Martlesham business honours legacy of beloved 'Toddy'

It was a family joke for the Todds that their father, Steve, was something of a local celebrity. Whenever they went, Steve would bump into someone he knew,

“People seemed to gravitate towards him. They just liked to be around him,” said Steve’s one of Steve's sons, Oliver.

Over the years, Steve – known to many as ‘Toddy’ – met countless people around Suffolk from his years working in landscaping, all of them charmed by his jokey nature and ready smile.

Steve was known to many as 'Toddy'. (Image: Family of Steve Todd) Steve Todd with his two sons, Josh (centre) and Oliver (right). (Image: Family of Steve Todd) Steve was born in Redcar on the Yorkshire coast on March 8, 1961. He was very much the baby of the family, with two elder siblings, Martin and Ann.

When Steve was six, the family made the move to Ipswich, where Steve grew up.

Steve wore many hats over the course of his working life. After leaving school, he worked for a time in property management, setting up his own company with his wife, Gill.

The couple tied the knot on June 8, 1985, and celebrated their ruby wedding anniversary earlier this year, shortly before Steve’s passing.

Steve and Gill’s next project found them in Tuddenham, where they ran Reedings Nursery. By now, they were parents to two boys, Oliver and Josh.

Around this time, Steve began to take an interest in landscaping, for part of his work at the nursery involved working on various landscaping projects.

Over the next few years, Steve carried out grounds work on various projects around Suffolk, particularly around Woodbridge, Martlesham and Framlingham.

However, lockdown gave Steve the chance to think about a new challenge, a way he could still be a part of the industry he loved without needing to be constantly outside in all weathers.

He hit upon the perfect solution – a tool hire business.

Oliver (left) and Josh (right) decided that they would take on their parents' business, so that their father's legacy can live on. (Image: Lucy Taylor) Oliver said that he and brother Josh are enjoying this new adventure, and love being around people who remember their father fondly. (Image: Lucy Taylor) Oliver said that he and Josh seek to emulate their father's approach to customer service, going above and beyond for their clients. (Image: Lucy Taylor) Steve was known and liked by people all over east Suffolk. (Image: Family of Steve Todd) “Dad had some of his own equipment from his years in the landscaping and grounds work business,” explained Oliver. “The business then came about organically, through word of mouth.”

Soon, Steve was renting equipment to more and more people, leading to him finding premises for the new Toddy Tool Hire in Martlesham.

The business quickly outgrew this base, and can now be found at Unit 1, Max House in Sandy Lane, also in Martlesham.

Steve and Gill were in the middle of renovating these new premises when Steve passed away suddenly on July 5, aged 63.

However, his family were determined that the business would not die with him.  

Oliver and Josh had both helped their parents with the business on an occasional basis.

However, they have decided to take on the running of Toddy Tool Hire full time.

Oliver and Josh said they are determined to run the business in their father's memory. (Image: Lucy Taylor) “We want to honour his legacy,” explained Oliver. “We want to make sure that we really are going above and beyond, because that was always what he was focused on – doing the best he could for customers, making them feel valued, having a chat and a bit of banter with them when they came into the office. He loved talking to people.”

With the new premises now complete, Toddy Tool Hire provides equipment and machinery for hire across east Suffolk, from traders to individuals embarking on DIY projects.

Oliver and Josh say they are excited to embark on this new adventure. They particularly enjoy linking up with the people who remember their father fondly.

“It has been a deeply sad period, but it has given us something with a bit of positivity to focus on,” said Oliver.

“It’s nice to be around people who still tell stories about Dad.”

To read more tributes to those we have loved and lost in Suffolk, click here