Barry’s garden appeal launched in memory of Barry Owen OBE

The late Barry Owen, a leading light of Liverpool’s property and commercial community for more than fifty years, is to have the garden in the grounds of the new Maggie’s cancer centre in the city named in his honour.  

Friends of the much-loved businessman have launched an appeal to help fund the support services and therapy activities that will be delivered in the garden to people with cancer, as well as their families.  

Mr Owen, who died aged 82 in April, took great solace from the garden at his family home near Chester in the latter stages of his own cancer journey.

Work on the new Maggie’s centre, to be built at the junction of Prescot Street and Daulby Street in Liverpool, is set to begin in March next year.

Barry’s wife Susanne said: “Barry took such great comfort from walking in our garden and sitting amidst the plants and flowers.  He would be so pleased to think that others coping with the impact of cancer could do likewise, particularly in the city he loved so much,”

“This will be a very special place that I’m sure people will treasure,” added Mrs Owen.

The new Maggie’s will be the 29^th and the third funded by the Steve Morgan Foundation, with others on Wirral and in north Wales to have benefitted from the Redrow founder’s personal charity.

Steve Morgan said: “The ethos of our Foundation is to ‘give money away well,’ and I’m sure many will want to follow that principle, too, as they acknowledge Barry’s great contribution to civic and business life.” “Every penny will go towards helping people in the Liverpool area with their cancer journey – a tough road to travel,” he added.

A number of founding key donors, including Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, the Boodles Charitable Trust, Mason Owen, Jim Clarke and Andy and Patricia Pritchard, have already committed to support the appeal and now a JustGiving page has been launched to allow everyone who knew Barry to have the opportunity to back the project and leave a message.

Jim Davies, one of Mr Owen’s closest friends and co-founder of international law firm DWF, said the turnout at Mr Owen’s memorial service in May ‘spoke volumes’ of his impact not just on Liverpool’s business community, but the wider UK property industry.

“It was standing room only in the Anglican Cathedral and that says it all for me.  Barry gave so much to his home city and with the help of his many friends and colleagues this garden and the care and services offered in it will be his last great gift.  He was a remarkably generous man, and now he’s asking us to help others,” said Mr Davies. 

The new Maggie’s will provide free practical, psychological and emotional support for people with cancer, as well as their families and friends.

Of the 2.8 million people in Merseyside and Cheshire, around 17,000 are diagnosed each year with cancer – higher than the England average.

The latest in the Maggie’s network has been designed by HB Architects, who also designed the Wirral centre in the grounds of Clatterbridge hospital.

Those wishing to donate can go to the JustGiving page.

Get the latest updates from around the Liverpool City Region here.

Find out what’s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide. 

From the best hotels, beauty spots, days out, food and more up North – visit thenorthernguide.com and follow The Northern Guide on Instagram HERE.