Tributes have been paid to Keith Parry from Bangor, who sadly passed away on Wednesday, 2 November, with his family by his side.
Originally from Pentraeth on Anglesey, Keith, 67, had lived on Ambrose Street in Bangor for the last 20 years and has been described by friends as a true community hero.
For the later part of Keith’s life, he setup a stall in Varsity Bar in Bangor, where he’d give out free advice, leaflets and condoms, to educate students and locals on the importance of safe sex.
He spent his small pension on these items including thousands of glow sticks for customers to enjoy and also volunteered his time every week to support the community. This was an important topic for Keith after living through and losing loved ones during the HIV epidemic.
Keith also setup his landline as a safe line for anyone who was struggling, especially those who were scared to come out or needed support and a bit of kindness. He’d sit by his phone all day and during the evenings to offer out his advice and really did help those in need.
Earlier this year, Keith was recognised for his dedication, receiving an award from Chester Pride and also received a lifetime award from North Wales Pride this year. He was recently recognised and mentioned in the Houses of Parliament for his community spirit and his outstanding support to the LGBTQ+ community.
A close friend of Keith, Jordan Love, said: “I’ve known Keith for the last 15 years.
“He was one of a kind and would help absolutely anyone and never expect anything in return. The memories that I have with Keith will stay will me forever and I’m sure it the same for all his friends and family.
“On behalf of myself and the family just a big thank you to everyone for their kind words and messages. Mr Keith parry, the Queen of Bangor.”
Updates will be provided on the arrangements for Keith’s funeral in due course.
