Hundreds of London Cypriots paid their final respects to Takis Harmanda, the instigator and founder of London Greek Radio (LGR), on Saturday 17th March 2018.
The funeral service was held at St Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, 21 Trinity Road, Wood Green and officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios. Takis was later laid to rest at New Southgate Cemetery.
The service was attended by Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet Theresa Villiers, Mayor of Barnet Council Councillor Brian Salinger, President of EDEK Marinos Sizopoulos and Consul General of the Cyprus High Commission Ioannis Koukoularides.
Speeches were given by Michael Ellinas, George Michaelides, Kyriacos Theodosiou (Brother in law of Taki Harmanda) and Takis daughters Loukia and Eleni.
Wreaths were laid by Marinos Sizopoulos (EDEK), Andreas Papaevripides (President of the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots and DISY UK), Christos Karaolis (President of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK), Mayor of Kerkyras (Kerkyra Council), George Michaelides (AKEL), Andreas Christoforou (DIKO), Ninos Koumettou (Greek Cypriot Brotherhood), Vasilis Panayi (LGR), Michael Yiakoumi (Parikiaki Newspaper), Nikos Papadopoulos (Eleftheria Newspaper), Vasilis Mavrou (Famagusta Association), Maria Paschali (Manor Hill and Finchley Greek Schools) and Koumis Michael (Ayios Andronicou Association).
Takis, who was loved by many, sadly passed away on Friday 2nd March 2018 at the age of 59. He leaves behind his wife Katia David Harmanda MBE, daughters Loukia and Eleni, son-in-law Mario, his father George, sisters Maroulla and Eva and brother Tony.
Takis was born in the village of Acheritou, Cyprus on 12th January 1959, to George and Loukia Harmanda from Acheritou and Styllous respectively. He was the second oldest in a family of four. His mother Loukia died in 1981 at the age of 45.
Takis came to the UK in 1967 at the age of eight. He lived and grew up in Finsbury Park where he went to Montem Primary School, then Holloway Secondary School, and at this period in time, he was on hand to help in the family fish and chip shop, Quality Fish Bar in Finsbury Park which remains in the same hands today. Years later he attended Dean College and obtained a BSc in Marketing.
In 1983, Takis approached a customer of his who was involved in Afro Caribbean stations and told him to open up a Greek Radio Station. Even though Akis thought it was a bad idea, Chris insisted that this community needed a Greek voice. He insisted until Akis agreed to start playing some Greek records on his pirate station and the response from the community was phenomenal. With this instant success in mind, Takis then funded and started a pirate Greek station from above the fish and chip shop with Akis and named it LGR. They had their own frequency on FM and the then 24-year-old Takis became the golden boy of our community.
The low-key Takis was the backbone of LGR. He spent endless nights on roofs in high rise buildings every time they were raided by the Home Office so that the community woke up every morning to LGR. Takis was proud of his baby LGR and he spent 24 years dedicated to the station that he loved. He was a team player and this was the reason he allowed other people to join the station. He always said “LGR is for the community so shareholders should be allowed to join our team.” LGR was legalised in 1989 and Takis played a major role in achieving the licence.
It was in the early stages of his radio career when he met the love of his life, his wife Katia David whose father was from Ayios Andronicos Karpasia in Cyprus and mother from Greece. Katia was one of the main voices at LGR for 24 years. Takis was devoted to Katia and their daughters Loukia and Eleni. He was a family man who cared deeply for his family, his koumparous, his friends and the community. You only needed to meet this generous and big-hearted man once to realise that he was unique.
Takis was a very successful business man in his own right. He owned and was a partner in various businesses in our community, the main being Home and Away Estates in Finchley Central and Cockfosters. Takis and Katia have been involved in endless charities, helping and assisting people for many years. For this reason his family and close friends have founded “The Chris Harmanda Foundation” so that his memory can stay alive and people can continue to benefit from his charity. The foundation’s only goal will be to “help less fortunate families during illness.” Whilst the foundation is being finalised, a temporary page has been set up
