Glen Darby (1 Jun 1976 - 4 Aug 2026)

Glen, where to begin. We worked together for seven years, and while we were colleagues first, but your warmth and kindness made it impossible not to become friends.

I can still hear you saying, “Hello Jess,” in your cheerful voice, and I’ll always remember our little chats about life, your gym routine and, of course, your love of the beach.

You were an incredibly talented designer, and I feel lucky to have worked with you on some truly amazing projects. Somehow, each one was more creative, fun and memorable than the last.

Rest in peace, my friend. You’ll be so missed. ❤️

Glen,

We worked together, on and off, for decades, and I always used to ask for you to be the designer on my projects. You were a brilliant designer, but just as importantly, you were such a genuinely lovely guy.

I was so happy when you came to work with me on projects at the Bellfoundry. You helped transform their branding, and you were incredibly generous with your time and talent, particularly because you knew it was a charity and wanted to help. They benefited enormously from your creativity.

But what I’ll remember most are our chats, your warmth and your kindness. And those WhatsApp messages with a picture from the beach on one of your morning walks. Little glimpses of your life that always made me smile.

You were such a happy, generous and genuinely lovely person. I miss you being around and still can’t quite believe you’re not here.

RIP, my friend. You will be very much missed.

I first worked with Glen, but over time he became my friend and a very important one at that.

A few years ago, I moved to Dubai and left my family and friends behind. Glen always made the effort to keep in touch, calling me, checking in and making sure I was settling in and doing ok. He had a way of making the distance feel a little smaller and bringing that feeling of home with him.

When I lost my dad last year, Glen was there for me. He knew how difficult it was and made sure I knew I wasn't on my own. Losing two very special people now is hard.

I think about Glen's family, his friends, the people who knew and loved him, and those who will never get the chance to know him. He cared about people and always made you feel that you mattered.

I keep thinking I should message Glen or pick up the phone and call him and then I remember that he isn't here. It still doesn't feel real.

I’m so grateful I knew you Glen. I will miss you x

In memory of Glen

Glen… it’s taken me until now to find the right words. I still can’t quite believe that you’re gone, and that I will never see my biggest best mate again.

You were so much more than a friend to me. You were like a brother, and for the past 16 years you were a constant and incredibly special part of my life.

I’ll always remember that first night in The Living Room, when you introduced me to my first Negroni. I had no idea then just how important you would become to me, or that one night would be the beginning of a friendship that would mean so much.

We hit it off straight away. Anyone who ever met you knew what a genuinely kind and wonderful person you were. You had the biggest heart, an incredible warmth, and a smile that could light up a room. You had a way of making people feel welcome, valued and loved simply by being yourself.

I had the absolute privilege of calling you my friend for 16 years. In that time, you showed me what friendship really means. You epitomised decency, kindness, morals and values, and you were someone I could always count on.

There are so many memories, stories and moments that I will carry with me forever. Looking back, I realise just how lucky I was to have you in my life.

Life will be quieter without you, my friend, and I will always wish that we had more time.

But I will forever be grateful for the years, the laughter, the conversations, the adventures and all the memories we shared.

And the sea will always have a special place in my heart, because it was your special place too. Whenever I see it, I’ll think of you, and I hope that somehow, wherever you are, you’re still looking out over it with that amazing smile.

Thank you for being my friend, my brother and such a special part of my life.

You will never be forgotten, love you mate ❤️

Glen was the warmest and kindest colleague you could ever hope to have. He was always welcoming with a big hug and a smile, and always took the time for me and anyone else who needed him. He had the lovely quality of making everyone feel special and at ease, and he took a genuine interest in other people and their lives.
Glen was obviously a wonderfully talented designer and artist, and I will always remember how proud he was about the amazing posters he created for OU/BBC productions.
He was very supportive and encouraging of others too, happy to share his skills and array of knowledge. I always knew if I was struggling with anything, he would pick up the phone and help.
We used to enjoy talking about our fitness regimes and food especially, and I always loved it when he referred to a particularly good meal as ‘banging’, which was usually something Thai.
Whenever anyone else was leaving the OU or celebrating something special, he always made the effort to be there even if it was a bit of a trek from Southampton. I will miss him dearly and the friendship we had, but I am thankful to have shared so many years with such a thoughtful and genuine person.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. Rest in peace Glen xx

Glen you'll be missed so much. Many memories of working with you at the OU. Rest in peace.

I feel incredibly blessed to have known Glen. We first worked together at the OU, where he took me under his wing as a designer. I was lucky enough to sit alongside him, learn from him and see first-hand the amazing designer he was. No matter how busy he was, Glen always had time for me. Even now, I find myself asking, “How would Glen design this?”

We became design partners and great friends. Glen had an amazing way of making people feel special. He genuinely cared about the person in front of him and always gave his best to others.

I’ll miss our chats about design, life and beaches, his hugs, his energy and passion, and the many evenings we spent designing together. He became a great friend to me and Ana, and to my little ones he was Uncle Glen.

I’ll miss my buddy Glen so much. The things he taught me and the memories we shared will always stay with me, and I’ll forever be grateful that I had the privilege of calling him my friend.

Mate,

Words still fail me. I still can't believe you are no longer here with us. For 10 years, you have been my best bud professionally, helping me and the larger ACET team deliver on our numerous design needs. In those 10 years, you became a friend and I longed for the day I would visit the UK again or better yet, have you come to Accra so we could finally meet in person. I'm struggling to accept that this won't happen but I take comfort in our very last exchange of messages that were affirming of our mutual admiration, respect, and a wonderful legacy built on a foundation of excellent and exquisite work. It was always lovely talking about random things like the UK weather and our love for dogs. You had a very big heart and you will forever be my very own rock star. I will never forget you and will continue to miss you terribly. Rest in perfect peace dearest mate and may all your loved ones be comforted knowing you are deeply loved and cherished all over the world.

AG

Glen! So sad to hear this news! The ACET team will miss you and your beautiful work, creativity and attention to detail. I’m grateful for the patience you showed me, coming through in clutch times over email for someone miles away. While we never got to meet in person- you exuded kindness and professionalism in all you did. Rest in peace brother, you will be missed!

We are so very sorry for your loss. Right now, there are no words that can take away your pain, however, we hope that in time, all your fond and cherished memories of a truly great man, will bring you some comfort and a smile to your face.

Glen, we will always remember your larger than life presence, energy, smile and your checked shirts.

We will hold on to the fond memories of the fun times we have shared together.


Be at peace. You'll be forever in our hearts x