For Immediate Release For Immediate Release For Immediate Release
Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Alan Ball
Mark Bushell, Football Historian and Managing Director of World Football Exhibitions, will be a contributing guest of the BBC in their coverage of the thanksgiving service for the life of Alan Ball. The service will be held at Winchester Cathedral on Thursday 3rd May 2007.
Around 1,800 people will attend the thanksgiving service inside the Cathedral, which will be relayed by PA system to the Cathedral grounds where further thousands are anticipated to gather. In total, it is anticipated that 10,000 people will attend to pay their respects to the English football hero.
Speaking ahead of the service, Mark Bushell said, “I understand that Alan’s family have requested that no mourner wears a black tie and that we remember Alan with warm thoughts during his service. I’m sure Alan wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Anyone who knew Alan knew how important his family were to him and I know that everyone inside and outside of the Cathedral on Thursday will have happy memories of a truly remarkable man”.
The service of thanksgiving will take place from 1pm and people unable to attend in person will be able to watch the BBC’s coverage on BBC News 24 and BBC news programmes throughout the day.