Celebrating the Life of Keith Gilbey

Last week, we gathered together as a Brightwell family to celebrate the life of our wonderful Keith Gilbey, and what a celebration it was.

Keith had been part of our community since 2013, more than a decade of selfless dedication that touched every single person who walked through our doors. He was our volunteer driver and, most importantly, a dear friend to us all.

A Day Full of Warmth and Laughter

The room was full of people who admired and respected him,  and the memories that were shared painted such a vivid picture of the Keith we all knew and adored.

We were absolutely delighted to welcome Keith’s brother Peter and his nephew Phil, who travelled to be with us on the day. It was such a pleasure to finally meet them, and we have to say, Peter reminded us so much of Keith; that same warmth and gentleness, that same Yorkshire twang and the exact same mannerisms. It felt like a gift, having him here with us. We are so glad they came, and we hope they left knowing just how cherished Keith was here, and how much he is missed. We are very pleased to say that we have made new friends to the Centre, and we hope they will both come and see us again.

In Their Own Words

We asked members, staff, and volunteers to share their favourite memories of Keith, and what came back was just beautiful. Here is just a small selection of what people shared:

Karlis made these wonderful AI images of Keith as we all remember him with his newspaper and pen in hand ready to do the crossword.   The second image is how we all saw Keith, as the Superhero that he was

Caz remembered Keith as a brilliant quiz teammate with an encyclopaedic store of random facts, and a man who genuinely loved a doggy bag after an event!

Helen recalled the time Keith won a little teddy dog at Bingo that she had donated. A few days later, he showed her photos of “Lucky” sitting happily in his kitchen, telling her it was one of his favourite ever wins.

Gus shared that his favourite part of the day at the Centre was doing the crossword with Keith, especially on the occasions when Keith forgot his glasses and read out entirely the wrong clue!

Keith (Taylor) remembered spending the whole of the Christmas break with him, stripping down and repainting the Oxygen Chamber together. He was thankful to have the company and a helping hand.

Amrik spoke movingly about how Keith had driven him all the way to Birmingham and on to Heathrow when his father was critically ill in hospital, making it possible for him to see his father one last time. “I will never forget Keith,” he said, “and will always keep him in my heart.”

Dawn and Monique remembered that Keith would help anyone,  staff and members alike, even if it meant an airport run in the middle of the night. Dawn spoke of him bringing fish and chips round to her house just for the company. “We were his family, without a doubt,” she said, “and we felt the same about him.”

Millie described Keith as the kindest person she has ever met, and was moved to

share that even in the early months of this year, when he was already unwell himself, he continued to bring members to the Centre. He also took the time to check in on Millie during her own health difficulties a few years ago. “He was like a father-figure to us all,” she said.

Victoria told us that every member of staff, past and present, when they heard of Keith’s passing, said the same thing: what a kind man he was. She also shared the lovely memory of Keith bringing Penguin biscuits into the office and waiting patiently for everyone to read the jokes aloud.

Angela remembered how Keith was always on hand to get new members to the Brightwell, knowing how important their therapy was to them. She was also personally grateful to him for getting her to work when her own car was off the road, and for making sure she got home safely after one too many at a Centre event!

Stella and Carol paid tribute to his loyalty and dedication, saying: “Keith, you were loyal and dedicated, steadfast and committed. You always put us first, and we appreciate everything you did to get us to the Centre and back home. You are greatly missed.”

Caroline and Barry were unable to be with us in person on the day but sent their heartfelt wishes. As fellow northerners, they felt a special bond with Keith and wanted to make sure their thanks were passed on. They described him as “a funny, gentle and kind man” who thoroughly deserved a celebration in his honour.

Lauren simply said, “Keith was genuinely one of the most selfless people I have ever met. His face and banter lit up the office.”

And Rachel put it beautifully: “Keith, you used to make me laugh so much with your jokes, and you were always so caring, with me and with everyone.”

These are just a handful of the stories shared on the day. There were so many more, funny, tender, and full of love, all of them painting the same portrait of a man who gave and gave without ever asking for anything in return.

A Flower Memorial                                                             

We are delighted to share that Keith will be remembered at The Brightwell in a special and lasting way.

As many of you will know, The Brightwell has been involved in the Woodstock Homes MS Garden, which featured as a pocket planting entry at the inaugural RHS Badminton Flower Show this summer. When the planting returns to its permanent home here at the Centre, we will be planting a commemorative flowering plant in Keith’s name, in a spot where we can sit, take a moment, and remember our wonderful friend.

Thank You, Keith

To everyone who came along, shared a memory, raised a cuppa, and helped us celebrate him, thank you. It was exactly the kind of afternoon Keith would have loved; full of good times, laughter and surrounded by friends.

Keith Gilbey, volunteer, friend, crossword hinderer, Penguin biscuit distributor, and one of the kindest souls we have ever known. We were so lucky to have you, and we will keep you with us always. 💛