A funeral service for the activist Gershwyn “Shiloh” Smith will be held today.

The service will be followed by a celebration of his life.

Pastor Gladwyn Smith, Mr Smith’s youngest brother, said a special ceremony would be held at 11am at the Open Door Christian Assembly Church Hall in Southside, St David’s.

Mr Smith founded the grassroots activism group the Young Progressives and ran for Parliament seven times as an independent candidate.

Pastor Smith said: “There will be a community gathering in the afternoon at Warrior Park, the field in Smith’s where the Young Progressives had their first event.

“We will have music and food and reminiscing to celebrate Shiloh’s life and contributions to the community.” He added that Mr Smith, known also as High Priest Shiloh, was “loved by many around the island”.

Cleveland Simmons, a member of the Young Progressives, said Mr Smith had been “instrumental” in getting the field converted from waste ground to a park for the public.

Mr Simmons said: “Maybe it would be fitting for the field to be named in his memory.”