I, like so many others, am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Maurice Richards. He died in a house fire on Thursday 20th November 2025 and it has devastated everyone who knew and loved him. It’s an honour that his family and close friends have asked me to set this page up for them. I’ve been speaking with his brother Danny, who reached out for help. These are his words:

**“Hi, my name is Daniel Richards and I am Maurice's younger brother. A lot has happened and there is so much to sort and process. I come to you in mourning and with a heavy heart.

I'm looking to raise some funds to give Maurice a fitting farewell and send off. There have been so many words of kindness, well wishes and tributes on social media, thousands of them.

Maurice was a family man, a shoulder to lean on, a protector of people. A legend in his own lifetime, not just in Leeds but around the country. Maurice was a good judge of character and fair… sometimes having to ‘take out the trash’ to make sure everyone else had a good time.

Maurice was indestructible, it was Maurice's illness that disabled him(diabetes) but his mind was still strong. The fire at his home has taken him away from his loved one's, his siblings, his girlfriend, his children, his family and extended family, his friends and those whose life's he touched. The consuming flames will never erase the memory of the man we know and love 'Maurice' ”**

This is the very least I can do. Maurice was genuinely one of the nicest men you could ever meet. He looked after me for many years back in the ’90s when he was working as a doorman at The Warehouse and we lived just a few doors apart on the same estate. He was someone I looked up to and respected deeply.

The tribute I posted about him reached over 200,000 people, with thousands of likes and comments most of them sharing their own memories of how Maurice had protected, helped or cared for them. Everyone remembers Big Morris. Everyone has a story about him. He was an icon in the rave scene and there are countless heartwarming stories from people whose lives he touched with his strength, kindness and huge heart.

Because of the sheer number of lives he touched, his farewell will be a big one… because anything less simply wouldn’t reflect the man he was. Big love and big send off for Big Morris.

All donations will go directly toward helping his family with the financial pressure of organising the funeral during this heartbreaking and unexpected time and to give Maurice the send off he truly deserves.

Please donate whatever you can… and buy a drink for Maurice.

Thank you,

Danny, his family and myself.