Hello

I remember arranging the funerals for my Dad and my Grandma. In the midst of all the sadness and overwhelm, I was struck by the role the Celebrants played. For my Dad’s funeral, the tone was too formal. The Celebrant was detached and the funeral felt impersonal. I felt awkward and tense throughout, like I was in a show where I didn’t really know my part. I just wanted to get through it.

 

For my Grandma’s funeral, many years later, it was a very different story. The Celebrant took his time, was chatty and comforting, and I felt I had the space to properly talk about her what she meant to us. The Celebrant wrote and conducted the service in a way that reflected who my Grandma was. ​He provided support and guidance throughout. The funeral felt right and this helped me to grieve. 

 

It was around the time of my Grandma’s death that I started to wonder if being a Celebrant was something I’d like to do, but it would be a few more years before I took the leap.

 

For most of my career I have worked in media and the arts, and I also teach drama and filmmaking to children and adults, including people with learning difficulties. I completed an Introduction to Counselling course in 2012. Then, upon reaching mid-life, I started to take stock.

 

I have always been a passionate advocate of openness around the subject of death and I knew wanted to do something meaningful in this area. Deciding to become a Celebrant was a natural progression, utilising the writing and presenting skills of my previous career and harnessing my passion for supporting people through grief.

 

It is one of the best decisions I've ever made.

 

Every person is unique and special, and every family is different. Capturing the right tone for someone's funeral service is vital to make sure it feels right for them, and right for their family and friends. While funerals are so often seen as entirely sombre occasions, I have found that this rarely captures the essence of a person. Very often, a family will ask for some humour in the service. But whether this feels right for you, or you prefer a more traditional approach, I work with families to make sure that we create a highly personalised service. ​

 

Together we can make an occasion filled with love, warmth and dignity.