‘She was my soul mate and a community stalwart’: Tribute to much-loved Avril

These are the words of Bridget O’Connell, who worked closely in Wednesbury with Avril Ward, who has died aged 78 and whose funeral will take place tomorrow.

Bridget, who runs O’Connells florist, was best friends with Avril and the pair have raised thousands for charity over the years, boasting that they “look after” bereaved people in the town’s community.

Avril was the company secretary of S Webb and Son, an undertaker which was established in 1894 in Upper High Street, Wednesbury and worked for the company for over 50 years.

She joined the business in 1966 aged just 19, initially running the Hill Top branch and setting up the Darlaston office before taking over the head office in the 1970s and only retiring due to lockdown during the pandemic in 2020.