Aaron Ramsey had reason to celebrate last week when he collected the 2013/14 Player of the Year accolade at the London Football Legends Awards, in aid of Arsenal’s official charity partner, Willow Foundation.

Aaron, who was on a shortlist of nominees including Per Mertesacker and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, collected his award from Sir Trevor Brooking at the glittering ceremony which celebrated the capital’s footballing heroes. The Welsh midfielder was joined by a host of stellar footballing names past and present, including fellow team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Willow Foundation was set up by Gunners goalkeeping legend Bob Wilson, in memory of his late daughter Anna, and fulfills special days for young adults aged 16-40 living with life-threatening conditions. The Arsenal Foundation donated £100,000 to Willow in 2012, which is helping the charity to give more seriously ill young people the chance to achieve a dream or return some normality back to their lives. To date, Willow has provided more than 9,000 special days for such individuals.

Arsenal and Willow already have a close association and the Club’s Charity of the Season partnership in 2006/7 helped to raise in excess of £200,000 via a range of exciting fundraising and awareness activities over the course of the season – the Club’s first at Emirates Stadium.