13th June, anniversary of the worst day in my life when I lost my brave & beautiful daughter Grace in the Nottingham attacks. Grace was the love of my life. The best of me and the best of my wife Sinéad. Thank you all for coming to grieve with us, the Coates family and a special I’ll thanks to @redrumlisa for being there and representing the warm people of Nottingham. Rev Dr Alan Mair gave a beautiful homily at St Paul’s Church, Lenton. We then walked across and laid a rose for my rose Gracie at Ilkeston Road. 🌹
This is the text of Rev Dr Alan Mair’s homily: beautiful words:
my Homily for victims Grace, Barney and Ian June 13th 2026
We need few words to express why we are gathered here on the third anniversary of the brutal attack that left Grace, Ian and Barney dead and Sharon and Wayne who received life changing injuries.
We gather with heavy hearts. We come before God carrying grief, anger, confusion, and sorrow. We remember, Grace, Barney and Ian whose lives were cruelty taken. We pray for each other whose lives have been forever changed.
In moments like these, words can seem inadequate. We ask questions that have no easy answers. Why did this happen? Why were precious lives lost? Why does violence continue to wound our communities?
The Gospel does not pretend that suffering is easy to understand. Even Jesus stood before the tomb of his friend Lazarus and wept. The Son of God Himself entered into human grief. This reminds us that our tears are not a sign of weak faith. They are a sign of love. And God receives every tear we shed.
We entrust them to the mercy of God, confident in the promise of Christ who said, "I am the resurrection and the life." Death does not have the final word. Through His death and resurrection, Christ has opened the way to eternal life. A tough concept to understand. But last Saturday at the hockey tournament I felt the presence of Grace. On the stands at the City Ground, I am certain Ian was cheering the fact that Forest stayed up while West Ham were relegated. I am certain too that Barney’s cricket club feel his gentle presence as they go out to bat.
Yet our prayer today extends beyond remembrance. We also pray for healing. We pray for parents whose hearts have been broken, for brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who miss a loved one, for friends carrying trauma, and for communities living in fear.
The Christian response to violence is not indifference. Nor is it revenge. St Paul tells us: "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good." This is one of the hardest commands in the Gospel. Yet history shows that hatred never heals hatred. Violence never truly defeats violence. Only love, justice, mercy, and truth can break the cycle.
We are called to become instruments of peace. In our homes, schools, parishes, and communities, we must build a culture where every person knows they are valued and loved. We must support young people, strengthen families, and work for justice. We must refuse to accept violence as normal or inevitable.
The Church stands alongside all who suffer. We believe that even in the darkest moments, God has not abandoned His people. The Cross itself seemed like a victory for violence and death. Yet God transformed it into the source of salvation and hope. The resurrection assures us that darkness does not overcome the light.
And we ask the Lord to make us bearers of His peace, so that through our words, actions, and witness, we may help build a society where life is cherished, communities are healed, and every person can live without fear.
May the souls of all who have died through violence rest in peace.
And may the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and minds, now and always.
Amen.
@EmilyMayTV@ITVCentral@SkyNews@MartinDaubney@redrumlisa@nottm_post@downingstreet@wesstreeting@jamesmurray_ldn@AlexDaviesJones
Barnaby Philip John Webber
11/01/2004-13/06/2023 💔
If you can, share these images of the beautiful soul stolen from us by the worst of humanity.
Let his face today burn bright.
Barney, I promise you there will be accountability 💛💚
For You. For Grace. For Ian.
Britain has a tax on instruments that don’t exist any more.
It raises no revenue. It never applies. It was meant to be abolished this year, but wasn't.
It still exists.
Anyway, I made a chart of all 85 UK taxes.
@Staceywestblog Snap. I booked our holiday around the play off dates! But having a fab holiday in kefalonia 🇬🇷 & enjoying the social media posts re the open-topped parade 🔴⚪️⚽️💪
Once again, we're teaming up with @matthewjiwood to offer Stacey West followers a chance to win this great print.
Simply retweet this tweet, make sure you follow both of us, and we'll choose a winner at random over the weekend.
It is impossible to put into words the emotions I’m feeling right now. When my family embarked on this journey in 2021, we couldn’t have predicted how emotional this path would be, and what this club would mean to us.
Our League 1 championship is a reminder that this club is capable of far more than it has been given credit for. A reminder that the future is not limited, and there is no ceiling to the success of Lincoln City.
Take pride in this moment in time, not just because we are champions, but because of how it happened. 17th in spending… true grit. A group of players that never gave up, and gave full effort week in, and week out. Along with being great players, they are even better people. Our team is full of some of the best humans I have met on this earth. They, along with the supporters, deserve this more than anyone. Our club embodies the importance of unity, and working as one cohesive unit. The alignment has been evident since day 1. From the players, staff, grounds crew, supporters, sales, board; it took everyone to achieve this.
It’s the people of Lincoln that makes our story so unique. This is all for you. The conversations we have shared in the stands, around the city, in restaurants, at pubs, and on social media all hold special importance to myself and my family. When my family first visited Lincoln, we fell in love. Lincoln is intoxicating, with a deep richness of history and stories. It has a charm that is so unique, and a peace that is hard to replicate. There is one consensus among our friends from America who visit Lincoln; there is nowhere like it. The passion for Lincoln and LCFC that they bring back to America is something that I have never seen in my life. The amount of friends that follow every match and reach out for big wins is truly remarkable. They all wear the badge around the USA with pride. For the supporters and city to open their arms to my family and our friends, has deeply touched our lives.
The unwavering love and support that the supporters have shown all year has been the difference maker. I believe 617 has changed the outcome of many games. Spending time with you all at Shakespeare’s is what this sport is all amount; community. Thank you all for the endless miles traveled, singing, and support through thick and thin. We would not be where we are right now without you all.
Football is about community, and we have witnessed how much this club means to the city. We have seen it in the eyes of the supporters, who have been coming to matches for generations. We have seen it in the excitement of the young fans who are just beginning their journey with Lincoln City. It is impossible to put into words how much this club means to the community. Now, we share a story that is unforgettable.
To be able to contribute in a small way has meant so much to my family. Nothing beats waking up at 7am on Saturday mornings, and letting 90 minutes of football determine our mood for the rest of the day. We couldn’t have found a better club, and feel honored to share this journey with you all. This is a memory that will never go away, and the true embodiment that big things can be achieved when a city comes together for one shared goal.
This is an underdog story that belongs to history, and every single one of you were apart of it.
Champions forever.