Hundreds at funeral of Andy Roberts at Worcester Cathedral

Hundreds of people attended the funeral of Andrew Roberts, known as Andy, who was a popular Worcestershire county councillor and Worcester city councillor representing Warndon.

He was also previously the assistant chief fire officer of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service.

Alongside family and friends, dignitaries such as Worcester MP Robin Walker, fellow county and city councillors and fire officers, who arrived in a fire engine, were there to pay tribute to his life.

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The coffin of Cllr Roberts, who died aged 74, was decorated with white flowers. It was draped with a cloth branded with the initials HWFR. 

The service, officiated by Revd Canon Dr Stephen Edwards, began with a hymn, prayers, and a reading from scripture from Cllr Roberts' niece Nicola.

The service took place at 12.30pm. (Image: NQ)

A poem named I Am There was then read by Cllr Roberts' niece, Penny, and a tribute read by his nephew, Tim, followed. 

"All of us here today would have had our lives enriched by Andrew at some point," he said.

He later added: "I only hope he knew how much love the family and community had for him and the difference he made in life has been appreciated.

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"Andy, we will miss you so much, God bless you and may you rest in peace."

A sermon was then read by Canon Diane Cooksey, vicar of St Nicholas Warndon, area Dean of Worcester, who had described Cllr Roberts as the “heart of the community and the people of Worcester”.

"I wonder how many of here today have asked for help or received help from Andy," she said before reading a passage about helping others to reflect his life service to Worcestershire.

She added: "We gather here today to thank God and celebrate a life, but we are also here today to do something that hurts and to say farewell to someone we love and cherish."

The crowd then sang two more hymns and said the Lord's prayer before the service closed.

Cllr Roberts had dedicated years of service and divisional funds to the Community Trust and Worcester Environment Group, and visitors could give money in his memory to these charities after the service.

Paul Snookes, co-founder of Worcester Environment Group, said: "We planted literally thousands of trees because he had donated towards them. 

"He used to say, a society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit."

Mr Snookes said this was a quote that represented Cllr Roberts' life-long community work perfectly.