Brian Woolgar (1 Apr 1962 - 4 Aug 2019)

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BrianCancer Research UK’s Bobby Moore Fund

£1,612.94 + Gift Aid of £291.25
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Location
East London Crematorium Grange Road Plaistow E13 0HB
Date
22nd Aug 2019
Time
11.30am
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In loving memory of Brian Woolgar who sadly passed away on 4th August 2019,
At the request of Helen, Brians partner, instead of flowers a charitable donation to the Bobby Moore Foundation for Cancer research, use the link above, would better reflect Brians life and wishes.

Having spent his youth, early retirement as he called it, travelling the world, he spent the second half of his life helping people. Mainly as a union worker fighting for members rights, he loved to bring ignorant bosses to heel!!
He enjoyed his football, a devout West Ham United supporter (Someone has to?!?) and season ticket holder, no real surprise that he, and his partner Helen, lived so close to The Boleyn ground, Upton Park.
Brian also loved to debate and had really strong opinions, especially after a 'few' beers!

Please leave your own memories and photos in the sections below to give Helen and Brians family a fuller understanding of how he 'touched' on your life, and don't be shy, include the good, bad, ugly, funny and ridiculous, all and any comments are gratefully received, thank you.

Details of the funeral are below and the Black Lion pub, in the High Street Plaistow, E13 0AD, will be used to drown sorrows and celebrate Brians life.

Adrian Woolgar wrote

Miss you, it hurts x

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Helen Dickinson posted a picture
Remembering 'Sweet' on his 60th birthday Helen xx

Remembering 'Sweet' on his 60th birthday Helen xx

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Helen Dickinson posted a picture
Brian in Australia

Brian in Australia

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Helen Dickinson posted a picture
Remembering 'Sweet' on his 60th birthday xx

Remembering 'Sweet' on his 60th birthday xx

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Penny Karioki lit a candle
Penny Karioki lit a candle
Helen Dickinson wrote

One year later, and still missing you, All my love 'sweet', Helen

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Rachel Reynolds wrote

Happy birthday Uncle B

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Angela Rucinski donated £30 in memory of Brian
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Helen Dickinson donated £50 in memory of Brian

Donations from Sharon Neill-Hall & the Cornish crew and from Les Cossington
So, so many thanks for all the messages/cards/invites and donations
Lots of love, Helen

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Helen Dickinson wrote

Really missing you. With all the love in the world 'Sweet' -

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Helen Dickinson donated £350 in memory of Brian

For my lovely Brian including donations from Margaret Dickinson, Larry Springthorpe, Jackie Bennett and Linkage Plus ladies

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Helen Dickinson wrote

For my lovely Brian, including donations from Margaret Dickinson, Jackie Bennett, Larry Springthorpe, and various others

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Liz Malfoy donated £20 in memory of Brian

Thank you Brian for all your support and mentoring over the years as Unison Rep. Miss our 'catch ups' in the cafe before company meetings

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Liz Malfoy wrote

Thank you Brian for all of your support and mentoring over the years as a Unison Rep. Miss our 'catch ups' in the cafe before attending company meetings.

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Keith Parke wrote

I worked with Brian on many cases over years he was dedicated kind and very thorough and always up for a good laugh in the process

RIP Brian you were one of the very best xx

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Paul Kirwan donated £20 in memory of Brian
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Lesley D donated £20 in memory of Brian

Thank you Brian

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Sharon Neill Hall wrote

We could share a lot of memories we've accumulated over the years..but this one always makes us laugh.
Helen and myself took ourselves off to see 50 shades at the movies. Word spread around the Black Lion that Bri was in bed with three women that night! After several wines I'd forgotten they were having my bed! I woke up next to Helen and Ted (her teddy not a bloke!) and Mia my collie trying to get on the bed...poor Bri going " not the bloody dog as well Sweet" Lucky Brian eh hahaha...

Can't quite believe you're not with us anymore Bri but in our hearts forever you will stay!
Thanks for all your guidance and support over the years (especially in troubled times), all the fond memories and great laughs..but most of all for being you 💖
Love and miss you Sharon , Pat , Joe and Mia xxxx

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Boyana Petrovich donated £30 in memory of Brian

The members of our branch have lost a fierce advocate and reps a reliable mentor. We have lost his encyclopaedic knowledge of the hundreds of community employers, his sense of humour and dedication to fighting for the most vulnerable. Brian left us way too soon but he fought as fiercely and as quietly, for as long as he could. His departure is heartbreaking for everyone in the branch. Brian will be missed (already is), but won't be forgotten.

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Simon Deville donated £20 in memory of Brian
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Ffion Larsen wrote

I got to know Brian when I answered an advertisement for a flat share in Hove, Brian was a postman at the time and myself and Ceri were still studying the other two were Australians travelling, which undoubtedly enhanced Brian enthusiasm for travelling the world. I look upon this time as one of the happiest in my life, with four great flat mates.

The flat was the top floor of a five storey converted house in a terrace, it was possible that Brian who found it was possible to access the roof through the bathroom window. It had a flat section that extended the length of the terrace and all of us sometimes exercised by walking the length of it five floors up, not only that but we had parties up there.

Brian at the time was working for the Royal Mail as a postie and must have gone to work soaked on occasions as I myself was as a regular prank on each and everyone of us was to throw a bucket of water over whoever was leaving the flat, if it was too late for them to return to change their clothes. It happened to me frequently as it must have done to Brian.

Brian’s revenge in additional to retaliation with water included finding any expensive ive text of myself and Ceri and then writing in them with his left hand “this bok belong Ffion aged 23 3/4”

At this time, us flat mates realised his fanatical devotion to West Ham United leading us to continually question why his loyalty to the nearby Brighton & Hove Albion. He did not endure this with good grace!

When visiting Brian and Helen in London, his enthusiasm for WHU has provided me and Mike with many entertaining moments. Mike and I usually took the opportunity to exclaim that WHU won the World Cup whenever we passed the statue of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst etc.

We very much enjoyed our visit to Brian and Helen in London, though I am not so sure that they admired the facilities afforded them when they visited us in Llanelli. We took to a sand storm on Pembrey beach and in deference to Brian’s enthusiasm for public transport we took the Heart of Wales line to Sugar Loaf thinking that there would something touristic there by the mountain, we climbed a 50 foot embankment from the station admittedly on steps to find at the top absolute nothing. We all had to hike 5 miles to the nearest facility (pub). No complaints but then Brian and Helen they were perfect host and guests.

I know Brian really impressed Mike as he got to know him. For me Brian was such egalitarian and humane person that you could not fail to be touched by his personality and philosophy of life. I am sure this also applies to so many other people who knew him as well.

He will be greatly missed

Ffion & Mike xxx

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Colin Inniss donated £25 in memory of Brian

I first met Brian in the Curtain Road, UNISON branch office sometime back in 2004, a place that was almost certainly Brian’s second home.

With his encyclopaedic knowledge of the varied world that is the Community &
Voluntary sector, he became my mentor and guide. More tellingly, he also became
my friend

Warm and open; completely committed to the cause of fighting for a fairer workplace and a better world, it was impossible not to like Brian. He was a rock in a tough old world but one with a soft centre.

’....I don’t ask the wounded person how he feels; I become the wounded person...’
counsels Whitman. Brian, these words capture your fighting spirit, a life-force that will be sorely missed and not forgotten.

Rest in Peace, Brother, Friend, Comrade

Colin Inniss

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Colin Inniss wrote

I first met Brian in the Curtain Road, UNISON branch office sometime back in 2004,
a place that was almost certainly Brian’s second home.

With his encyclopaedic knowledge of the varied world that is the Community &
Voluntary sector, he became my mentor and guide. More tellingly, he also became
my friend

Warm and open; completely committed to the cause of fighting for a fairer workplace
and a better world, it was impossible not to like Brian. He was a rock in a tough old
world but one with a soft centre.

’....I don’t ask the wounded person how he feels; I become the wounded person...’
counsels Whitman. Brian, these words capture your fighting spirit, a life-force that will
be sorely missed and not forgotten.

Rest in Peace, Brother, Friend, Comrade

Colin Inniss

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Jim Redden wrote

I feel privileged to call him a friend. The years I never saw him mean nothing, as it is with real friends, it's like you could slip in beside him after ten years, as if I'd just been to the bar.

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Ffion Larsen donated £50 in memory of Brian
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Michelle Cooper donated £30 in memory of Brian
Michelle Cooper wrote

You will be sadly missed by everyone you came into contact, especially Helen and your close knit family.

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Michelle Cooper wrote

Brian, my cousin. Despite the fact that we never really kept in contact in our latter years, I was always kept "updated" about everything from Elsie. It was lovely to have seen you last year. I know in our younger years we spent a lot of time together and that was fun and enjoyable. I was always being told that you were travelling and what great experiences you had. You were funny, opinionated, generous and kind. You loved your job, Helen and your family and I know you will be missed by them all.

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Angie Rucinski wrote

Brian & I met in 1998, when Helen introduced me to her new beau. From the first he was screamingly funny, extremely principled and one of the kindest, most genuine people I've ever met.
Thank you Bwi, for all the acts of kindness and friendship which could never be repaid, all the laughs, from "Reggie" maudlin in 1998 to "Airplane" in 2019. A man who never knew the word "compromise"
and a true and sadly-missed friend.
Rest in Peace,
Loads of love,
Angie.

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