Floral tributes for Sir David Amess moved
They're being relocated to his office
Last updated 19th Oct 2021
Flowers, left in memory of Sir David Amess outside the church where he was killed in Leigh on Friday (15 October), are being moved to his office at Iveagh Hall in Leigh Road.
The flowers were blessed yesterday (18 October) at 4pm by Father Woolnough and other faith leaders who highlighted the huge number of beautiful flowers and wonderful messages of condolences on display. Father Woolnough also touched on Southend-on-Sea being granted City Status which was greeted with cheers by the surrounding crowd and he added that ‘Sir David was still working his magic’.
The Mayor's Macebearer started the procession to relocate the tributes from Belfairs Methodist Church at midday today (19 October). They have been seen carefully placing them in the back of a van.
The notes and cards are being removed and kept for Sir David's family,
Signs displayed outside the church by Southend Borough Council said: “Thank you for paying your respects to Sir David Amess MP.
“If you have already left a tribute here, please note that we have carefully moved these to Iveagh Hall … Sir David’s constituency office.
“If you are here to lay flowers, we would respectfully ask you to take your flowers to this address.”
Cllr Ian Gilbert, leader of the council, said:
“The vast number of floral tributes and touching messages of condolence on display is extremely comforting to see. It highlights how many people Sir David helped throughout his illustrious career as an MP, and the huge amount of respect people feel for him.
“Staff have been very conscious to do this work sensitively and in a dignified way, and that is why faith leaders visited the site yesterday afternoon and the Mayor’s macebearer started the process today, ahead of parks staff continuing the work to carefully move the flowers to Iveagh Hall. We now respectfully ask that any further floral tributes are also left at Iveagh Hall, where a Book of Condolence is available for people to sign.”
A Book of Condolence is also available at Iveagh Hall and at the Civic Centre in Southend.