THE colleagues of a man who died in a housefire while saving residents have unveiled a memorial garden in his honour.
Tom Doyle, 33, died whilst trying to evacuate the building where he lived as fire swept through a flat in Seaside Road, Eastbourne, in the early hours of February 14, 2021.
Now, his former colleagues at Barratt David Wilson Homes have created the memorial onsite at its Meadowburne Place development.
The Tom Doyle Memorial Garden was showcased to the public on Friday, July 15, and was attended by Tom’s mother Kim Doyle, a number of local dignitaries including Cllr Raymond Shing, Cllr Stephen Shing, Cllr Colin Swansborough and Cllr Penny di Cara, and senior Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties representatives.
The garden was designed by site manager Steve Craig to provide a space for those working at the construction site to relax during their shift.
The space was officially marked by a ribbon cutting and a series of speeches, accompanied by refreshments.
Alongside the memorial garden, a total of £6,392.66 has also been raised in memory of Tom via a GoFundMe page set up by his colleagues.
The money raised will be used to create a trust fund for Tom’s nine-year-old son.
Kimberley Benson, sales and marketing director for Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties, said: “We have felt the loss of Tom’s presence greatly, and wanted to permanently honour his memory.
“The garden is a private space that the site team can visit and have a quiet moment to themselves, enjoy the landscaping and the local wildlife.
“We would like to extend our thanks to Tom’s family for supporting the garden and hope that they find some comfort in the space.”
Cllr Raymond Shing added: “We were heartbroken to hear about the death of Tom, and our condolences go out to his family.
“Today’s event was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Tom’s life and I am confident that the garden itself will be enjoyed by the team working onsite when in need of a quiet break in the fresh air.”
For further details about Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties or upcoming launches at Meadowburne Place visit www.barratthomes.co.uk
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