Farewell to our friend Chris Talbot

On Thursday 30th April we said a sad goodbye to our much missed friend and colleague Chris Talbot who sadly passed away suddenly in Ealing on April 18th at the young age of 42 Hundreds of his friends, colleagues and his family too attended the ceremony in Mortlake,Kew, to show how much we appreciated him.

Those of you who have visited any Irvin Leisure event over the past 20 years may well have come across Chris. Perhaps he was the man organising the stalls and entertainment at your corporate event. Maybe if you visited one of our public festivals, Chris met you at the gate and sold you your value for money passes. Or if you attended one of our sister company’s Casinos, Chris was not only fixing the machines but also completing all office paperwork. He also arranged our transport for us from our Head Office.

And in this busy schedule he also made time for his much loved family as he was the principal carer for his elderly father and companion of his mother, who were the focus of his life. He also found time for his many friends, particularly in London and Blackpool but also in all parts of the country because he was a truly decent man, which can be an overused expression but sums Chris up in three words.

We are sure that God reads our website, after all whatever religion is right about God and whether this is one man or woman or many different ones tell us that God is Omnipotent, so would like God to email us and tell us why he, or she, thinks this world is so wonderful that we can afford to lose a fine man like Christopher Talbot, because we do not think we can.

Chris’ family, his mother Sheila and his father Chris snr, have asked that those who knew him and would like to make a contribution send a cheque made out to the Starlight Foundation for Seriously Ill Children and their families, and post it to Irvin Leisure, Victoria Street, Hanworth, Middx, TW13 6SU as they want other families to enjoy the happiness they shared with their son.

Chris, we miss you as a pal and as a colleague, and thank you for your time and your friendship, and we will keep the promise you asked us to and will make sure your Mother and Father are fine in the future.