'Charity will help my son's memory live on'

A year on from the death of her 17-year-old son, Crystal Owen is launching a charity in his name that hopes to help his memory live on.

Harvey, from Shrewsbury, who died alongside three friends in a car accident near Garreg, Gwynedd, was a passionate guitarist.

The charity, Shine On With Harvey Owen, is inspired by this passion and will raise money for other music and arts charities that help disadvantaged young people.

"Harvey’s always been creative. He loved art, he loved poetry, he loved all that sort of thing," said Mrs Owen.

Harvey started learning how to play the guitar when he was younger, but it was the year before he died that he really began to love it.

"He was just forever trying to improve, and it just gave him so much confidence, so I just want to be able to help others," she said.

"Harvey always helped others and always had a soft spot for anybody he ever felt was struggling, so I thought this would sum him up perfectly in terms of helping his memory live on."

Following the accident, a JustGiving page was set up for the families. It is this page that has given the Owen family more than £10,000 to launch the charity.

"We’re going to keep building funds this year, finally get round to doing some charity events in December," she said.

"Next year we’re looking at putting the money out there, so that young people can start to access it.

"We’re still in the process of officially setting it up, the bookkeeper is working on that, but it should be in the next couple of weeks."

Mrs Owen, who previously worked in youth services, said she knew how vital funding for music and arts could be.

"We used many local charities like the Hive in our youth work sessions and they are absolutely crucial for young people to be able to bring them out of themselves and give them confidence.

"Especially for young people that can't necessarily afford it, to be able to give them that opportunity of free lessons it can literally be life changing."

Everything about the charity, right down to the name - Shine On - is inspired by her son.

She said her son was "such a lovely young man, and we just felt like his memory will live on and it will shine on."

Eventually, Mrs Owen wants to create a Shine On award for organisations to be able to give young people who excel.

"It would just be lovely to see things going forward like music projects and young people getting their lessons and improving on instruments," she said, "knowing that Harvey's legacy is helping that to happen."