A memorial bench will be installed at Gedling County Park in memory of a "well-loved and brave" 20-year-old from Arnold.
Due to be unveiled after a short service by the Vicar of St Paul’s Church Of England Church, Carlton on Thursday (June 20), the bench will be a memorial for Dylan Barker, who died from cancer in 2017.
Dylan was diagnosed with liver cancer hepatoblastoma in 1998, and hereditary bowel cancer in 2013.
He was given the all clear, but was then told his liver cancer had returned in 2015.
Then in January 2017 – on his 20th birthday – Dylan was told he had secondary bowel cancer in his liver, lungs and back. He died in October that year.
Dylan won a Pride of Gedling Young Achiever Award which, after he passed away, was renamed the Dylan Barker Award in his memory.
He was described as someone who “captured the hearts of everyone he met” by leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke.
He was also a huge Nottingham Forest fan, and had met former striker Britt Assombalonga while undergoing treatment, while ex-Reds midfielder Barry McKay held up a shirt with his name on when he scored shortly after his death.
The money to buy and install the bench was raised by Foxhill Court Residents Association who raised £1,200 through fundraising events and will be attending the ceremony on Thursday.
The Mayor of Gedling, Councillor Sandra Barnes, will be attending the event alongside members of Dylan’s family and friends and residents from Foxhill Court.
Councillor Gary Gregory, portfolio holder for community development, who helped organise the event said: “Dylan made a huge impact on everyone he met. He was a well-loved and brave young man, and this memorial bench, installed thanks to funds raised by the fantastic Foxhill Court Residents Association, is just one of the ways we will keep his memory alive.
"I’d like to thank everyone who helped make this happen. I’m sure the memorial is something Dylan’s family, friends and community will all be able to enjoy, and remember Dylan whenever they see it.”
A spokesman for the Foxhill Court Residents Association said: “We organise events each year to raise money for charities in the community and this year our local Councillor, Gary Gregory, asked if we would help raise money for a memorial for Dylan.
"We held our most successful fundraiser to date with a table top sale, and we’re really pleased the money has gone on to help remember Dylan."
