A Brixham man who called the town home for nearly 50 years has left a £50,000 legacy to support local community groups and good causes.
Following his passing, Bryan Catley left a generous £50,000 bequest to Brixham Town Council, with the money to be distributed “at its absolute discretion to any voluntary group which benefits the town of Brixham.”
The council has said it hopes the fund will support a range of projects and organisations that can make a positive and lasting impact for the Brixham community, honouring Mr Catley’s generosity.
Bryan had a long-standing connection to Brixham, where he lived for nearly 50 years with his business and life partner, Tom Cassidy. They originally owned a cottage in Elkins Hill before purchasing Rock House in the late 1980s.
Professionally, the pair were Managing Director and Finance Director of Culmstock Industries, a chemical company based originally in Culmstock, which they later sold in 1998.
Away from work, Bryan was a well-known figure in the local community and was an enthusiastic member of Brixham Yacht Club, owning a yacht based at Brixham Marina.
Bryan and Tom were a very sociable pair, often hosting parties for their families and friends onboard the yacht and at their home, Rock House.
Retirement offered them the chance to split their time between Brixham and their farm in Spain, Casa Magre, where the pair continued to host get-togethers and celebrations with their family and friends.
When Tom passed away in 2019, the couple’s wish was that, following Bryan’s passing, a significant part of their estate would go towards supporting local good causes. Their generosity has benefitted organisations like Animals in Distress South Devon, Brixham Shoalstone Seawater Pool, and the RNLI, as well as several other charities and community initiatives.
The Catley Legacy Fund is another way their wishes will continue to benefit the town, with voluntary and not-for-profit organisations invited to apply for grants between £400 and £5000 to support projects that make a positive difference to Brixham residents.
Brixham Town Council are particularly interested in hearing about projects that aim to improve community facilities and assets, increase access to services and community participation, or benefit Brixham’s environment, heritage, sport, culture and wellbeing.
Applications for the Catley Legacy Fund opened today (October 5 2026) and will close on December 4 2026.
The Catley Legacy Fund Working Group will assess the applications, with recommendations from Brixham Town Council’s Community and Environment Committee. Final decisions are expected to be made in January 2027.
Councillor David Madgwick, Deputy Mayor of Brixham Town Council, said: “To leave £50,000 for the benefit of voluntary groups in Brixham is an incredibly generous gift, and one which has the potential to make a real difference to our community.”
“We want to make sure that Mr Catley’s legacy has a lasting impact. That is why we are looking for projects which will not only benefit Brixham today, but will continue to provide value to our community into the future.”
“There are so many voluntary and community organisations doing fantastic work across Brixham, and we are looking forward to seeing their ideas for how this very special legacy could be used.”