The funeral of a homeless woman who was at the centre of a public appeal for attendees has taken place in Belfast.
Anne Hillman was living homeless in Dundonald, and passed away on November 29 in the care of her friends and staff at Hollygate Lodge Care Home.
Last week, a spokesperson from the North Down Funeral Directors said she had no known family and was a bit of a “mystery” but was “absolutely adored” by staff at Hollygate Lodge, where she had lived for the past ten months.
They then launched an appeal for people to attend her funeral, which took place this morning at Roselawn Crematorium in Belfast.
Ms Hillman had just celebrated her birthday before her death and with Christmas being her favourite time of year, the staff at the Care Home said they wanted to make it “a special one for her.”
“The staff were planning to make it the best Christmas yet for her and bought presents for her. She even had a tree in her room,” North Down Funeral Directors said in their appeal.
“We we would ask as many people to attend in order to give Ann the send off she deserved. Especially those who engaged with her during her time living outdoors.”
A funeral notice said she “would be known by many as the lady who lived in Moat Park Dundonald”.
Ms Hillman previously made headlines back in 2018 after she was moved from living homeless in Belfast city centre to a park in Dundonald to keep her safe during the city’s Culture Night at the time having previously lived in the Donegall Street area. The organisers of Culture Night said at the time there were concerns her belongings could have caught fire if she was not moved.
There in Dundonald she sought refuge under a tree along with her belongings, after being transported by volunteers from a homeless crisis charity.
Photographs from the service show several staff members from the Hollygate Lodge care home in Carryduff in attendance with other members of the public gathered inside the crematorium to pay their respects. The coffin also featured a large rose bouquet with a message from the staff saying: “Love everyone at Hollygate x”.
Ms Hillman’s service was conducted by Reverend Steve Ames.
Anne Hillman Photo Credit Alan Lewis
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Earlier this month in Co Carlow, a similar appeal for funeral attendees was launched for Mary Regan, 89, who lived in the county for nearly 20 years when she died on November 29 at a nursing home.
Care workers at the home she lived in said she did not have many visitors, and the passing of her husband, Fred, last year meant she had no family left meaning they were concerned she would be “sent off alone”.
More than 300 people showed up to her funeral following the last-minute appeal on Facebook. Funeral Director Rory Healy later told the Irish Independent he was ‘overwhelmed’ by the response to his post.