On the 9th of September on a blustery Carlyon beach we said farewell in a unique way to a unique man. After listening to the words below we held hands for a Celtic blessing before a mad dash for the sea. Some braved the waves and went all the way in, some paddled in the shallows and some just stood being sprayed by the surf but all were covered by the warmth generated by over 300 friends, family and colleagues.
By Laurence Couldrick
Dylan was larger than life and not just because he was a mountain of a man. Back when I first moved to Cornwall I was doing my house up and needed to buy sand and cement. In order to work out how many bags I could fit in my car my standard measurement wasn’t in abstract kilograms or stones but in Dyls. I knew I could probably get one Dylan in the front, three in the back and a cheeky Dylan in the boot for good measure. So with a quarter of a tonne of sand and cement in my aging car I set off home. Suffice to say, my car wasn’t designed to carry that many Dyls.
Summing up Dylan though goes far beyond dimensions. He was one of the smartest, kindest, most enthusiastic people I have ever met. His ability to recall scientific information at an instant, and blend it with common sense and optimism, meant it was very hard not to come round to his point of view. He was never one to shy away from a challenge – and where most of us would see a series of insurmountable barriers, Dylan would not. He encouraged us to believe, not only in ourselves, but each other and every day I have to remind myself – to be more Dyl.
Yes, that means taking challenges head on rather than shying away, and questioning the status a quo with a good dose of ‘why not?’, but more importantly it means supporting people to achieve what’s inside them, even when they don’t see it – and showing how proud you are that they reached that potential. Sure this approach is important at work and Dylan had such a wide ranging impact on so many fields and areas it was a clear he was a master in helping people reach their goals, but it extended far beyond work. Despite having a huge impact on the environmental movement Dylan achieved one of those rare feats of balancing passion for his work, whilst investing the same energy in his family and friends. We would often talk on our catch ups about work but it would very quickly progress onto our families. Dylan was immensely proud of his children, Oscar and Flo, and how much they’d developed. Seeing them surfing on the beach and helping my children explore the rocks and waves will always of remind me of Dylan’s enthusiasm, compassion and love for life.
Dylan loved life and he loved living it. He would not have wanted today to be a dour event, in some strange building, where someone listed out his achievements. We all know what Dylan has done for us, as organisations and as individuals, but it is who he was, and how he lived, that is key. He was so much more than a measurement of weight. He was a safe pair of hands to steady the ship, he was the much needed support when it all seemed black, he was that extra push to follow the vision. But more than that – he was an inspirational colleague, a loving husband, a doting father and a keen friend.
Thank you Dylan. In the short time you were here you brought so much brightness to the world. You will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.
To Dylan.
A brilliant way to celebrate a wonderful man. Proud to have known him and called him a friend
wonderful and very fitting tribute to a great guy. inspirational to the last
I only wish I could have brought my kids. It was a truly magnificent send off with fine and appropriate words from Laurence that moved both Haze and I. It was a fine tribute to the esteem we all held him in.
RIP Big man. We will miss you.
I don’t know anyone who knew Dyl who didn’t like or love him, and he was such an visionary and enthusiast as well as great company. There is a hole in all our lives, but also an inspiration. A great man, a great day out and way to celebrate, and great challenges ahead that the rest of us will do our best to tackle with the spirit and positivity that that Dyl embodied.
Wonderful… simply wonderful. I knew Dylan as a teenager and young man (I was at school with Milo). Dylan was majestic, handsome and annoyingly good at everything. Such a shock to lose him; ironic that those that make the most difference leave us early. Shine on Dylan, in our hearts and our dreams.
You will live on forever in your gorgeous children-they are a credit to you and Janine and a constant reminder of the wonderful person you really were-a very fitting tribute and a fantastic turn out which speaks volumes in itself-good night big man- x
I was there too and a wonderful send off for a great man it was.All those people there was a true testament to how many people really liked the man, he was a true gent,incredibly polite,calm and cool.God bless Dylan I will miss the guy.Love to his family xxx
I remember Dylan at school always smiling and lovely blonde hair sometimes life is so cruel xxx
no words can express my feelings XXX
Why is it that when the time comes, you just can’t find the words?
I’ll have to borrow some:
“The world is diminished because he is gone….. but is still a better place because he was here”
God bless you Dylan – only a short time with us at SWW but such an inspiration.
What a brilliant send off for one of our finest environmental champions. I’ll borrow Lewis’ borrowed words as they fit perfectly “the world is diminished because he is gone….. but is still a better place because he was here.”
A beautiful tribute. It was an excellent send off for a truly excellent and much loved man. So cruel that he was taken so early, yet he still left a huge legacy, both with his family and his work.