Phil Bigley was born in Liverpool and worked as a maths teacher before moving into the commercial sector. In 2004, Phil’s brother Kenneth, a British engineer, was taken hostage while working in Iraq and killed. The kidnap of Ken and his murder became a high-profile case in Britain and overseas, putting the Bigley family under immense public scrutiny, and also inspiring immense public support. Phil joined the team at Hostage UK to work with the relatives of hostage victims, providing pastoral support and advice, and also to help improve government’s and organisation’s responses to kidnapping and their family liaison.

“A kidnap puts a family under a lot of pressure. At Hostage UK we put the family first, and help them find a safe space and the resources they need, in an otherwise difficult situation.”