A leading businessman who died earlier this year has received a special posthumous award for his work to reduce crime and protect the communities of North Wales.
David Wyn Williams MBE, from Deganwy, who lost his battle with cancer in January aged 77, was a founding trustee and long-standing chairman of the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT) who also had a distinguished business career.
His widow, Diane, was presented with a Certificate of Service by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones who paid tribute to his efforts to reduce crime and support community initiatives as part of the Commissioner’s annual Your Community Your Choice Awards.
Mr Williams, who retired as North Wales Area Director of the HSBC Bank at the age of 60, was a long-standing member and chairman of North Wales Business Club.
He was known and highly respected in the business community across North Wales – a tireless cheerleader for the region who was awarded an MBE for services to business in 2014 and was deputy lord lieutenant for Clwyd.
In “retirement” he played an important role in many organisations, attracting global names to come to North Wales to talk to members to the North Wales Business Club.
In addition to chairing PACT, he was also on the boards of Bangor University, Coleg Llandrillo, and Theatr Clwyd.
A proud Welsh speaker, he was also a keen sports fan – supporting Bangor City, Liverpool FC and the Welsh national teams.
Mr Jones said: “David was a remarkable man who is greatly missed but his legacy will live on in so many ways because of selfless work as a champion of North Wales in a host of areas in public life.
“This award is in recognition of his tireless contribution to community safety and in building resilience within those communities.
“He was a founding member and chairman of PACT which has celebrated its 21st anniversary this year and during the seven years David was chairman has handed out over £220,000 to deserving causes.
“Much of that cash has been seized through the Proceeds of Crime Act from offenders.”
Diane Williams, who received her late husband’s award at a ceremony at Theatr Clwyd in Mold, said: “My family and I are very proud to receive this award for David’s work and his involvement over many years with PACT which he was very proud to be part of for many years.
“He had a real passion to see it survive and thrive and he used his role with the Business Club to make sure that the business community were aware of the great things PACT achieved.”
Dave Evans, PACT Project Manager: “David was always keen to see for himself the impact that PACT funding has had in our communities and he would regularly visit projects to meet the people and organisations involved. He is greatly missed.”
