Harley Haddow, a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy, has raised thousands of pounds for charity in heartfelt memory of two colleagues, Tom Barlow and Paul Phillips.
Tom and Paul, both based in Harley Haddow’s Manchester office, were instrumental in establishing the North West office. The pair were well-loved within the company, with Paul’s passion for Manchester City football and Tom’s admiration for Manchester United leaving a lasting impact on the office’s culture.
In their memory, the team at Harley Haddow have embarked on a challenge to complete 5,843 miles, raising £5,843 – a nod to the ages of Tom, 58, and Paul, 43. The miles were accumulated through various activities including cycling, walking, running, snowboarding, and skiing. The funds raised are being donated to The British Heart Foundation and North West Air Ambulance, charities chosen by the families of Tom and Paul.
Harley Haddow has already exceeded their target, raising over £7,735 so far, and they continue to welcome donations via their JustGiving page. To further support their efforts, a fundraising event was hosted in Manchester, accompanied by a raffle with prizes donated by prestigious golf clubs.
Ian Chalk, Director at Harley Haddow, commented on the initiative:
“It’s fair to say that the year started in a tragic way for our Manchester office with the untimely passings of Tom and Paul. Harley Haddow has dug deep and tried our best to move forward and to rebuild whilst honouring their memory and making a positive contribution to their families’ chosen charities.
“The Miles for Memories goal was set back in April, and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to exceed our target. The miles walked, ran, swam, skied and more were a great opportunity to get together, but more importantly to raise awareness of the two charities and raising some funds towards the lifesaving work that they both undertake.
“Both Tom and Paul will always have a place in our hearts, and we will continue to fondly remember the all-too-short time that we spent together.”
Hayley Gough, British Heart Foundation’s Regional Fundraising Manager, praised the team’s efforts:
“We are incredibly grateful to everyone at Harley Haddow for this phenomenal fundraising effort in memory of Paul and Tom. It is only with donations raised by committed teams like this that the British Heart Foundation can keep its life-saving research going."
Chris Andrews, Corporate Partnership Officer from North West Air Ambulance, also expressed his gratitude:
"We are so grateful to the team at Harley Haddow for choosing to support the North West Air Ambulance Charity. The money raised in memory of their colleague Paul Phillips is absolutely vital to us. We receive no government or NHS funding, so it is entirely down to our supporters that we're able to continue bringing the hospital to the patient."
Paul Phillips, who joined Harley Haddow in 2022 as a senior mechanical engineer, and Tom Barlow, who joined in 2023 as an electrical associate director, have also been honoured by the naming of two areas in the Manchester office – ‘Phillips Suite’ and ‘Barlow Booth’ – in their memory.
To learn more about the work of The British Heart Foundation and North West Air Ambulance, visit their websites at https://www.bhf.org.uk/ and https://www.nwairambulance.org.uk/.
Photo: Left to right Chris Andrews North West Air Ambulance, Ian Chalk Harley Haddow and Kieran Cooper British Heart Foundation