Funeral of Nottingham University student Barnaby Webber gets underway at Taunton Minster
Barnaby's friends from Taunton School pay tribute to him
The funeral of Barnaby Webber has been held in Taunton Minster with hundreds of mourners turning out to remember him.
The 19-year-old from Taunton was one of three people killed in two knife attacks in Nottingham last month.
Barnaby attended Taunton School for 16 years before going on to study history at Nottingham University.
He was a keen cricketer and has been described as a "beautiful, brilliant, bright young man" by his family.
Barnaby's funeral was held at Taunton Minster on Friday 14 July and was led by the Bishop of Taunton, Ruth Worsley.
Around 600 people gathered for the service. The church was full and further crowds were watching on screens from the street outside.
Also in attendance were the family of Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, who died alongside Mr Webber.
Both Grace and Ian Coates, 65, who also died, were remembered at the service. Their photographs were on display at the entrance to the church, alongside a hockey stick and ball and Nottingham Forest scarf, to remember their love of their respective sports.
Barnaby's wicker coffin was green and gold - two colours associated with Nottingham University's sports associations.
It was taken into Taunton Minster to the song Into the West by Annie Lennox before the Right Reverend Ruth Worsley began the service.
The choir then sang an emotional rendition of Amazing Grace before a series of tributes got underway.
Watch as choir sing emotional rendition of Amazing Grace
A group of Barnaby's friends from Taunton School were among the first to speak.
Tom Yap, Tom Houghton-King, Ollie Edwards, Ollie Tucker, Ed Smith, Ed Tucker, Owen Rowe, Rory O'Carroll, Freddie Salter-Green, Maxime Bell and Archie Billings stood together as they remembered their schoolfriend.
Together they described Barnaby as "the kind of friend you only have once in your life", saying "not a single day would pass when he didn’t make the people around him laugh".
One of the group described him as "the antidote to pain, the antidote to loneliness, and the antidote to sadness" while another said "he really made everyone so happy, he was the light to everything around him".
Another of the boys said: "Barney was taken from us too soon but I will remember his positivity, contagious smile, and the way he always looked on the bright side of everything, putting others first, and taking us all into his happy world. The best of friends, happy and mad in equal measure, I will truly miss you."
'Be a little bit more Barney' - watch David Webber's tribute to his son
Barnaby's father David Webber paid tribute to his "beautiful boy" during the service, sharing memories of his beloved son.
He said: "How do you start a speech like this? The one as a parent you thought you'd never have to make.
"This is a celebration of my beautiful boy's life. Ever since he lit up our world, and then Charlie a few short years later, I have been besotted by them both - or as Emma will tell you, wrapped around their little fingers. But as a father, that's my job.
"We bring these lovely bundles of joy into the world and it's our responsibility as parents to give them the best start we can in life. Setting them up for the big wide world, knowing that one day they'd fly the nest.
"That's what Barney had done last September. He'd flown higher than I could ever have imagined and was starting the next stage of his journey.
"I always knew that both boys are caring, loving people. And from what I've learned over the past few weeks, other people agree.
"Emma and I always wanted to stretch ourselves, sometimes too far, to make sure that both boys had that great start. Part of that was going on holidays. That gave us all some fantastic memories. I have so many memories of these trips that I literally could spend the rest of the day talking about them - but fear not, I won't. Well, maybe just a couple.
"On one particular occasion I remember watching the sunset in the Grand Canyon which was especially lovely, although my fear of heights kept me away from the side - but not Barney.
"He perched himself on the ledge and sat watching the sunset quietly. A truly lovely, if not very scary for me, experience.
"Barney seemed so happy sitting there with nature all around - well, right up to the point where his brother snuck up behind him and pretended to push him over the edge. As parents, we nearly had heart attacks and at that moment, we did realise that Charlie is able to move very quickly with an angry/scared Barney on his tail.
"On a more recent skiing trip this March, Barney's friend Ollie, who is here today, was joining us for the week and was trying to get from Lyon to Morzine but had misjudged the buses in France on Sunday.
"I had to drive with Barney over the mountains after depositing Emma and Abbie in the local bar for a 'quick drink'. Some two hours later we returned and driving past the bar Barney announced that he'd just seem mum waving at him. Some quick drink.
"However moments like that, where you have a long drive with a loved-one, are so special - even though at the time I was keener to be in the bar to be honest.
"I could go on for a long time talking about all these great memories and over time I will remember them all and smile.
"I've said before and I think a few people have said today Barney's approach to life was 'if he liked you, he liked you'. He never had a hidden agenda and would always be the one who went to the friends that didn't quite fit or somehow were different.
"We've heard countless stories from friends over the past few weeks of exactly this and it makes us so proud as parents that he was like this.
"So as I finish... I'd like everyone to think of how we act in our day-to-day lives and be a little bit more patient, caring with others, maybe be a little bit more Barney."
Charlie Webber pays tribute to his 'hero' brother
Barnaby's brother Charlie also gave a moving speech, speaking of their "unbreakable bond".
He said: "I want to talk about the role you played in my life, you’re the only reason I have the confidence to stand here today.
"When we were younger, you were always the person I went to. You were like a final piece of what seems like an unsolvable puzzle and you always found a way to make it right. You being gone is like trying to finish that puzzle without the most important piece - it just doesn’t seem to work, and I don’t think it ever will."
He added: "I always thought of you and I being invincible Barns, I don’t know why but it was like we were the only two on Earth that couldn’t go and wouldn’t go. I suppose that was because of the unbreakable bond we had, and don’t worry - you’ll have to do a lot more than this to break that bond.
"You can run to the end of the universe and I’ll still be there, and we’ll watch Star Wars together, one last time, even though we all know your favourite film was Cars 2.
"When I first learnt what happened, I wanted to set the world on fire. I was so angry at everything, everyone, and angry at myself for not being there with you. I was angry at you for not running.
"Now I realise anger is really pride. You stood your ground and died being the person you always were, my hero.
"You told me the secret to being truly happy is to only care about the big things and not to dwell on the little ones and I think that will stick with me, until the day I join you up there.
"I want to tell the world that Barney Phillip John Webber was the best thing that ever has and ever will happen to me.
"On 13 June 2023, the world lost its brightest light and heavens gained its brightest star. Goodbye pal, I’ll catch you in the next."
Barnaby's mother Emma Webber followed her son, starting her speech by saying how proud she is of him and everyone who has spoken during the service.
'We remain a family of four' - watch mum's tribute to Barnaby Webber
Paying tribute to Barnaby, she said: "Grief is the price we pay for love but for me, until I lost, I don’t think I really knew quite how much I loved, and boy did I love that boy - more than words can ever ever convey.
"Now is not the time to convey that pain, it’s far to deep in agony to describe."
She recalled memories of Barnaby escaping his buggy and climbing into a shop display as well as catching him tucking into a Cadbury's Cream Egg only for him to blame it on the family dog Gilby.
"There are countless stories I could share with you," she said. "I’m so very thankful for each and every one we’ve had."
She added: "I’m so glad I’ve been that mum that’s insisted on taking lots of photos and selfies wherever possible, at the moment looking at them is so very painful but my heart knows that I have them and in time I’ll draw great comfort from them."
She also paused to remember Ian Coates and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, saying: "We've been fortunate to spend time with Grace's family recently and while I’m so desperately sorry I never got to meet her in person, I do feel a connection to you Grace.
"I’m so honoured to have had the pleasure to meet your mum, your dad and James and even your cats and Ruso your dog.
"I can see why Barnaby thought so highly of you."
She then spoke of the family's plans to set up a foundation in memory of Barnaby, adding: "As a family, we have asked people to hold no hate in their hearts for creed, colour, culture, religion, sex or background. Barney’s foundation will continue that.
"It will reach out to support those in the corner that need a little support, or those that may not feel brave enough to go in the corner in the first place."
Paying tribute to her eldest son, she said: "Barney wasn’t the boy receiving accolades and awards. He wasn’t chosen first, he wasn’t head boy, and he wasn’t heaped in adulation - but it really doesn’t matter. What we do know is that our ordinary boy was anything but that. His ordinary was what made him extraordinary."
She said the family had a weekend together just a few weeks before Barnaby's death.
"My precious boys got to spend a night together in Barney's halls - Charlie on the floor of course - and then we had a car pool journey home, with the boys together in B’s little polo with mum and dad following behind.
"Each second of that weekend is etched in my soul forever more.
"Many people have said how brave we are and how they cannot imagine the pain we’re going through - and the honest answer is I really don’t know how we’re doing this, I honestly don’t.
"Nobody can begin to take our pain away but what I would say is this, if you imagine our world as a clear night sky, it’s seemingly completely black. However, if you stop for long enough you’ll begin to see very small moments of light like a shooting star or a distant planet.
"All the love and support we’ve received, the hundreds and hundreds of cards and letters, many from complete strangers, and all the gestures of love the donations made, the memorial matches, and the shirts - they are those tiny glimmers of bright.
"I know we have a long and painful road ahead of us and I know I am very scared by it but I am still looking up into that sky and i do know that one day, I have no idea when, I know that one day the dawn will break for us again,
"So we remain a family of four, just one of us isn’t here right now."
The crowd then joined Emma for a one-minute round of applause for Barnaby before the choir sang a rendition of This Is Me.
Barnaby's coffin left Taunton Minster as Mr Brightside by The Killers played. The track was described in the order of service as Barnaby's "favourite song" and "as he would say, it's a right banger".