There are moments in every life that deserve to be marked. Whether you are naming your child, renewing your wedding vows or preparing for the funeral of a loved one, an independent celebrant can help with your ceremony.

As an independent celebrant, I am able to reflect any beliefs you have.  These might be religious or non-religious.  You may want a Bible verse read, or a poem recited.  I can do all that for you.  What is most important to me is that the service we plan reflects you, your wishes and your beliefs.

Let me help you plan your ceremony and, together,  we can make it unique to you.

I know the pain of losing a loved one unexpectedly and how import it is to have the support of professional people who can take some of the load from you. I will come to your home, or any other place you prefer, and spend time with you.  I will look forward to listening to you tell me stories about your loved one.  I’d like to learn about who they were, what the loved to do and what they hated!  It would be good getting to know about their life: how they lived it; who they inspired; and what gave them joy.

If you like, you could have other friends or family members join us.  If you’d prefer, I could speak with other people later, but only if you’d want that.

Once we have gathered all these memories, then I will write a tribute to your loved one based on all you have shared with me.  I will include your loved one’s achievements, their passions and the things that made them laugh.  I will share this with you and, together, we can add or take away elements until you are happy that the words I will use at the funeral will reflect the humanity of your loved one and be truly unique to them.

I will work with you to create a full service.  We can think about what music to include, and you can let me know whether or not you’d like any religious or spiritual references.  We can discuss whether you or somebody else may want to give a reading or recite a poem. If you want to deliver the eulogy, I can help you write it and, if it’s useful, offer you some tips for speaking.  In short, we can develop a service that reflects you and what you’d like for your loved one.

On the day of the funeral, I will work closely with the funeral director and others to ensure you receive a professional service.  I will be there to support you and guide you through the ceremony as well as delivering the best eulogy I can for you and yours.

Some people know when their lives are likely to end, and this gives these individuals the opportunity to reflect and think about their lives.  For some, the idea of having a celebration of their life with family and friends present is something that offers a feeling of peace.

Very often Celebrations of Life or Living Funerals are joyful events and give an opportunity for the individual to spend time with others in a setting where memories can be shared, and stories can be told.

I can help you plan the Celebration. We can spend time together chatting though your life and reflecting on happy times important people and the things that shaped you.  I will then prepare a tribute. I don’t think of this as  a eulogy – that’s for another time.  I will share that with you and we can continue to craft it until you are happy that it truly reflects you.  You may want to read it yourself or I can, of course, deliver this for you.

The rest of the Celebration can include whatever you would like it to.  There can be music, and tributes from friends and family.  We can create a memory box where those who love you may add a note, a poem or an item that has a link to their relationship with you.

In essence, we can make sure your Celebration is unique to you and something that both you and those who attend will remember as precious time together.

This may not be for everyone, but if this is for you, I would be delighted to help you curate a ceremony that brings together those you love and hold dear.  I would help plan a gathering that places you, and the love others have for you, at its centre.