All welcome to attend funeral of former Burnley MP Peter Pike

A service will be held at 10-30am at St Peter's Church followed by a committal at Burnley Crematorium at 12-15pm.

Tea and coffee will be served at St Peter's while Mr Pike's family attend the committal at the crematorium. They will then return to St Peter's and a light lunch and refreshments will be served.

Face coverings are mandatory, unless exempt, under Church of England rules.

A passionate Clarets fan, Mr Pike's funeral cortege will also pass his beloved Turf Moor on the way to St Peter's.

For the many friends Mr Pike had around the world who will not be able to attend the funeral there will be a live stream on the St Peter's facebook page.There is a request for family flowers only but people are invited to make donations in his memory to the many charities Mr Pike supported, including St Peter's Church or Burnley Emmaus, the homeless charity he founded.

Mr Pike's death marks the end of an era for the town he served as MP for 22 years.

The director of Emmaus Burnley, Stephen Buchanan, paid tribute to Mr Pike, stating it was thanks to the former MP's 'tenacity' that the charity able to secure the money to turn flats for older people into a home for homeless people, now known as Emmaus House on Old Hall Street in Burnley.

Mr Buchanan said: "Peter was also instrumental in securing the funding to pay support workers to help these residents, whom we refer to as companions.

"Emmaus Burnley officially opened in January 2011 as the 20th Emmaus community in the UK, 20 years after the first, and grew into a community supporting up to 24 people. The charity provides accommodation, welfare support, training and work experience at new and secondhand stores in order to help people move on in their lives.

"As well as providing leadership and guidance, Peter continued to organise biannual fundraising curry nights for Emmaus Burnley at Usha, right up until when the pandemic hit in March 2020. These brought in not only vital funds, but also new supporters whom we were able to meet at events and talk to about Emmaus Burnley’s work.

"When I spoke to him, Peter would always ask about how companions were doing, what their issues were and who had moved on in a positive way.

"During my time at this homelessness charity, we have supported over 200 formerly homeless people, and without Peter's drive and determination to find the money to set up and establish an Emmaus community in Burnley with his original committee members, we would not exist at all.

"This charity is a legacy he leaves to support homeless people for a long time to come."

Last summer Mr Pike was awarded an Emmaus UK 30th Anniversary Founders’ Medal from the national body of the charity to mark his outstanding voluntary service.