There are many faces to death, and the experience of those who mourn is as important as the provision of a fitting memorial to the person who has died. As well as saying goodbye it is an opportunity to create loving memories of the farewell.

Remember there is no single right way to do this, however you decide to commemorate your loved one will be the right way.

The place that a funeral or celebration of life ceremony is held is up to you. A service at a crematorium may be your preferred option or a burial in a cemetery or woodland setting. You may want to have a ceremony to bury their ashes or to make the scattering of ashes more meaningful. Alternatively, choosing a celebrant gives you freedom to hold the ceremony in a place that is significant to you – indoors or outdoors – without the constraints of time that you might feel elsewhere.

You might wish to hold a memorial at a point some time after a funeral, with friends and family coming together to honour and remember someone’s life in a space of shared grief and support, whilst acknowledging the lasting legacy of your loved one.

Please refer to my Fees page for current prices.

You may already have a clear idea of what you want to include in the ceremony. Your loved one may even have designed it all before they died. If not, then I can assist you in choosing elements that feel right for honouring them – symbolic rituals, readings, poems and music.

In choosing an independent civil celebrant who is not a religious minister, you are able to include various religious and cultural aspects in a ceremony if they seem appropriate for the person. Asking a friend or family member to read a prayer might be a good way of helping them feel included in an otherwise non-religious, but no less spiritual, occasion.

I will then deliver a bespoke ceremony that captures the heart, soul and very essence of the person you have lost.

Every person and every ceremony is unique. Connecting honestly with you and any other family or friends you wish to be involved, helps me to provide a truthful, meaningful and dignified goodbye, whilst at the same time holding space for everyone to grieve in their own way.

For information on pet funerals, please have a look at my Pet Ceremonies page.

~ Contact me directly or ask the funeral director to book me. I call you to arrange a meeting to help you navigate this turbulent time of bereavement - up to 2 hours, no rush, and online if need be.

~ I gather information from you to create a warm and memorable ceremony. As well as planning the structure (order of service), I will ask you to show me photographs and listen with compassion as you tell me about their life and personality, their likes and dislikes, their values, talents, hopes and dreams.

After the meeting:

~ I write the ceremony script and share the life story (eulogy) with you - we can amend it as needed; it needs to feel right.

~ I liaise with the funeral director about your plans so that the relevant people know how the ceremony will go.

~ I will arrive early on the day of the ceremony to meet you and everyone who has a role. If last minute changes need to be made because someone cannot make it or is feeling overwhelmed, then I am always available to step in.

~ Afterwards you will have a copy of the ceremony script to look back on as a reminder of the occasion – not only will it enable you to retrieve memories out of the blur of the day but also evidence of the effort that you put in to make it a fitting tribute.