Personal Video for Barney

On the 13th of June 2023, my life-long best friend Barnaby Webber, and 2 others – Grace O’Malley Kumar, and Ian Coates – were killed in random, un-targeted knife attacks in Nottingham City. Barney was walking back to his university accommodation after an “end of first year celebration”.

I often say that Barney and I were more like brothers than friends, we grew up together, went to the same school, were in the same year, lived in the same area, and our birthdays were only 3 days apart.

We first met when we were 2 years old and quickly became friends. I had known Barney for 17 years and over this time, the pair of us became inseparable. We had countless sleepovers at each other’s houses, went on holidays together, and spent endless hours playing videogames together.

A large majority of my fondest and most prominent childhood memories involve Barney in one way or another. I came to learn how much of a brilliant, kind, caring, and genuine person he was. He didn’t care whether he had just met you, didn’t judge, didn’t exclude, and didn’t ignore anybody – he was the kind of person that just liked everybody, and in return everyone liked him too.

Over the years I accumulated many photos and videos of me and Barney along with some of our other friends. Recently I had wanted to make a compilation of some of these memories so that those who hadn’t had the pleasure of getting to know Barney would be able to put both a face and a personality to his name.

Whilst this video is not professionally made, it comes from the heart and gives you the chance to get an idea of the kind of person Barney was, and the fact that he was just an ordinary person who cared deeply for those around him.

Barney’s Generosity, inclusivity, sense of humour and his ability to care about others were all parts of what made him such a memorable and impactful person in so many people’s lives. The world would be a better place if everyone could be a bit more Barney.