Family told they cannot fill grave of Windrush campaigner
The family of a hero Windrush campaigner who died recently have not been permitted to fill in her grave instead of funeral staff.
Paulette Wilson, an activist who was wrongly detained and threatened with deportation by the Home Office, died unexpectedly at the age of 64 on July 23, just a month after delivering a petition to Downing Street to call on the government to deliver justice to those affected by the scandal.
Ms Wilson arrived in Telford from Jamaica as a 10-year-old girl in 1968, before making her home in Heath Town, Wolverhampton.
She is due to be buried at Heath Town Church tomorrow, and in line with Jamaican traditions, some members of her family want to fill in her grave.
But they have been involved in an ongoing battle to carry out this out due to coronavirus restrictions.
Paulette's brother Trevor Wright wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to plead the family's case, and he says Telford MP Lucy Allan and Wolverhampton North East MP Jane Stevenson have been trying to help sort it out.
Wolverhampton Council has said they have been in touch with the family and that measures are in place to stop the spread of Covid-19. The authority said coffins must be carried by funeral directors and graves filled in by staff.
Trevor will be speaking to the funeral directors to ask if they will have discretion for the request.
He said: "We're still waiting. It's quite shocking really. Hopefully we'll get an answer in time, one way or the other.
"It is pushing it to the limit."
The advice for funerals in England doesn't specify about whether family can help with burial rituals.
It says no more than 30 people should be in attendance, with the Government website saying that ‘a modest number’ of people should attend – and suggests livestreaming the service where possible so that others can attend remotely.
It also adds that social distancing should be practiced among members of different households who are in attendance, and that anyone who has symptoms of Covid-19 should not attend.
Any mourners who are self-isolating after coming in from another country are allowed to leave quarantine on compassionate grounds to attend the funeral – but must otherwise self-isolate.
A spokeswoman for City of Wolverhampton Council said: “We understand that this is a very difficult time for friends and family who are attending the funeral of loved-ones. Funeral arrangements have been discussed with Paulette’s family who are aware that Covid-19 measures will be in place.
“As a result of the ongoing pandemic, safety measures are in place to help keep mourners safe and prevent against the spread of Covid-19.
“Measures include coffins being carried by funeral directors only, and graves being filled by staff. This has been the case for all funerals during the pandemic where the health and safety of people is paramount.
“Mourners are able to pay their respects at the grave side while observing social distancing measures.”
