TRIBUTES have flooded in for the ‘inspirational’ chairman and founder of a Solihull theatre group who tragically died following a cycling accident.
Family and friends described 54-year-old Chris Macrow, from Solihull, as ‘a wonderful and talented man’ after he passed away on Sunday, September 14, just over a week after the accident in Tanworth-in-Arden.
Chris, a partner at construction consultancy firm Quantem Consulting, co-founded Solihull Theatre Company with his wife Sarah and friends Steve and Pauline Dyer in 1993.
He had always played an active part in the society, was the current chairman and had performed in principal roles in many productions in the group’s history.
Following his accident, which happened while out on a bicycle ride with friends from the theatre group, Chris was airlifted to University Hospital, Coventry.
He had made steady progress throughout the week but his health deteriorated rapidly in the early hours of the following Sunday.
A celebration of Chris’s life will be held at 11am, at St Alphege Church, in Solihull, on Friday (September 26).
Best friend and co-founder of Solihull Theatre Company, Steve Dyer, said: “We are all devastated by the events of the last two weeks.
“That Chris was a much loved and valued friend to so many is shown in the hundreds of messages which have poured in since he passed away.
“Not only was he very talented and hilariously funny but above all he always had time for everyone.
He added that the passion Chris had for Solihull Theatre Company was utterly infectious.
“It was a pleasure and an honour for myself and Pauline to work alongside Chris and Sarah and watch the group mature into the thriving society it is today.
“Like all who know him, we haven’t yet come to terms with his loss. All of our thoughts are with Sarah at this terrible time.
“Chris was always a firm believer in the phrase ‘the show must go on’.
“Whilst our society and our lives will be immeasurably poorer for his loss, Solihull Theatre Company will put every effort into making sure that our next show, ‘The Witches of Eastwick’, will be a fitting tribute. We all want to make him proud.”
Nearly 300 people have joined a Facebook group called Keep Right On Chris Macrow which was originally set up for messages of support to help the avid Birmingham City fan during his recovery but has since been flooded with tributes describing him as ‘a truly amazing, charismatic and inspirational man’ with an ‘infectious sense of humour’.
