Grieving family praises gritters
Reporter: Dawn Marsden
Date published: 13 January 2010
AFTER . . . Ivy Shaw and her daughter, Beverley Barrott, after a gritting team had cleared the road
Road cleared for pensioner’s cortege
A ROYTON pensioner will get the dignified funeral he deserves thanks to a mission of mercy from Oldham Council’s gritting team.
The family of Cyril Shaw (83) were initially told that the cortege would have to leave from Wild and Brierley’s Funeral Directors in Edward Street, Werneth, as treacherous conditions would prevent the hearse and other funeral cars from reaching Studley Close in Royton this afternoon.
Mr Shaw’s daughter, Beverley Barrott, sent a desperate e-mail to the gritting team outlining her predicament and was amazed when she got a reply telling her that they would clear snow from the close.
Mrs Barrott, of Brotherdale Close, Royton, said: “I could not be more grateful to the council’s gritting team.
“If it weren’t for them, my dad would have had to leave from the funeral directors and it’s always been his wish to leave from home.
“It’s been a very stressful time for my mum, Ivy, and she is over the moon that it has all been sorted out.
“My dad died on January 4 after battling Alzheimer’s and pneumonia and it has been a nightmare trying to organise the funeral as the weather keeps forcing us to change the plans.
“A lot of funerals have been postponed so I really appreciate the effort by the council to help us. We could not do it without them.”
Mr Shaw’s funeral will take place at Oldham Crematorium at 3.30pm followed by a gathering of family and friends at the Bluebell pub in Royton.
He leaves behind wife Ivy (78), daughter Beverley (47), son Glenn (54) and four grandchildren.
Councillor Mark Alcock, Oldham Council’s cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said: “First of all let me, on behalf of the council, express my sympathies to Mrs Barrott on the loss of her father.
“This must be a very difficult time for Mrs Barrott and her family, and I am pleased the council has been able to help out in any way we could.”
