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King Charles III says he’s ‘moved beyond measure’ in thank you message to nation ahead of State Funeral

"As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 19th September 2022

King Charles III has released a message of thanks to the nation for the outpouring of love and support ahead of his mother’s funeral today.

The State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II – who sadly died aged 96 on 8 September 2022 – is taking place today at 11am at Westminster Abbey, with full coverage of the historic event to be broadcast live as the nation comes together to commemorate her remarkable life.

During her reign, she served as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – undertaking an important symbolic and unifying role as a head of state, spanning numerous geographical regions, cultures, and religions. 

She was not just the longest-reigning British monarch in history, but she was also the first-ever monarch to reign in the UK for 70 years.

Ahead of the State Funeral today, the newly-ascended HM King Charles III has released a message of thanks to the nation as it prepares to say a “last farewell” to the late monarch.

HM King Charles III says that he has been “moved beyond measure” at tributes paid.

The new monarch expressed his gratitude to mourners in various different cites across the UK who took the time to pay their respects, and said they have been “such a support and comfort” to him and his family over the last 10 days.

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A message from HM King Charles III

“Over the last ten days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world.

“In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff, we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, the late Queen.

“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief.”

King Charles III says he’s ‘moved beyond measure’ thank you message to nation ahead of State Funeral / Credit: The Royal Family

King Charles III will lead the nation in mourning at the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey today.

A total of 2,000 guests are expected to attend, and this includes 500 foreign dignitaries – such as politicians, civil servants, and some celebrities – and many ordinary members of the public selected for charitable or community works.

World leaders will be among those representing nearly 200 countries and territories.

Tens of thousands of mourners have travelled to London and Windsor for the State Funeral and burial service, and many more will be gathering at different hubs across the UK to watch the historic event in real-time.

Continuous coverage of the State Funeral is being screened by many of the nation’s major broadcasters, including BBC, ITV, Sky, and Channel 4, and is expected to be watched on television by millions of people around the world.

It’s thought the State Funeral could become the most-watched television broadcast in history.

Featured Image – The Royal Family

News

Heartbreaking tributes are being paid after 23-year-old hit by car in Stockport dies from injuries

Danny Jones Danny Jones Joel Sheldon death Bredbury Stockport death tributes

Tributes are pouring in on social media following the death of a local young man from Bredbury, Stockport, who was tragically hit by a car last weekend.

Joel Corey Sheldon, who was just 23, sadly died on Saturday, 21 June, after being struck by a vehicle on the previous Friday night at around 10:20pm.

The Stopfordian was rushed to the hospital immediately, but was later pronounced dead from his injuries despite the best efforts of the paramedics and emergency services. He is survived by his parents, Gaz and Cheryl, as well as two brothers, Leo and Harvey.

Following the news of his passing, family members, friends and countless others throughout the Bredbury community and beyond have been paying their respects to what was, by all accounts, a “fun-loving popular young man.”

In a heartfelt tribute issued on Tuesday afternoon (24 Jun), Joel’s family wrote: “Our beautiful son Joel was caring, kind, and loved by everyone who knew him.

“He smiled constantly and loved life. His energy was infectious, and the outpouring of love for him has made us so immensely proud. We will love him and miss him for the rest of our lives.”

Writing on Facebook, the youngster’s godfather, Martin Smith, added: “RIP Joel Sheldon, I was so proud to be your godfather and part of your life. I’ll miss our chats.

“Even when you were gaming back in the day, you always were so polite to me. I love you, and the amount of broken hearts shows what a beautiful young man you were…”

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say they received reports of a collision involving a Vauxhall Corsa and a pedestrian on Lower Bents Lane, close to The Greyhound Pub, with the car being seen heading in the direction of Redhouse Lane when the collision occurred. No suspects have been identified thus far.

A fundraising page has now been set up in Joel’s memory, with people donating to help cover the cost of his funeral and ‘any additional costs incurred by the family.’

Set up by fellow Bredbury native and family friend, Eleanor Moore, the description of the page reads: “The Sheldons are very much at the heart of the Bredbury community, and we would like to take away the financial strain at this difficult time.” Over £23,000 has been raised already.

Nearby pub, The Queens – located further up the same road on which he was unfortunately hit – also posted the GoFundMe link and has been sharing official updates from GMP, as have a number of other local businesses and organisations.

As for the latest from the authorities, police are appealing for more information, urging anyone with any more details regarding the incident, no matter how small, to come forward as soon as possible.

This includes Bredbury locals, eyewitnesses in the area at the time; dashcam and/or doorbell camera footage that may have captured images of the car or its driver, and any other information which might be useful in the investigation of Joel Sheldon’s death.

If you have information, you can contact Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting log 4082 of 20/06/25, or do so online right HERE.

Our thoughts go out to Joel’s friends and family, along with all those whose lives he touched, during this extremely difficult time. Rest in peace.

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Featured Images — Family Handouts/GMP

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Home testing kits will be sent out those who never or rarely attend cervical screenings

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant At-home smear test

People with a cervix who have never or rarely attend appointments are be offered home-testing kits as part of the cervical screening programme.

The Government‘s groundbreaking initiative, which comes under the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan, aims to revolutionise cervical cancer prevention rates by tackling what are described as ‘deeply-entrenched barriers’ keeping some away from potentially life-saving screenings – including a fear of discomfort, embarrassment, cultural sensitivities, and even the struggle to find time for medical appointments.  

Participation in cervical cancer screening currently sits at just 68.8%, according to the Department of Health, which is well below NHS England’s target of 80%.

This therefore means that more than five million women in England are not up to date with their routine check-up.

Women who have rarely or have never attended their cervical screening will now be offered a self-sample kit to complete at home by the NHS.

The self-testing kits – which detect human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of viruses that can lead to cervical cancer – will allow women to carry out the testing procedure in the privacy and convenience of their own homes.  

The kits will be sent out in discreet packaging, and can be returned via pre-paid mail.

Anyone who may test positive for HPV through self-sampling will then be encouraged to attend a follow-up cervical screening test with a clinician to check for cervical cell changes. 

Experts believe this new targeted approach could increase participation in the screening programme and ultimately save more than 5,000 lives each year.

“These self-sampling kits represent healthcare that works around people’s lives, not the other way around,” commented Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting.

“They put women firmly in control of their own health, ensuring we catch more cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages.

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“We know the earlier cancer is diagnosed the better the chances are of survival. By making screening more convenient, we’re tackling the barriers that keep millions of women from potentially life-saving tests.”

Michelle Kane, who is the NHS’s Director of Screening, added: “There are a number of reasons that stop some women taking up the offer of screening and we hope the introduction of self-testing will encourage more women to take up this life-saving test in a way that works for them.”

Featured Image – Cancer Research UK

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