28/05/2026
https://www.ukfuneralvideoservices.com/blog/celebration-of-life-richard-chance-london-rowing-club
Yesterday I had the privilege of providing live streaming and AV support for the celebration of life of Richard Chance โ held at the London Rowing Club on Putney Embankment, right on the banks of the Thames. ๐
It was a beautiful service. A minister led the room, and throughout the afternoon friends and family stepped forward to share readings, personal tributes, live music and singing. There was laughter โ genuine, full, fond laughter at stories only the people who knew Richard could tell. There were tears. And there was an extraordinary warmth that filled that room on the river while London went about its afternoon outside the windows, entirely unaware.
But the moment that none of us in that room will ever forget happened when one of Richard's closest friends sent a message from the summit of Mount Everest. ๐๏ธ
He wasn't there because he was up there. He had climbed Everest on Richard's behalf โ because Richard had told him to go ahead and still do it, even after his passing. So he did. And from 8,849 metres above sea level, the highest point on earth, he paid tribute to his friend in front of everyone gathered to remember him.
In over 2,500 funerals and celebrations of life, I have never experienced a moment quite like it.
660 devices joined live from 27 countries and 48 regions around the world ๐
๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe, Harare โ 147
๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom, England โ 106
๐ฟ๐ฆ GP-ZA โ 94
๐ฟ๐ฆ KZN-ZA โ 69
๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa, iTjhingalanga-Kapa โ 63
๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom (unknown state) โ 24
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ United Kingdom, Scotland โ 23
๐ฟ๐ฒ Zambia, Lusaka โ 13
๐ฒ๐ฆ Morocco, Rabat-Salรฉ-Zemmour-Zaer โ 9
๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe, Mashonaland West โ 9
๐ช๐ธ Spain, Catalunya โ 7
๐ฆ๐บ Australia, Western Australia โ 7
๐ญ๐ท Croatia, Grad Zagreb โ 5
๐ง๐ช Belgium, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest โ 5
๐ฆ๐บ Australia, Queensland โ 5
๐ฒ๐ผ Malawi, Central Region โ 4
๐บ๐ธ United States, California โ 4
๐ฌ๐ท Greece, Attikรญ โ 4
๐ฒ๐บ Mauritius, Port Louis โ 4
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ United Kingdom, Wales โ 4
๐บ๐ธ United States (unknown state) โ 3
๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa, Eastern Cape โ 3
๐บ๐ธ United States, Georgia โ 3
๐ฎ๐ช Ireland, Laighin โ 3
๐ฌ๐ฎ Gibraltar (unknown state) โ 2
๐ฐ๐พ Cayman Islands (unknown state) โ 2
๐ฒ๐บ Mauritius (unknown state) โ 2
๐ณ๐ต Nepal (unknown state) โ 2
๐ณ๐ด Norway, Oslo โ 2
๐ต๐น Portugal, Lisboa โ 2
๐ฉ๐ฐ Denmark, Hovedstaden โ 2
๐ซ๐ท NAQ-FR โ 2
๐บ๐ธ United States, North Carolina โ 2
๐ซ๐ท OCC-FR โ 2
๐บ๐ธ United States, Texas โ 2
๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa (unknown state) โ 1
๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe (unknown state) โ 1
๐น๐ฟ Tanzania, Dar es Salaam โ 1
๐ต๐น Portugal, Braga โ 1
๐ฎ๐ธ Iceland, Hรถfuรฐborgarsvรฆรฐi utan Reykjavรญkur โ 1
๐ง๐ญ Bahrain, Al Manฤmah โ 1
๐ฐ๐ช Kenya, Nairobi City โ 1
๐ฒ๐น Malta, Sliema โ 1
๐บ๐ธ United States, District of Columbia โ 1
๐ฒ๐บ Mauritius, Flacq โ 1
๐ง๐ผ Botswana, Gaborone โ 1
๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe, Manicaland โ 1
๐ฒ๐ฟ Mozambique, Maputo โ 1
๐บ๐ธ United States, New York โ 1
๐ฎ๐ฉ PT-ID โ 1
๐จ๐ฑ Chile, Regiรณn Metropolitana de Santiago โ 1
๐ฒ๐บ Mauritius, Riviรจre du Rempart โ 1
๐ฒ๐ผ Malawi, Chakumwera โ 1
๐ฆ๐บ Australia, South Australia โ 1
๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand, Wellington โ 1
That viewer data tells its own story about the kind of man he was and the reach of his life.
I arrived four hours before the service to set up the full live stream, provide AV support for the live keyboard player, and help the family connect their tribute visuals to the venue's PA and screen system. By the time guests arrived, everything was in place and the family had nothing to think about but Richard.
The tide was coming in outside. The room was full of music and love and the voice of a man on top of the world saying goodbye to his friend.
Richard โ what a life. What a send-off. ๐๏ธ
