Vicki Taylor was cremated at Newcastle Crematorium July 6, 2007

For those of you who don’t know, I’m Gregory, Vicki’s brother. And, confronted with this ocean of faces, I’m feeling, if I’m honest, a bit Earl Spencer-like to Vicki’s Princess Diana. Somehow, I think that would have been a comparison she might have enjoyed!

It is my enormous privilege to have been asked to moderate at this solemn occasion, one whose inevitable sadness at the loss of Vicki is tempered by the joy that there was a Vicki there to lose.

Before anything else, as – as it were – Vicki’s representative here, may I thank you all for having taken the trouble to attend?  It is, I think, a measure of Vicki’s specialness that there are as many of you here as there are. Those of you who have lost people close to you will know how much comfort is derived from knowing that your appreciation of the deceased’s worth is shared by a wider world than the parochial one of the family.

There are people here, not just from Spain, but from Hampshire, London, Surrey, Yorkshire, Cheshire and Suffolk. And there are those joining us in spirit in the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia.

You won’t hear much mention of God during this occasion. This will have been described to you as an “unreligious service”. But please do not mistake that for this being an atheist or even a humanist one. Whatever your God, you certainly have no need of me to remind you that He is here – or She, or It. If you feel an urge or a need to pray, please feel absolutely free to do so. Indeed, towards the end of today’s proceedings, we will be allowing time for you all, quietly, either to be with your God or with Vicki or with both.

I’m going to hand you over now to Vicki’s son, Richard, who’s going to share with us a few memories he has of Vicki, the mother.

Richard

The picture of Vicki the mother would be incomplete without, at least, a glimpse of Vicki the surrogate mother. At Simone’s wedding late last year I was enormously moved by the amount of Simone’s friends, and Richard’s, who were asking for hugs, whether metaphorical or actual. Adam Denton is a friend of Richard’s. Who is also one of Vicki’s.  He was anxious to say a few words here today.  He does so, I feel, on behalf of a huge number of … let’s call them … children once removed.

Adam

A bit more music now. Amy Holford was one of the finalists in the 2005 Northern Stars Contest. This was both devised and run by Vicki in Alnwick. Today, rather appropriately, she is going to sing ‘Angel’.

Amy

Yesterday just as I was catching the train to Newcastle from Alnmouth, John thrust a bit of paper into my hand. It was full of bits and pieces pertaining to this event. But it was headed with a quote, “Just like Vicki,” it said, “to get out before the smoking ban came into effect.” I don’t know who said it, but I thought it was rather apt.

Finally, in this section of Vicki-the-mother, we’re going to hear from Simone. After Simone has finished, we’ll go straight into a piece of music. This is intended, if you like, to cover Vicki, the Wife. It is entitled ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’.  First, though, let me pass you over to Simone.

Simone

We now come to Vicki-the-teacher.  Robert Croft is the ex-headmaster of St Oswald’s School, sadly now no more.  It was these premises that Vicki used for her Alnwick Creative Theatre School – or ACTS, for short. I’m not too wild about acronyms, to be honest. But, as far as they go, ACTS is one of the rather better ones. Robert was not directly involved in the running of ACTS, but there was a bond between Vicki and him that was greater than that simply of colleagues. It has been hinted to me that might be nicotine.

Robert

Vicki-the-daughter. There is only one person who is in a place to talk about that. Before I introduce him formally, however, can I just say that after he’s spoken, we will listen to our penultimate piece of music. Which, for your information, is Haydn’s 1^st Cello Concerto. In, as if you needed to know, C major. This is the interlude I promised you at the start of these proceedings, a time of quiet for you to be quiet in, for you to be with your memories of Vicki or to be with her in spirit or to pray to the God of your understanding for a safe and speedy transition to whichever afterlife you may believe in.

Vicki’s father, and mine, John …

John

We’re obviously now drawing to the end of this little tribute to Vicki. You’ve only now got my bit to go!

Before I embark on that, let me just say that we’re going to leave Vicki’s coffin here. It’s not disappearing through electrical doors or anything. One reason for that is so that you can all say ‘good-bye’ in whichever way you choose: some of you will just want to go, some may want to touch the coffin, blow a kiss, bow before it – please, do whatever you deem most fit. For you.

When I’ve finished talking, I’m just going to walk away. We’ll play ‘Spirit in the Sky’. That’s the music Vicki wanted us to leave her with.

As you will see from your Order of Service, there is going to be a drink in her memory at the Cricket Club opposite. The family would really like to see you there.

Greg

God bless you all.