Family and friends pay tribute at memorial for teenager killed in crash

MORE than 250 people turned out to celebrate the life of a Henley teenager who was killed in a car crash last month.

Sammy Phillips, 19, died when the BMW in which he was travelling on the A4130 between Bix and Nettlebed left the road and struck a tree on the evening of Friday, February 3.

The car was being driven by a friend, Lewis Moghul, 22, from Whitchurch Hill, who also died.

Sammy lived in Nicholas Road with his mother Justine Morris, 52, brother Jamie Morris, 24, and sister Zuzu Phillips, 18, and worked as an arborist with Hi-Line in Iver.

Family and friends gathered at the Eyot Centre off Wargrave Road for a special memorial event which combined personal tributes with music, photos and short films reflecting Sammy’s life.

Mr Morris said: “The turnout was incredible. As well as our wider family and friends, the hall was filled with young people from all areas of Sammy’s life; Trinity pre-school, Trinity primary, Gillotts School, Berkshire College of Agriculture, Sparsholt College in Winchester and also his colleagues from Hi-Line.”

Celebrant Lynn Jenkins, a former lecturer at The Henley College, curated the proceedings, with music provided by Nick Davies.

Earlier in the afternoon, Sammy had been buried at the natural burial ground in Rotherfield Greys, where his father and grandmother also lie.

Mr Morris said: “It’s a tranquil space we know and love, so it was only natural that Sammy should be there too.

“He has an amazing spot in front of a small copse of young silver birch trees, which seems so fitting given his passion and chosen career in arboriculture.”

The celebration event opened with a video tribute from three friends Sammy had met while a student at BCA.

They explained how he had started a group chat during lockdown so they could support each other, even organising a virtual prom night and encouraging everyone to dress up.

Breantaye Clouden said: “He was such a big character and so expressive. Throughout lockdown Sammy was there for us all. He had the purest heart and the purest soul.

“He knew how to have a good time and he made sure everyone else did too and that’s what we’ll remember him for.”

Sammy was one of the first members of the Henley Junior Triathlon Club between 2014 and 2018.

Founder Michael Warner paid tribute to his dedication to the club and revealed that there will now be a memorial cup in Sammy’s name awarded annually.

He said: “For me personally, Sammy epitomised the very essence and ethos I hoped the club would be to those who joined.

“The original 20 triathletes were a strong gang, a real band of brothers, and a few sisters too.

“Sammy and most of the gang were never going to be captain of their school rugby or football team, or row for Leander, but they were pretty good at one or more of the triathlon disciplines and trained hard.”

In 2018 Sammy was awarded a special “coaches’ cup” for his grit and determination.

Mr Warner said this hadn’t been awarded since, adding: “The Sammy Phillips Memorial Cup will be awarded towards the end of every summer to whoever the coaches feel deserves it most.”

Ms Morris, who is an assistant editor at BBC South Today, spoke of the academic challenges Sammy had faced and the confidence and self-worth he’d found once he’d discovered arboriculture.

She said: “2022 was a good year for Sammy. He completed his level 2 in arboriculture and forestry and gained his chainsaw and felling certificates.

“We spotted an advert for a junior arborist with a company called Hi-Line and Sammy was thrilled when he was offered a job in October.

“All was going well. He enjoyed the work and the camaraderie of his new workmates, often sending me videos of where he was and what he was doing. Sammy knew how proud we were of him and how far he’d come in a year.

“But perhaps his biggest achievement was the love he inspired, which is here in this room today.

“If the measure of a man is how many people loved him, then Sammy is the richest man in town.”

His brother talked about Sammy’s love of disused railways and the adventure they’d shared at new year on a trip to North Wales when Sammy had dragged him on a hunt for an old viaduct.

Mr Morris, who is a log cabin builder, said: “I remember at the time thinking, ‘Yeah, all right, Sam, fine we’ll go’.

“The memory I have of that moment when we all followed him through the forest to find a hidden viaduct, Sammy leading the way with excitement on his face like a child, will mean more to me now than I ever thought it would. I’m so, so glad he took us there.”

The tributes ended with the audience being invited to sing along to I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) by the Proclaimers, the finale from the 2013 film Sunshine on Leith, which was a favourite of Sammy’s.

Mr Morris said: “Hopefully the whole of Henley heard us singing. It was an uplifting end to an afternoon of tears and laughter.

“We hope everyone will think of Sammy whenever they hear that song. It’s about love and determination and that reflects a lot of Sammy’s spirit.”

More than £1,000 has been raised for the Woodland Trust and the Safe Drive Stay Alive campaign, which the family have nominated as their chosen charities in memory of Sammy.

The funeral of Mr Moghul was taking place at St John’s Church in Whitchurch Hill today (Friday).

He lived with his parents, Tarek and Sarah, and a younger brother and sister.

He was educated at Langtree School and The Henley College and had worked as an administrator at Orchard House Independent Financial Advisors in Henley.

Thames Valley Police are investigating the crash and an inquest is due to be held in July.

A 20-year-old man from Reading, who was not in the BMW, was arrested in connection with the incident and has been released on bail.