WHO is Barry Sullivan?

Every year in increasing numbers people gather at Martin’s Gardens, Camden Town, in memory of a man who, brought up in a care home, seemed later in life to adopt the Greenland Road area as his home.

His was always a helping hand for those who needed it – and finally he turned a corner shop into a drop-in community centre which became the heartbeat of the neighbourhood.

Barry Sullivan

This was too much for cold officialdom, and Barry’s corner was taken over and converted into a kind of police hub where officers gather for talks and refreshments.

Barry died in late middle-age and was much missed by neighbours. Without fail friends gather as they did on Sunday afternoon at his memorial bench to talk about the man whose name and spirit lives on – humour and stories of his generosity abound.

My colleague Angela Cobbinah took this picture of the gathering to remember Barry.