A CHARITY which will help families whose loved ones are killed or injured abroad is being launched in memory of a Reigate man who died in Thailand.
The Ben Harrington Repatriation Charity is being set up by family and friends of the 32-year-old, who was tragically killed in a moped crash on the island of Koh Tao in August last year.
His brother Mark, who was travelling with him, spent a very difficult week trying to liaise with the Thai authorities before he could fly home with his brother's body.
The family also discovered that Ben's travel insurance did not cover death and they were left with a bill of thousands of pounds.
His mum Pat, 59, of Vevers Road, said: "I want something to come out of Ben's death, I don't want it all to be for nothing."
The charity will raise money to help other families struck by tragedy abroad, and also aims to spread awareness for travellers about what their insurance covers, and what to do and who to contact when something goes wrong.
Mark, 29, said: "Not that many people are going to be unfortunate enough to find themselves in a situation like that. But you come from this country and you expect there to be a system set up, and really you are on your own."
A friend of Ben's, Connell Knights, 28, who is helping set up the charity, said: "For those outside the immediate family, it was hard enough losing Ben but to deal with everything else they have had to deal with, it is hard.
"We just want to do everything we can to make sure it wasn't all in vain."
A website will be set up to provide key information and contact details for travellers abroad. It will feature downloadable PDF documents, individual to different countries, that travellers can take with them.
The fundraising side of the charity will be launched with a dinner and dance at Reigate Manor Hotel in September, which another of Ben's many friends, Louise Markwick, is helping to organise.
She and Ben's family have appealed for businesses to donate prizes that can be raffled off, to help raise as much money as possible in his name.
Anyone who can help should e-mail bhrepatriationcharity@gmail.com
