Family to host ball in memory of tragic teen Wayne Varley
[gallery] Christmas is always a difficult time for the Varley family. December 27 will mark 10 years since 17-year-old Wayne, who had joined Army training college just two months earlier, died in a car crash in Rugeley.
This year, however, his family will be hosting a charity ball in the teenager's memory to raise money for the military charity Help for Heroes. The event will take place on December 1 at Lea Hall Miners Welfare Centre and Social Club, in the town.
The main force behind the charity event has been Wayne's sister Stacey, who was just 13 when he died after meeting up with friends that evening.
Former Fair Oak High School pupil Wayne was in a Volkswagen Golf travelling along Chaseley Road when it collided with a kerb and hit a tree. He was the only one to be killed in the crash in 2002.
His mother Michelle Varley said: "Christmas is always a really hard time for us because of what happened to Wayne. This year we decided to do something for my son.
Memory
"Stacey has organised the ball. She was only 13 when Wayne was killed.
"She contacted me to ask me what I was doing on that particular date and told me she had organised a charity ball.
"Everyone is coming to raise some money in his memory."
Mrs Varley said tickets for the event had already been snapped up, with more than 200 buying tickets to support the cause in honour of the popular teenager.
There will also be a raffle, with a Christmas hamper as one of the prizes.
Wayne was skilled in one-man bobsleigh and had qualified for the Army championships in France in 2003.
