Twin sister of woman killed at home outside Chichester pays tribute to a 'kind, caring, funny' mum

The sister of a woman killed alongside her two daughters has described her twin as a ‘devoted mother’ with ‘unique warmth’.
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Emma Ambler is launching a charity in the memory of her twin sister Kelly Fitzgibbons, 40, and two nieces, Ava Needham, four, and two-year-old Lexi Needham, who died from gunshot wounds at a house in Woodmancote in March.

Emma said: “Kelly and I were extremely close, we had that bond that only twins have.

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"Kelly was kind, caring, funny, with a unique warmth and contagious laugh.

Kelly Fitzgibbons and her two children, Ava and Lexi Needham, died from gunshot wounds in MarchKelly Fitzgibbons and her two children, Ava and Lexi Needham, died from gunshot wounds in March
Kelly Fitzgibbons and her two children, Ava and Lexi Needham, died from gunshot wounds in March

"Kelly had lots of friends and was very family orientated, she was a devoted mother to her two girls.”

Emma said losing her sister and two nieces has been 'the most horrific experience of mine and my family’s lives', adding: "I feel like I’ve been living in a nightmare or a police drama ever since.”

Hundreds of walkers are preparing to step out to raise money to launch a charity in the family’s memory at 11am on Sunday.

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Emma, who has organised the event, hopes to raise the £5,000 required to set up a charity via JustGiving. Emma intends The Kelly Fitzgibbons Foundation to provide emotional, financial and legal advice to families who lose loved ones in traumatic circumstances.

Emma Ambler is launching a charity in the memory of her twin sister, Kelly FitzgibbonsEmma Ambler is launching a charity in the memory of her twin sister, Kelly Fitzgibbons
Emma Ambler is launching a charity in the memory of her twin sister, Kelly Fitzgibbons

“I want to make Kelly proud and ensure her, Ava and Lexi’s memory lives on," Emma said.

"The Kelly Fitzgibbons foundation website, once established, will be a website of useful resources/links and information all in one place.

"Our ultimate objectives as a charity include; providing advice to existing organisations on supporting bereaved; providing support and advocacy to families and friends bereaved by sudden traumatic death; to work with the media on how cases are reported and ensure that legislation is being followed or where appropriate revised; to provide training and raising public awareness of the needs of bereaved families and to provide relief of financial hardship and support to access services, i.e. appropriate and timely counselling, for the family of the bereaved, in the form of grants."

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‘In line with social distancing measures’, individual walks will be taking place all over the world, from Birmingham to Brisbane, in Australia, on Sunday.

A number of walkers will be setting out in distanced groups of six from Kelly’s memorial bench in Bosham.

With the Kelly Fitzgibbons Foundation, Emma hopes her experience will help families ‘navigate the complex consequences’ of hearing the news ‘no family wants to hear’.

The foundation will follow the models of charities such as the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, using tragic circumstances as ‘catalysts for powerful, positive change in honour of the deceased’.

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The event can be followed on social media using the hashtag #WalkForKel and Emma is encouraging people to take part where Covid-19 restrictions permit.

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