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Comionate boxes to help bereaved families

Amber Edwards
BBC News, South West
BBC Mrs Wale and Sgt James Gallienne are holding a comionate box. They are standing outside. Sgt James Gallienne is wearing a hi-vis police jacket. BBC
Marian Wale and Sgt James Gallienne with a comionate box

The family of a Devon man who died in a single-vehicle crash has launched an initiative for police to comionately return a loved one's belongings.

Chris Wale, from Sidmouth, died in June 2023 after he suffered a heart attack while driving.

His wife, Marian, said his possessions were returned to the family in a plastic Marks and Spencer carrier bag, and said "if they were handed to me in a box, it's something you can put the lid on and put away".

The experience inspired Mrs Wale to launch Comionate Boxes, a not-for-profit organisation which provides specialist boxes for police to return belongings to a family.

Black and white image of Mr Wale.
Chris Wale died after he suffered a heart attack while driving in June 2023

Mrs Wale created the boxes, funded through donations, alongside Devon and Cornwall Police and bereavement counsellor Teresa Murphy.

"As soon as I got the plastic bag, I just had to get them out of there," Mrs Wale said.

"I had to get the belongings out and to be honest, I just washed them.

"We thought, 'what can we do so that people are given their loved ones belongings back":[]}