Community joins together in poignant memory walk for 'Big Phil'

Family, friends and colleagues came together at the weekend for a special fundraising Memory Walk in tribute to 'Big Phil'.

Phil Taylor was a much-loved father, husband and friend who tragically passed away in February this year after suffering a sudden stroke at just 39 years old. 

Phil, who worked with UK Landcare, a civil and ground works engineering company, for nearly a decade, was well-known both through his work and in the local community. A kind, dependable and much-loved colleague, his passing has left an irreplaceable gap. His nickname was ‘Big Phil’, and those who knew him describe him as a gentle and placid giant who went out of his way to help people.  

The walk was organised by colleague and friend Samantha Jones as a way to both celebrate his life and support his wife Jem, who he married in 2016, and their two daughters, Gracie, 16, and Erin, 7, as they continue to navigate through difficult time. Samantha wanted to help by offering some comfort, saying: “Phil was, before anything else, a family man, and they were his absolute world.” 

“Grief comes in waves” explained Samantha. “Jem has been incredibly strong, but losing Phil so suddenly has been devastating. This walk is our way of showing her and the girls that they’re not alone. It’s a tribute to Phil, but also a chance to raise funds so that they can have a time of fun and happiness, such as a holiday or trip to a festival which they used to enjoy as a family.” 

On Sunday September 28, the route began in Wilmslow where Phil worked maintaining the grounds of a long-standing UK Landcare client. In a poignant tribute, a tree was planted on the grounds there in his memory. 

The journey then finished approximately 22 miles later at Distant Hills Brewing on Hope Street in Glossop, a place filled with special memories for Phil and his friends, which includes Distant Hills Brewing manager Sarah and owner Ben. 

Over 40 colleagues, neighbours, and friends from all parts of Phil’s life came together to take part, a testament to how many lives he touched. 
The Memory Walk gave people the chance to remember Big Phil and do something positive in his name. Part of the proceeds raised will go to the Stroke Association, a charity which helps stroke survivors and their families find the strength they need to find their way back to life. 

Donations to the fundraising Memory Walk can be made via the group’s GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/walk-in-memory-of-big-phil?