The “Olibob” Awards

The “Olibob” Awards include a trophy and a sum of £500 for each recipient.

The award is named after Oli Williams, who tragically died in a road traffic collision in 2020 at the age of just 27. His friends and family affectionately knew him as “Olibob”. Oli worked in the video games industry and is credited on several well-known Xbox games. Outside of work, drama and music were his passion. He often went to the theatre, and he acted and sang in many performances with amateur dramatics groups. Importantly, his personality, life skills, and confidence, which helped him with his education and career, were developed in drama groups from a young age. He abhorred intolerance or discrimination of any type and had an incredibly inclusive, kind, and caring nature. He was known by his friends as someone who supported everyone and always gave more than he took.

It was for this reason that we wanted to use Oli’s legacy to recognise other young people who have demonstrated empathy and support of others, whilst participating in drama and music groups.

Specifically, the “Olibob” Award will be granted to young people aged 13-21 who have demonstrated personal growth from drama or music groups, and shown inclusiveness, kindness, care, and support of others.

The recipient will likely be part of a school or local drama or music group, though individuals may also be nominated.

Nominate an individual

Know someone who deserves an award like this?

We are delighted to present our Olibob Award 2024 to Chapman Shum. The Olibob Award is provided to recognise young people who go above and beyond, demonstrating empathy and support to those around them, regardless of ability, especially in drama or music.

The £250 Award will go towards Chapman’s piano tuition fees and facilitating his continued musical development.

Despite facing significant challenges, including being born blind, living with autism, and experiencing learning difficulties, Chapman achieved an exceptional feat by passing Grade 8 with distinction at the age of 11. Earlier this year, at just 13, he completed the ABRSM ARSM Diploma exam, believed to be the youngest blind pianist to achieve this distinction. Currently, Chapman is working toward an even more advanced diploma level, the Trinity LTCL diploma, showcasing his commitment to musical growth.  What drew our attention for the award was his recent free recital for patients at the Royal London Hospital during a doctor’s industrial strike. This gained widespread acclaim and media attention from BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-67950937  He also raises funds for many charities.