Tweet
Neils funeral will take place on Monday 7th March at 12.40pm. The location is:
Barham Crematorium,
A 260, Canterbury Road,
BARHAM,
Nr Canterbury,
Kent CT4 6QU.
Trains service from London Victoria Station to Adisham Station Kent ( Adisham is the nearest station to the Barham Crematorium )
It's approx 1 hr 50 mins to Adisham from Victoria. The crematorium is 3 miles from this station - Buses 16 & 16a go via the crem... I can only guess that there is a local taxi service at Adisham Station.
Trains from Victoria leave at 22 mins past the hour virtually every hour.
The two I suggest are the 09.22am return fare £30, or the 10.22am return fare £27. The later train although cheaper, will make it a bit tight time-wise for getting to the Crematorium.
Neils wife Becky has requested that no flowers are to be sent, except for closest family members. Should you wish to make a donation these can be sent via Becky to DEMELZA HOUSE HOSPICE DEMELZA care for children with life-limiting illnesses.
A few words from myself ..... Neil Roberts was a passionate QPR supporter. Talking to Neil just before Christmas, he told me he'd love to see all the boys at Rangers for a bit of a Jolly-up in the new year. I made a trip to Loftus Road and met with Dave Robinson who is Head of QPR Stadium Tours. I explained Neil's situation to Dave, and I have to say he couldn't have been more helpful - I'm sure any football club or organisation would have done the same in this situation.
I just can't find the right and fitting words to express how proud I feel that Dave Robinson (who is the ultimate gentleman) and Queens Park Rangers FC have made me feel, and more importantly, the way they looked after Neil and his family on Sunday 23rd January for the Coventry City fixture.
Neil knew in his heart that time wasn't on his side. So between Neil, Dave and myself, we came up with the Coventry match.
Dave Robinson took Neil & Becky on a pre-match tour of Loftus Road. He also laid on everything that goes with the QPR Hospitality Lunch. Can I also take this opportunity to thank Dave and Jenny Elliot who provided 14 match-day complimentary tickets for Neil's family... such a lovely gesture!
At half-time, Stan Bowles (Neil's all time QPR hero) made a pitch side presentation to him of a signed QPR shirt - For those of you who didn't see this, Stan walked across the hallowed turf, with his arm around Neil's shoulder and the pair of them stood in front of the Loft-End goal ...... the smile on Neil's face was unmeasurable!
I watched Neil and Stan from the front of the Upper-Loft with AKUTR's editor Dave Thomas... the tears streamed down Dave's face as we looked at Neil punching his fist in the air, and kissing the badge on his new QPR shirt! If that wasn't enough, Neil's Dad Jack was watching the game from his home in Spain, and sent a tx message to Becky saying... "I've just seen my boy on the telly with Stanley"
Again, I have nothing but thanks and admiration for the way everyone at QPRFC treated, and looked after Neil & Becky, on that very special day.
Kathy and myself met Neil, Becky and the Roberts family outside the C-Club entrance after the game was over - We all walked down to The Springbok where many Rangers fans had hung-on to see Neil... some old school, and some who'd never met Neil before. I know for a fact that Neil was overwhelmed by the amount of Rangers Supporters that had hung around to see him - If I can add to that, once again I felt very proud because as QPR fans, and without anyone say it, it was all conducted in a very dignified fashion! There was no cheering as Neil walked in, just loads of hand shakes, hugs, and as Neil jokingly said to me ... "I could have done without the man kisses".
At about 6.15pm, the Rangers fans were just starting to find their voices, as usual after a home win - The songs came one after the other ... Neil decided that he wanted to sing a song for all of us.
The Bok fell silent, Neil stood up and sang a song about QPR, a song that I'd heard him sing many years before, but I've honestly no idea what the words are! He sang for maybe three minutes, with hardly any repetition of the words, yes it was that long! He gasped for air a couple of times! Although no one knew the words, everyone clapped in time and stamped their feet to this Robbo song.... I got a lump in my throat watching him sing!
It was now just gone 7.15pm, Neil was showing signs of fatigue. Becky and his Mum Pat, decided it was time to call it a day. It took an age to get Neil in the car, you could tell he didn't want the day to end. I think twice they managed to get him in the car, before he got out to continue talking .... never short of a word or ten Neil Roberts. Several Rangers fans stood to wave them off, and again Neil got out, he came over and opened a QPR carrier bag and said... "Look at the state of this Rangers shirt, it's all covered in writing. You'd have thought they could have given me a clean one". The shirt had been autographed by all the Rangers players, it was a real Neil Roberts quality moment, with all that pain inside him he still managed to crack a joke.
On the afternoon of Saturday 19th February 2011, Neil Roberts passed away at his home in Herne Bay with all his family by his bed side. If you can find the time to attended Neil's funeral, and it is a difficult time with work commitments and school for your children, to say a last goodbye to our 'Brother in Hoops' I'm sure it would be very much appreciated by Becky and all of Neil's family.
God bless you Neil ........ Joe Hylton.
Barham Crematorium,
A 260, Canterbury Road,
BARHAM,
Nr Canterbury,
Kent CT4 6QU.
Trains service from London Victoria Station to Adisham Station Kent ( Adisham is the nearest station to the Barham Crematorium )
It's approx 1 hr 50 mins to Adisham from Victoria. The crematorium is 3 miles from this station - Buses 16 & 16a go via the crem... I can only guess that there is a local taxi service at Adisham Station.
Trains from Victoria leave at 22 mins past the hour virtually every hour.
The two I suggest are the 09.22am return fare £30, or the 10.22am return fare £27. The later train although cheaper, will make it a bit tight time-wise for getting to the Crematorium.
Neils wife Becky has requested that no flowers are to be sent, except for closest family members. Should you wish to make a donation these can be sent via Becky to DEMELZA HOUSE HOSPICE DEMELZA care for children with life-limiting illnesses.
A few words from myself ..... Neil Roberts was a passionate QPR supporter. Talking to Neil just before Christmas, he told me he'd love to see all the boys at Rangers for a bit of a Jolly-up in the new year. I made a trip to Loftus Road and met with Dave Robinson who is Head of QPR Stadium Tours. I explained Neil's situation to Dave, and I have to say he couldn't have been more helpful - I'm sure any football club or organisation would have done the same in this situation.
I just can't find the right and fitting words to express how proud I feel that Dave Robinson (who is the ultimate gentleman) and Queens Park Rangers FC have made me feel, and more importantly, the way they looked after Neil and his family on Sunday 23rd January for the Coventry City fixture.
Neil knew in his heart that time wasn't on his side. So between Neil, Dave and myself, we came up with the Coventry match.
Dave Robinson took Neil & Becky on a pre-match tour of Loftus Road. He also laid on everything that goes with the QPR Hospitality Lunch. Can I also take this opportunity to thank Dave and Jenny Elliot who provided 14 match-day complimentary tickets for Neil's family... such a lovely gesture!
At half-time, Stan Bowles (Neil's all time QPR hero) made a pitch side presentation to him of a signed QPR shirt - For those of you who didn't see this, Stan walked across the hallowed turf, with his arm around Neil's shoulder and the pair of them stood in front of the Loft-End goal ...... the smile on Neil's face was unmeasurable!
I watched Neil and Stan from the front of the Upper-Loft with AKUTR's editor Dave Thomas... the tears streamed down Dave's face as we looked at Neil punching his fist in the air, and kissing the badge on his new QPR shirt! If that wasn't enough, Neil's Dad Jack was watching the game from his home in Spain, and sent a tx message to Becky saying... "I've just seen my boy on the telly with Stanley"
Again, I have nothing but thanks and admiration for the way everyone at QPRFC treated, and looked after Neil & Becky, on that very special day.
Kathy and myself met Neil, Becky and the Roberts family outside the C-Club entrance after the game was over - We all walked down to The Springbok where many Rangers fans had hung-on to see Neil... some old school, and some who'd never met Neil before. I know for a fact that Neil was overwhelmed by the amount of Rangers Supporters that had hung around to see him - If I can add to that, once again I felt very proud because as QPR fans, and without anyone say it, it was all conducted in a very dignified fashion! There was no cheering as Neil walked in, just loads of hand shakes, hugs, and as Neil jokingly said to me ... "I could have done without the man kisses".
At about 6.15pm, the Rangers fans were just starting to find their voices, as usual after a home win - The songs came one after the other ... Neil decided that he wanted to sing a song for all of us.
The Bok fell silent, Neil stood up and sang a song about QPR, a song that I'd heard him sing many years before, but I've honestly no idea what the words are! He sang for maybe three minutes, with hardly any repetition of the words, yes it was that long! He gasped for air a couple of times! Although no one knew the words, everyone clapped in time and stamped their feet to this Robbo song.... I got a lump in my throat watching him sing!
It was now just gone 7.15pm, Neil was showing signs of fatigue. Becky and his Mum Pat, decided it was time to call it a day. It took an age to get Neil in the car, you could tell he didn't want the day to end. I think twice they managed to get him in the car, before he got out to continue talking .... never short of a word or ten Neil Roberts. Several Rangers fans stood to wave them off, and again Neil got out, he came over and opened a QPR carrier bag and said... "Look at the state of this Rangers shirt, it's all covered in writing. You'd have thought they could have given me a clean one". The shirt had been autographed by all the Rangers players, it was a real Neil Roberts quality moment, with all that pain inside him he still managed to crack a joke.
On the afternoon of Saturday 19th February 2011, Neil Roberts passed away at his home in Herne Bay with all his family by his bed side. If you can find the time to attended Neil's funeral, and it is a difficult time with work commitments and school for your children, to say a last goodbye to our 'Brother in Hoops' I'm sure it would be very much appreciated by Becky and all of Neil's family.
God bless you Neil ........ Joe Hylton.
Comment