Homelessness charity boss had 'incredible passion'

A youth charity worker has paid tribute to the project's manager following his sudden and unexpected death, remembering him as having "incredible passion" for "helping young people and underdogs".

Simon Rée was the chief executive of the Bardsley Youth Project in Coventry, which helps young people at risk of homelessness.

He first went to the charity when he was 13 years old, started volunteering for them at 18 and eventually became a paid member of staff.

Rachel Orman, who worked alongside him, said: "He was known to so many people, not just the staff but also the young people he worked with. He had such a profound effect on people, even after meeting them for just a short while."

"Your background didn't matter," Orman said. "He'd find a way to understand what was going on for you and make you feel understood."

"There's a lot of young people who've got back in touch to say just how much of an effect he had on their lives and where they ended up. And I think that whenever someone who's helped you in such a profound way passes away, it's tough."

The Bardsley Youth Project, based on Hill Top in Coventry city centre, has in the last 12 months helped almost 200 people.

In 2022, the project was nominated for a BBC Make a Difference Award in the Together category for community impact.

Many of the young people whom Rée had helped were "in shock" at the news of his sudden passing, Orman said, as "they have lost someone who was very important to them".

The charity is allowing young people to come in and talk about what they are feeling as they reflect on the loss.

Orman told BBC CWR that the team took a few days to really grieve, but they came to the consensus that he would have wanted the charity's important work to continue.

"As a team we pulled together and thought 'we have got to carry on his legacy'. There are still young people in the city who are very much still in need."

Rée's funeral will take place on Tuesday 11 August at 10:00 BST at Canley Crematorium in Coventry.

The charity said all who knew him were welcome to attend and were requested to wear "a little something purple".

A gathering will also take place at the Town Crier pub in Coventry city centre at about 14:00 BST.

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