Funeral cortege of Burnley's dedicated volunteer for the homeless will pause at spot where she helped so many people

The funeral of dedicated homeless champion Paula Riley will be held next Monday.
The funeral of homeless champion Paula Riley will take place on Monday (February 22nd)The funeral of homeless champion Paula Riley will take place on Monday (February 22nd)
The funeral of homeless champion Paula Riley will take place on Monday (February 22nd)

The service will take place at Burnley Crematorium at 4pm.

Paula's funeral cortege will leave her home in Cliviger at 3-30pm and pause at the car park in Centenary Way, Burnley, where she spent many hours helping to feed the homeless.

For those who would like to stand and pay their respects to Paula the cortege will then continue up Manchester Road and onto Rossendale Road.

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Paula, a former Burnley councillor was also a Cliviger parish councillor. She was one of the stalwart volunteers who helped to feed the homeless every Wednesday evening in the car park at the foot of Centenary Way, Burnley.

She even won the Mayor's Medal from Burnley Mayor Coun. Wajid Khan for making food and turning up to dish it out every week, without fail, whatever the weather.

Paula had represented the Lanehead ward in Burnley on the council and she was due to stand for election in May for the Burnley and Padiham Independent Party.

Born in Burnley Paula, who was 70, attended the former Todmorden Road Junior and Walshaw High schools before training to become a hairdresser. She ran her own salon in Branch Road in Burnley Wood for over 20 years. She also worked at the former Lucas Aerospace in Burnley.

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Paula then opted for a complete career change and studied to become a chiropodist, opening her own practise in Curzon Street, Burnley, which she ran for around seven years. In later years she tended to her many elderly patients, carrying out home visits for them.

Paula died after suffering a ‘catastrophic’ brain haemorrhage at her home. She had gone out to defrost her car but went back inside after she started feeling dizzy and numbness in her arm.

Rushed by ambulance to Blackburn Royal Hospital, brave Paula spent two weeks on the stroke ward.

Family was everything to Paula and she doted on her granddaughters, Elise (18) and 14-year-old OJ. She also leaves Keith, her husband of 44 years and their daughter Abby.

Paula's family have thanked everyone for the numerous messages, cards, and flowers they have received.

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