It rained heavily on the morning of last Friday the 15th January but this did not deter an impressively large group of friends and loved ones from attending Davids funeral. My friend Jamie kindly provided me with transport to Rathmell and luckily we got there in plenty of time. Even the weather seemed to recognise the importance of the occasion and the rain obligeingly stopped before the ceremony took place and the viscious freeze turned to slow thaw.
As we waited for the courtege to arrive the small crowd swelled to international proportions and i recognised people many of them mutual friends i had not seen for 25 years or more, some of them from the other side of the world. Not unnaturally there was a strong Green presence with members of Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Earth First, organic growers, and a wide group of community campaigners. artists, musicians and writers. Even David would have been impressed.
To the very end, Davids environmental credentials were impeccable. The coffin was bio-degradable, the grave was shallow but the setting of Brocklands burial site was truly magnificent. In the meeting room it was standing room only and many of us spoke of our meetings and deeds with David or read from his favourite verses or stories whilst holding his walking cane. We were all clearly moved by this shared experience. As we followed the coffin to the graveside, The fells which surrounded us were still covered in deep snow and even with the low clouds and patches of mist the vistas were stunning. On a clear summers day, the Three Peaks are visible from there and i for one will be going back to visit his last resting place....
As we waited for the courtege to arrive the small crowd swelled to international proportions and i recognised people many of them mutual friends i had not seen for 25 years or more, some of them from the other side of the world. Not unnaturally there was a strong Green presence with members of Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Earth First, organic growers, and a wide group of community campaigners. artists, musicians and writers. Even David would have been impressed.
To the very end, Davids environmental credentials were impeccable. The coffin was bio-degradable, the grave was shallow but the setting of Brocklands burial site was truly magnificent. In the meeting room it was standing room only and many of us spoke of our meetings and deeds with David or read from his favourite verses or stories whilst holding his walking cane. We were all clearly moved by this shared experience. As we followed the coffin to the graveside, The fells which surrounded us were still covered in deep snow and even with the low clouds and patches of mist the vistas were stunning. On a clear summers day, the Three Peaks are visible from there and i for one will be going back to visit his last resting place....
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