Chris Frost To Receive A Posthumous MBE

---

Honour details are revealed at her Wimbledon funeral

Chris Frost, Chief Executive of the Merton Voluntary Services Council (MVSC), was due to receive an MBE, it was revealed at her funeral today.

Chris (right), who was 67 and lived in Colliers Wood, died suddenly in her sleep earlier this month just hours after picking up a prestigious award at the Compact Awards ceremony in Whitehall.

More than 300 people packed into St Andrew's Church in Herbert Road, Wimbledon, to celebrate her life at her funeral today (November 26).

The service was conducted by Revd Andrew Wakefield, who revealed she'd received a confidential letter stating she was to receive an MBE in the Queeen's New Year birthday honours.

Revd Wakefield, who'd worked closely with Chris as part of the Merton Partnership, was one of many people who paid tribute to the work she'd done during her 28 years with MVSC.

He said she had two families - her own family, and the people of Merton, who she mothered and supported. Her work had achieved national recognition and she had a life to emulate, he added.

He confirmed that, after negotiations with the Cabinet Office, the MBE would be awarded posthumously.

Lola Barrett, Chief Executive of South Wimbledon-based Grenfall Housing Association, said Chris was a "fairy Godmother to Merton, doing great things wherever she spread her magic".

The funeral was attended by many of Merton's leaders, including Mayor Krystal Miller, Council Leader Stephen Alambritis, Council Chief Executive Ged Curran, Police Borough Commander Darren Williams, Chief Fire Officer Rick Ogden and Merton Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Diana Sterck, as well as MVSC staff and trustees, and Chris's family.

Her family arrived at the funeral in a old-fashioned London double decker bus - 'the Gaga Special'. Gaga was the nickname she had from her grandchildren.

• Chris's family have requested that donations in her memory go to the Merton Community Fund, which Revd Wakefield said was now the 'Chris Frost Merton Community Fund'. Click here for a donation form.
  
  November 26, 2013