The children invited have a range of serious medical conditions, ranging from leukaemia, heart transplants, brain tumours, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis.

“As soon as I realised the happiness that Box4Kids was bringing to the kids and families I knew it was going to give me the most joy I have experienced in my life," Barrie said.

"I am honoured to receive this award, but the real enjoyment comes from knowing I am helping others.”

Alongside his work with Box4Kids, Barrie is hugely passionate about the pleasure of philanthropy.

He is currently looking to persuade more high net worth individuals, like himself, to discover the sheer joy of giving to a cause close to their hearts, whether that be donating an executive box to the Box4Kids initiative or supporting their own charitable endeavours.