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Islanders will be packing the Town Church at lunchtime today to say goodbye to a stalwart of the honorary police and a long serving member of Jersey Youth Service.
It’s the funeral of Mitch Couriard MBE who died last month aged 61.
Jersey's Attorney General Robert MacRae QC who heads up the Honorary Police said: "Mitch Couriard MBE served in the Honorary Police for over thirty years, having been elected as a Constable’s Officer in St Helier in 1983, becoming a Vingtenier in 1987 and serving as the first President of the Honorary Police Association from 2005 to 2009.
"Mitch personified the traditions of the Honorary Police, having served his parish and our Island with dedication, passion and integrity throughout his many terms of office.
"His service, and the recognition it so rightly received during his lifetime, exemplifies why the Honorary Police remain right at the heart of Island life and help to make Jersey the very special place that it is. He was an inspiration to us all and will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and colleagues."
Mitch, who was Vingtenier for St Helier and a civil servant who worked for the Island's youth service for more than 40 years, planned his send-off before he died.
The service starts at 12.30pm and will be played out in the Church hall for people who can’t fit into the church building and there will also be speakers in the grounds of the church.
Mark Capern, the Principal Youth Officer and St Helier Chef de Police Danny Scaife will both be paying tribute to Mitch at the funeral.
Mitch was chosen as a People's Portrait for 2012 for his work both with the Youth Service and the Honorary Police and was also chosen to carry the Olympic Torchbearer when it was in Jersey in 2012. Both the portrait and his Olympic torch will be in the church today.
After the service there will be a Guard of Honour at the rear door of the church by members of the honorary police and the cars and officers will move in procession to the Town Hall before the private committal.
Jersey Youth Service will be closed to the public this afternoon.
There will be a celebration of Mitch's life at 10am on Sunday 20 December at the Silver Jubilee Activity Centre at Crabbé – the centre he was instrumental in setting up.
(Pictured: The people’s portrait of Mitch painted by Christian Furr in 2012-2013)
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