WORCESTER said goodbye to Cecil Duckworth as thousands lined the streets to pay their respects to the adopted son of the city.
The entire Worcester Warriors playing squad, coaches and staff – past and present – lined the entrance road and applauded the funeral cortege to honour Cecil for his immense contribution to the club over more than a quarter of a century as owner, chairman and President.
Cecil died last month at the age of 83 following a brave battle with a short illness
With COVID-19 regulations severely restricting the numbers able to attend Cecil’s funeral service last Friday (December 11) the decision was taken for the cortege to make a tour of the city to allow the many people who benefited from his philanthropy to pay their respects.
The cortege started the tour in St Peter’s at Acorns Children’s Hospice which was built thanks to Cecil’s generosity.
A crowd of Acorns staff, nurses and volunteers paid their respects as the procession moved along the road, alongside a banner which read: “Thank you Cecil Duckworth CBE, from your Acorns family. Your vision and generosity made this Worcester children’s hospice possible.”
Among those paying tribute was Acorns chief executive, Toby Porter who said: “I don’t think there have been many individuals who have done more for the city of Worcester than Cecil Duckworth.
“Thanks to him, Acorns is able to provide the children’s hospice care that so many families across the region need, every single year.
“Cecil was a wonderful friend to all of us. To work with him on a personal basis was a privilege and everybody at Acorns is tremendously grateful for everything he’s done,” he added.
Mayor of Worcester Coun Jo Hodges paid her respects to Cecil when the cortege stopped briefly outside Worcester Cathedral before it passed Worcestershire County Cricket Club’s ground at New Road where the philanthropist served as club president.
The next stop was the Worcester Bosch factory in Warndon, the company Cecil built from humble beginnings into one of the city’s major employers following his invention and development of the combi central heating boiler.
Sixways was the last stop on Cecil’s final journey before a private family cremation.
