Nine months have passed since we lost Ben but it still feels like only yesterday. His presence is felt in conversations about the times we all shared but we feel it fitting that there is somewhere loved ones can go to remember him.

Botanic Gardens in Southport, a place that holds both fond and difficult memories for our family, has allowed us to have a bench dedicated to Ben in it's grounds. Whilst we can stand at his graveside to mourn, we hope that this opportunity that the park has given us will create a positive space of reflection for everyone who loved him. The bench will also be in memory of our beautiful mum Trena Smith-Crallan.

As we approach the 20th anniversary of Trena's passing and the 1st anniversary of Ben's on the 12th and 15th June respectively, it would mean a great deal for us to be able to do this for them.

His best friend Ronnie had the initial idea and took charge in contacting the Park's authorities to get the idea moving but we also need your help. We need to raise the funds for both the bench and the plaque which will approximately cost £500.00. Anything we manage to raise over this will be donated to Sepsis UK.

Please donate if you can and we'll share updates along the way, as well as the confirmed location of the memorial bench once we have secured funding.

If you don't know Ben's story you can read more about it below....

Ben Smith-Crallan is my older brother who died from the effects of Necrotising Fasciitis on the 15th June 2018. He was only 37 years old.

After taking a stumble into the lake Botanic Gardens Park in Southport Ben began to notice that his leg was a little sore. Over the space of a week the area had become very painful, swollen and discoloured. Thinking it was a fairly run-of-the-mill infection, he visited A&E for a dose of antibiotics but instead was immediately taken into surgery, returning to the ICU in an induced coma. My dad and I turned up with a toothbrush, a book and his phone charger as he'd requested earlier, only to be presented with a devastating scene and no knowledge of what was actually unfolding.

He was kept sedated for almost a month and endured multiple operations to remove infected tissue. Ben had to have the infected leg amputated and was woken from sedation to be informed of the measures that were taken to try and save his life. He astounded doctors to fight on through all of this for some weeks but due to the devastating effects of NF and septic shock, Ben went into multi-organ failure and passed away.

A small unnoticed scratch on his lower leg was the point of entry for a bacteria that took his life.

Again, thank you for taking the time to read our story and we appreciate any donation that you can make!