AFTER decades of giving away a large proportion of his nine-figure fortune to those in need, there was a final gesture for Islanders gathering to give thanks for the life of Sir David Kirch.
Along with an order of service, attendees at a St Helier hotel for a streaming of the funeral service of the retired property developer, who died in February aged 89, were handed a voucher for a complimentary drink afterwards.
Sir David famously issued £100 vouchers to all of the Island’s over-70s every Christmas at a cost of approximately £1 million per year. The donations started when he reached his own 70th birthday in 2006, later increasing the amount and focusing the giving on those who were less well-off.
In addition to a packed congregation at Gouray Church, the service was streamed online and shown to a small gathering at the Radisson Blu Hotel.
A selection of photographs were displayed in the lead-up to the event, showing Sir David at all stages of his life, from black-and-white imagery of a young boy wearing shorts to colourful shots of an older man travelling on boats, planes and motorbikes. Whether receiving his knighthood from the Queen in 2013, or enjoying a cheese toastie at a café, the renowned philanthropist was invariably smiling broadly when the camera lens was pointing his way.
Music was a feature of the service. Sir David’s coffin, draped with the Union Flag and adorned with pink roses, entered the church to Up, Up and Away by Andy Williams, and soprano Imogen Nicholls sang Ave Maria, fulfilling a pledge made to Sir David around 30 years ago.
Giving the eulogy, former work colleague Barrie Melvin referenced Sir David’s decision in 2013 to give away his entire £100m fortune to older people in need via his charitable trust, saying that his devotion to looking after the elderly had begun when he looked after his mother following the death of his father.
Mr Melvin highlighted his friend’s enthusiasm for collecting, including banknotes and memorabilia related to Zeppelins, and also of his love of animals.
The Rev Jeff Wattley, vicar of Gouray, spoke of Sir David’s determination, expressed in his 2021 autobiography, to “make the best of his allotted span”, his “disarming” readiness to admit faults and the occasions he had “sailed close to the wind” in business, factors which contributed to his conviction that it was better to give than receive.
The service also featured hymns including Jerusalem and Morning Has Broken, the classic strains of Dvorak’s New World Symphony and, as the coffin departed the church, the rousing finale of Barcelona by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé.
