'Colour is the order of the day!': Camila Batmanghelidjh hailed as 'brilliant woman' at funeral

‘Colour is the order of the day!’: Camila Batmanghelidjh hailed as ‘brilliant woman’ at funeral

Jan 20, 2024

Camila Batmanghelidjh, who founded the Kids Company charity and campaigned for disadvantaged youngsters, has been hailed as a “brilliant woman” at her funeral.

Her funeral was full of colour, matching her constant vibrant style of clothing, after she requested attendees in her will to not wear black.

She had written: “Under no condition should anyone wear black, colour is the order of the day!”

In a statement read out by her brother Ardi, Ms Batmanghelidjh told those present to “not be sad”.

In her message, Ms Batmanghelidjh said she “had an absolutely brilliant life” and the “opportunity to serve amazing children and young people”.

Ardi said his sister’s greatest gift was “the ability to connect with people one-on-one”.

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The campaigner died on New Year’s Day aged 61 after a lengthy illness.

Guests wrote messages on her coffin, including “Your spirit will live forever” and “Queen of the South”.

Fashion designer Bella Freud described Ms Batmanghelidjh as a “brilliant woman”.

Born in Iran, Batmanghelidjh rose to prominence in the UK after setting up Kids Company in south London in the 1990s to provide support for children in poverty.

Her charity attracted several celebrity backers, including former prime minister David Cameron, Coldplay, artist Damien Hirst and comedian Michael McIntyre – and Ms Batmanghelidjh was made a CBE for her work.

The charity collapsed in 2015 amid allegations of financial mismanagement and sexual abuse. It had already received a substantial grant for the year and was handed another £3m despite it being deemed not value for money.

Police later investigated the allegations, and found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Ardi said his sister’s goal was “nothing short of disrupting the social services paradigm of the late 1990s”, adding that her mission, clients and staff were “victims of dirty politics in 2015”.

In an obituary on her website, her family said: “Until her death, she continued to work with vulnerable children, who called her or visited her to discuss their traumas, their insecurities, and their challenges.

“Camila wanted to honour these children with the care and protection they deserved.”

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