The father of murdered Damilola Taylor has died, his family has announced. Richard Taylor campaigned to make a difference to young men following the death of his son at the age of just 10. The former Nigerian civil servant devoted years to improving the lives of disadvantaged children following the tragic death of his son in November 2000. He also launched the Damilola Taylor Trust to campaign against knife crime His family said he died on Saturday aged 75 following a long illness. They said: “It is with a heavy heart that the family announce the death of our beloved father, grandfather and uncle, Mr Richard Adeyemi Taylor OBE, who sadly passed away in the early hours of Saturday March 23 at
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, after a prolonged battle with prostate
cancer.” Mr Taylor was keen for his son to be remembered as a boy of hope. His aim was for the youngster's legacy to be a better life and opportunities for underprivileged young people. Damilola died after attackers left him bleeding in a stairwell in Peckham, south-east London. They slashed the youngster with a broken bottle on his way home from a library. Damilola Taylor was killed in Peckham in 2000 (Image: Bwp Media/Getty Images) It took three crown court trials before his two killers, brothers Ricky and Danny Preddie, were finally convicted of manslaughter and locked up. Following the tragic death Richard Taylor and his wife Gloria, who died in 2008, set up a charity in their son’s memory. They were supported by many stars including footballer Rio Ferdinand, who grew up in Peckham.
Star Wars Actor John Boyega was a childhood friend of Damilola. He and his sister Grace were among the last people to see the 10-year-old alive before he walked home on the day he was murdered. The Damilola Taylor Trust was launched in 2001 after Mr and Mrs Taylor met Charles, then the Prince of Wales, with the aim “to provide a legacy of hope and opportunity for disadvantaged and under-privileged young people”. The charity
UK Youth was a founding member in 2020 of the Hope Collective, an alliance working to end poverty and discrimination in the most vulnerable communities. Chief executive Ndidi Okezie said: “Everyone at UK Youth is truly saddened to learn of the passing of Richard. He was an incredible man who made a real difference to so many young people’s lives. “Richard was a dear friend to me and UK Youth. We were thrilled to work alongside Richard with the Hope Collective, working to establish real change and reduce poverty, violence and discrimination among the UK’s most vulnerable communities, and celebrating young people’s hopes for the future on the Day of Hope, on Damilola’s birthday, December 7, each year. “We send our heartfelt condolences to Richard’s close family, including his daughters Gbemi and Florence and son Tunde, and
Friends, Richard will be hugely missed. We commit to continuing his and Damilola’s legacy of hope and working with others to improve the lives of young people from the most vulnerable communities.” Mr Taylor backed a march against knife crime in central
London in 2008 which was attended by thousands of young people and led by the Ben Kinsella Trust. That charity was founded by former EastEnders
Actress Brooke Kinsella, whose 16-year-old brother Ben was stabbed to death in Islington. She said: “Richard’s courage in the face of unimaginable grief was an inspiration to me. After the horrific loss of his son Damilola, he chose to channel his pain into a fight for a safer future. He turned tragedy into a relentless determination to keep other families from experiencing the same heartbreak. Richard became a close friend and confidant after Ben’s murder, sharing his strength and unwavering belief in justice.”