Damilola Taylor Trust marks 25 years of turning pain into purpose

On 27 November 2025, 25 years to the day since ten-year-old Damilola Taylor was killed in Peckham, the Damilola Taylor Trust brought together family, partners and civic leaders at an anniversary event generously hosted by EY. Damilola's brother, trustee Tunde Taylor, said the past year had been hard for the family since the loss of their father, Richard Taylor OBE. He said the task now is to continue the work and build Damilola's legacy.

Speakers reflected on the Trust's achievements since Richard and Gloria Taylor founded it in 2001. These include medical degree places for inner-city students, the Spirit of London Awards, careers and mentoring programmes, and The Hope Collective. Dr Leroy Logan MBE, Chair of Trustees, and Shenaaz Chenia, CEO of YouthBuild UK, set out the Trust's bold new five-year mission. It will support 500 young people into work through a new Skills and Employment Hub in Peckham.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the Met stands firmly alongside the Trust, and pledged to honour Damilola's legacy by building "a future defined by safety, opportunity, and hope." The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, praised the Trust for turning unimaginable heartbreak into an enduring legacy. He said Gloria and Richard would be proud to see the impact their work continues to have for generations to come.