The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Fairy ball farewell planned as tragic Dundee girl Freya laid to rest.
Mourners asked to embrace princess theme for final journey of ‘beautiful sweetheart’
Tayside youngster Freya Skene will begin her final journey from the primary school she attended when the “beautiful sweetheart” is laid to rest at the end of this week.
A carriage carrying the seven-yearold will leave Dundee’s Clepington School with a release of brightlycoloured balloons and mourners asked to embrace the fairy princess theme in what her grieving mum has said will be a celebration of her wee girl’s life.
Details of her Friday funeral were released as a crowdfunder in Freya’s memory passed the £21,000 mark through the generosity of more than 1,000 donors.
The popular little girl died after being pulled from the waters of the River Braan in Highland Perthshire on the evening of July 6.
Freya and her mum, Brooke Reid, got into difficulties close to Ossian’s Cave at The Hermitage beauty spot, near Dunkeld. They were rushed to Ninewells Hospital, but although Ms Reid escaped serious injury, Freya was pronounced dead a short time later.
Mourners planning to say goodbye to the “precious little angel” are being asked to dress in bright colours and paint their faces with glitter.
Ms Reid said the overwhelming support from friends and strangers was helping her get through the terrible ordeal of losing her daughter.
Posting a photograph of a rainbow over the city, she said: “I can’t believe we have been blessed with a rainbow every day since our precious little angel was taken from us. Yesterday a double rainbow. She really was so precious.
“Due to the restrictions we are only allowed 30 people to attend the funeral but people are more than welcome to be at her school to let off a balloon, on the route of her carriage or outside the crematorium where we will have more balloons to let off.
“We will be having a fairy ball for her at the end with safe social distancing measures – please, if you are coming to pay your respects or say your goodbyes, be in your brightest colours, fanciest dress, glittered up with flower crowns or embracing the fairy and princess theme as I know she wouldn’t want anyone in black.
“This is a celebration of her life, her farewell ball for the beautiful sweetheart that she was, not just to me but to everyone she met.”
Her mum added a thanks for the support she has received.
“You’re all helping me to find the strength I need to make her proud,” she said.
“She was loved by so many and really impacted so many people’s lives.
“She was a true diamond.”