The hearse containing Professor Stephen Hawking arrives at University Church of St Mary the Great. Inset: The message to homeless people. Photo / AP
The hearse containing Professor Stephen Hawking arrives at University Church of St Mary the Great. Inset: The message to homeless people. Photo / AP
Professor Stephen Hawking's final act of kindness carried out before his death has been revealed by a charity which helps the homeless.
As the world-renowned scientist's funeral took place on the other side of Cambridge, those in need were treated to an Easter lunch paid for by the physicist, the Daily Mail reported.
The meal was put on at Wesley Methodist Church, less than a kilometre away from where mourners gathered on Saturday (UK time) to celebrate the life of Prof Hawking.
The coffin of Professor Stephen Hawking arrives at University Church of St Mary the Great. Photo / AP
A touching note, signed by "the Hawking family", was left on the tables and told the 50 guests that the lunch was a "gift from Stephen".
Organisers of the event, run by the charity FoodCycle, said the much-loved professor was given a "little cheer" by diners before they tucked into their meals.
FoodCycle Cambridge said: "We're so grateful to the Hawking family for their generous donation so we could give our guests an extra special Easter meal yesterday.
"We had a little cheer in honour of Stephen Hawking before tucking in."
Thousands lined the streets of Cambridge on Saturday for the funeral of the theoretical physicist, who died peacefully at his home earlier this month.
Eddie Redmayne, who played the professor in 2014's The Theory of Everything, was among 500 guests invited to the University Church of St Mary the Great.
He gave a biblical reading at the service, and Astronomer Royal Martin Rees also spoke.
Model Lily Cole, Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May and comedian Dara O Briain were among those seen arriving tothe funeral.
British actor Eddie Redmayne, who played the role of the late Professor Stephen Hawking in the 2014 biographical drama The Theory of Everything, attends his funeral. Photo / AP
The church bell tolled 76 times, once for each year of Prof Hawking's life, as the solid oak coffin adorned with floral tributes arrived in a hearse.
A round of applause spontaneously broke out as Prof Hawking's coffin was carried into the church by six porters from Cambridge University's Gonville and Caius College, where he was a fellow for 52 years.
Family members of the cosmologist, including his three children a Lucy, Robert and Tim, followed the coffin into the church.
The message to the homeless.
In a statement released ahead of Saturday's service they said they chose to hold the funeral "in the city that he loved so much and which loved him".
Part of the Easter treats supplied by the Hawking family. Photo / Supplied
Robert Hawking, who is Prof Hawking's eldest child, delivered a eulogy at the service.
Prof Hawking died peacefully at his Cambridge home on March 14 at the age of 76. The cosmologist had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease in his 20s.
The church where Saturday's private funeral service was held is near to Gonville and Caius College. The funeral was followed by a private reception at Trinity College.
