Billie Wood died peacefully in Bristol on 13th May 2020, aged 25. Following a sudden illness, Billie passed away in the loving arms of her Mummy and Daddy with her brother Max and close family nearby.

A much-loved pupil at Badminton School, Billie went on to study geography at Durham University. Billie moved to London to follow a career in PR, where in a short time she had made great friends amongst her colleagues and impressed all she came into professional contact with.

Her parents have written, "To her many friendship groups, from Barbados, Durham, London, school and many more, please remember our beautiful girl with love and light. A fabulous memorial will be held when the world starts to spin again. Until then, breathe."

The family are setting up the Billie Elizabeth Wood Trust (BEWT), donations and fundraising will be used to support research into subarachnoid haemorrhages. In the meantime, if you would like to support BEWT please donate via Crowdfunding 

Tributes from two of Billie's teachers at Badminton can be found below which sum up the thoughts of many people who were lucky enough to teach and learn with Billie.

"I taught Billie English from Year 7 through to the end of the GCSE courses and remained in touch with her throughout the Sixth Form.  She is the only student at Badminton that I have taught every year from year 7 -11 and I must confess that I chose to teach her at GCSE simply because I liked her and because we seemed to get on so well.  There was an ease of relationship and an enjoyment of the pupil/ teacher rapport which worked for both of us, I think.  

Last November I attended the Old Badminton Association event in London.  Looking at the list of attendees on the journey up I was delighted to see Billie’s name .  Later that evening, in a room filled with the chatter of many Old Badmintonians, Billie came up to me, looking me straight in the eye with a huge smile, and I felt the same pleasure in her company that I have always felt.  She had a gift for making a direct and sincere connection with people.

I am grateful for the affirmation that Billie gave to me, personally and professionally. It was a pleasure and privilege to be her teacher."
Lucy Griffiths

"I taught Billie Geography in her final year of A Levels at Badminton. I will always remember her warmth and honesty. She was a people person with a natural empathy and a keen sense of fun, which was refreshing and uplifting for all those who knew her. Billie was always surrounded by friends and would habitually arrive late to lessons, rocking up with Amelia, Carmen and Rachel, full of smiles and looking sporty. They would sit at the back of the Geography class, be deeply involved in lively class debate and then generate the most beautiful colour-coded notes. They were very quickly forgiven for their tardiness because I was just so fond of them all.

Billie was an excellent Geographer, she gained an A* at A Level and went on to study Geography at our shared Grey College, Durham University. She kept in touch during her time there and returned to school to discuss her dissertation over a lengthy Badders ‘tea and cake’ session. I am deeply proud to have taught Billie and I know that all of us lucky enough to have known her have been so moved by the tragic news of her death. Her family were her keystone and as requested by them, she will be remembered with love and light"
Caroline Morgan
 

If you would like to leave any thoughts and memories of Billie, please feel free to use the comments section below.  They will be passed on to Billie's family.