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The family of Claire Chadwick, a Newport woman who was 37 weeks pregnant, are working with a Welsh charity to bring her home to the UK, with the exact timetable for her return still to be confirmed. Repatriation Services Trust (REST) is now supporting the family after a community fundraising appeal passed its £10,000 target. The priority is completing the legal and logistical arrangements so Claire can be laid to rest in Wales, surrounded by loved ones.
Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that REST, a registered Welsh charity that helps bereaved families facing overseas arrangements, is now assisting the Chadwick family with the process of returning Claire to the UK. The family has not disclosed a confirmed date for her return, and the charity’s involvement is focused on reducing the practical delays that can arise when authorities, paperwork and international transport arrangements must be coordinated. There is no fixed timetable for international repatriation; depending on documentation and flight arrangements, such returns can take weeks rather than days. For Claire’s family, the immediate priority is not publicity but progress: confirming each stage so that Claire can be brought home and funeral arrangements can move forward.
The repatriation effort has been supported by an extraordinary response from the Newport community. Claire’s sister, Shannon Chadwick, launched a GoFundMe appeal with an initial target of £10,000 to help cover the legal and logistical costs involved in bringing Claire back to the UK. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that more than 400 people contributed, helping the appeal surpass its target within days. Shannon Chadwick told journalists that the level of support had been overwhelming and that the community always comes together in times of hardship. She also confirmed that REST was now helping the family, describing the charity’s support as absolutely amazing and calling for greater exposure for its work.
Claire’s husband, Lawal Ibrahim, has paid a heartfelt public tribute to his wife and their unborn daughter. In a statement shared on social media on November 5, Daily Dazzling Dawn learned that Mr Ibrahim described Claire as his best friend, his companion and an irreplaceable part of his life. He said words could not adequately express the pain, emptiness and heartbreak of losing the two people who meant so much to him, and he spoke of the family’s eagerness to welcome their daughter. He also thanked Claire’s family for supporting him and for organising the fundraising appeal to bring her home so she can be laid to rest. Mr Ibrahim said he would take time away from social media to grieve and process the family’s loss.
REST was established by the Bassett family following the death of their son, Tom Bassett, in Dubai on May 5, 2017. The family faced a complicated and costly process to bring him home to Wales, with little practical support while navigating overseas authorities, paperwork and repatriation arrangements. Determined to help others facing similar circumstances, they established REST to provide emotional support, practical guidance and financial assistance to bereaved families. The organisation became a registered charity in May 2018 and now operates across Wales, with around 150 volunteers supporting its work through donations and community fundraising events. For Claire’s family, the next steps remain practical and sensitive: finalising the paperwork, confirming transport arrangements and preparing for her return. The family’s focus is on bringing Claire home, and the combined support of REST and the Newport community is helping to make that journey possible.
