My son Toby Hayward-Seers, who has died aged 27 following a cardiac arrest, was an lively commerce union member. He was deeply dedicated to staff’ rights and worldwide human rights all through his brief working life.
He was employed on the College of East London within the high quality assurance staff between 2019 and 2022, the place he was additionally worldwide relations officer for Unison. Becoming a member of Bectu in November 2022 as an organising official, he quickly gained the respect of members and workers. Many colleagues have stated his unwavering perception in making a fairer and extra inclusive society was an inspiration. His first recruitment occasion introduced in document numbers of recent folks, and Bectu’s younger members award has been renamed in his reminiscence.
Toby was born at house in Lewisham, south-east London, to me and my accomplice, Mary Seers; he was our third little one and a brother for Joseph and Ellen. I’m a musician and music instructor, and Mary is a singer. Toby was educated at John Ball major faculty in Blackheath and Thomas Tallis faculty in Greenwich. Music and soccer have been vital to him from an early age.
He studied historical past at Sheffield College, gaining a first-class diploma in 2017. His dissertation, which explored the Brazilian Nineteen Sixties creative and political motion Tropicália by means of the themes of migration and exile, mirrored his musical data and his curiosity in Brazilian tradition. This later led to him travelling extensively in South America and past. Toby met his accomplice Celia Barron by means of mutual London pals. Residing and dealing in Spain with Celia was considered one of his plans for the longer term.
Resident in Hackney from 2020, Toby was a preferred DJ at quite a lot of east London venues. He shared the household ardour for Arsenal FC. Motivated by the mixture of meals and soccer, he devised a plan to look at lots of the 2022 World Cup video games in London cafes and bars run by folks from the nations concerned: the Moroccan breakfast was a spotlight.
He continued to play soccer and run often, collaborating in lots of races, together with the London Marathon in 2021, which he ran to lift cash for CALM (the Marketing campaign In opposition to Residing Miserably). It was whereas operating the Barcelona Marathon in March that he had the cardiac arrest that led to his dying six weeks later.
Toby introduced folks collectively together with his calm, thoughtful method and his love of meals, music and sport. He loved exploring new alternatives, by no means lacking the prospect to share his discoveries with others.
He’s survived by Celia, Mary and me, by his sister and brother, and three nephews.
