THE mother of an 18-year-old soldier killed in Afghanistan one year ago hopes his legacy will help thousands of servicemen and women across Britain.

Lucy Aldridge, from Bredenbury, near Bromyard, lost her son William to an explosive device in Sangin province on July 10, 2009.

The Rifleman, with 2nd Battalion the Rifles, was the youngest British soldier to be killed in the war so far.

Mrs Aldridge has spent the past 12 months tirelessly raising funds and awareness for several forces charities.

She said: “William is the driving force behind everything I do.

“I kind of hope that somebody else would be doing this if it was my son who had come home and was suffering terribly.”

The Kilimanjaro Appeal, which will see William’s girlfriend Zeta Price climb the African mountain in December, has already reached the halfway point of its £40,000 fund-raising target.

Now Mrs Aldridge is getting ready for the launch of the William Aldridge Foundation – which she hopes will provide a vital hub of information for serving and injured servicemen and women as well as the families of those who have died at war.

The foundation, at william aldridgefoundation.org.uk, brings together dozens of forces charities and regimental associations in one place.

“I do not think there is anything else quite like it and it’s a huge, huge task.

“I found from a personal level there was little support for bereaved families in particular,” said Mrs Aldridge.

“Information does exist. It’s out there, but there is not one place where you can go to identify where the help is.”

Mrs Aldridge, also the mother of two young boys, will spend the anniversary of her son’s death with family.

For more information on the range of fund-raising events in aid of William’s charities visit kilimanjaro2010appeal. weebly.com.

Lucy Aldridge, from Bredenbury, near Bromyard, lost her son William to an explosive device in Sangin province on July 10, 2009.

The Rifleman, with 2nd Battalion the Rifles, was the youngest British soldier to be killed in the war so far.

Mrs Aldridge has spent the past 12 months tirelessly raising funds and awareness for several forces charities.

She said: “William is the driving force behind everything I do.

“I kind of hope that somebody else would be doing this if it was my son who had come home and was suffering terribly.”

The Kilimanjaro Appeal, which will see William’s girlfriend Zeta Price climb the African mountain in December, has already reached the halfway point of its £40,000 fund-raising target.

Now Mrs Aldridge is getting ready for the launch of the William Aldridge Foundation – which she hopes will provide a vital hub of information for serving and injured servicemen and women as well as the families of those who have died at war.

The foundation, at william aldridgefoundation.org.uk, brings together dozens of forces charities and regimental associations in one place.

“I do not think there is anything else quite like it and it’s a huge, huge task.

“I found from a personal level there was little support for bereaved families in particular,” said Mrs Aldridge.

“Information does exist. It’s out there, but there is not one place where you can go to identify where the help is.”

Mrs Aldridge, also the mother of two young boys, will spend the anniversary of her son’s death with family.

For more information on the range of fund-raising events in aid of William’s charities visit kilimanjaro2010appeal. weebly.com.