Novichok victim to be laid to rest without pall-bearers
DAWN STURGESS, the Novichok victim, will be laid to rest without pallbearers today and her coffin will already be in place when mourners arrive, as a number of safety measures are put in place to protect the public.
The mother-of-three will be cremated in Salisbury, close to where the wife and son of Sergei Skripal, the Russian former spy, are buried.
Public Health England had been liaising with the funeral directors to prevent possible contamination, the Rev Philip Bromiley, the vicar taking the service, told The Daily Telegraph.
“It is part and parcel of the advice to make sure everyone attending is as safe as possible,” he said.
“I have every confidence that Public Health England and the crematorium know what they are doing.
“I am assuming it [the coffin] will be transported in somehow,” he added, but said he did not know whether special protective clothing would be worn by those carrying it in.
Mr Bromiley described Ms Sturgess as a “compassionate person”, adding she “would do as much as she could for everyone, sometimes even to her own detriment”.
Charlie Rowley, her boyfriend, who fell ill last month after coming into contact with the nerve agent, will attend the service but is not due to speak.
The address will be given by the vicar and Ms Sturgess’ sister, Stephanie, will give a eulogy on behalf of the family. The basic service has been inspired by Ms Burgess’s daughter who attends a church school.
“Her favourite song and hymn is
Shalom Shalom,” said Mr Bromiley. “That word Shalom means peace and that peace has sort of permeated through the whole service really.
“We will be using as a reading of Jesus calming the storm from Mark’s gospel and thinking about Jesus bringing peace and calm to a rather chaotic situation here.”
He added: “I will be praying that the Jesus who calmed the storm 2,000 years ago is able to bring some sort of peace and perspective today as well.
“I will be hoping that that peace won’t just be for the family but for the city and that we will be able to return to a sense of normality. Hopefully businesses will grow in confidence and be rejuvenated and we will be able to get back to how we were.”
The family have chosen James Blunt’s Beautiful Dawn as an introduction, which Mr Bromiley described as “hugely important”.
“I think the family are really keen to celebrate Dawn and to remember that she was such a friendly, kind and compassionate person.”
Public Health England declined to comment on arrangements for the funeral, saying it was a private occasion.