Bereavement & Repatriations
GWS has been arranging repatriations of deceased Goans back to their motherland at the request of their families, for a few years now. We have a “fixed fee” agreement with Southall Funeral Services (70 Western Rd, Southall UB2 5DZ. Tel: 020 8571 0621) and Rowland Brothers International (299-303 Whitehorse Rd, Croydon CR0 2HR. Tel: 020 8684 1667). Both these firms will provide the full service to ensure the safe repatriation of the body to Dabolim after they have been blessed by the Goan Chaplain or local priest. For further information, please contact: Flavio Gracias, the Chair of Trustees on Tel: 020 8723 1322 or Mobile: 07753 309781.
Where families cannot afford the cost, we step in and initiate a fund-raising campaign. Our last repatriation to Navelim, Salcete, was of Filipina Lobo, who passed away in Hayes, Middlesex. Her repatriation was effected by Southall Funeral Services on 15 September 2019. The fund-raising appeal is on-going (for details see the Letter of Appeal on the first page of the website).
In March 2019, we arranged the funeral of Claudette Bird nee D’Souza (the first cousin of Fr Corlis Gonsalves from Mumbai) who passed away in Kingsbury and we are grateful to G Saville & Son, a firm of Funeral Directors from Wembley for their help.
