Godstone charity founder Sir Richard Stilgoe was ‘honoured’ to have his tribute poem read out by Joanna Lumley at the Thanksgiving service for Sir Terry Wogan at Westminster Abbey last week.

The musician and composer, who founded The Orpheus Centre, said ‘it was a real honour to have the poem performed in the beautiful surroundings of Westminster Abbey.’

“For The Former Greatest Living Irishman”

Sir Richard and Joanna Lumley have been friends for many years and the poem had originally been created and performed at Sir Terry’s birthday party. Sir Richard explained ‘We have made special birthday poems for both Sir Terry Wogan and Sir David Frost and the families liked them so much they asked for them to be read at the Thanksgiving Services. We worked in a few new lines and sadly had to say “was” instead of “is”.’

The poem “For The Former Greatest Living Irishman” was credited in the order of service as a collaboration between Joanna “Browning Barratt” Lumley and Sir Richard “Barratt Homes” Stilgoe.

The service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, and broadcast on BBC Radio Two. It included tributes from Chris Evans, Ken Bruce and perfomances from Katie Melua and Peter Gabriel. Over 30,000 people applied for tickets to attend, Sir Richard commented ‘that really showed how much Terry was loved’.

As the service ended the BBC Concert Orchestra played the song most associated with Wogan, “The Floral Dance”. Sir Richard, said with a chuckle, ‘it was a bit disappointing that no one started to  dance along, having the priests and congregation dancing down the Nave would have been something very special’.

Among the guests were many of Sir Terry’s broadcasting colleagues including Gaby Roslin, Tess Daly, Steve Wright, Fearne Cotton, Michael Ball, Alesha Dixon, Simon Mayo, Aled Jones, June Whitfield and Dermot O’Leary.

The Order of Service including the words to “For The Former Greatest Living Irishman” can be found on the Westminster Abbey website at www.westminster-abbey.org

The Orpheus Centre is an independent specialist college that offers a learning programme and supported housing for students between the ages of 18-25 who have learning and/or physical impairments. The Centre has a diverse curriculum that includes the arts, independence, employment and functional skills.
Find out more at www.orpheus.org.uk