Hello, my name is Cath York and I conduct funerals and celebration of life ceremonies in North Tyneside and across the North East.

Losing someone you love is always difficult, and it can seem daunting to be faced with the practicalities of organising their funeral.

I can help you through this whole process and make sure that the funeral ceremony reflects the life and the personality of the person who has died. I will work with you to understand their life story and the sort of person they were, to create a fitting tribute to them. This can include tributes from family and friends and meaningful music, readings, and poetry as appropriate.

Humanist ceremonies are non-religious, reflecting the fact that faith was not an important part of the life of the deceased. However, they are inclusive and welcome those of all faiths to the ceremony.

A Humanist funeral ceremony may take place in a crematorium, or it may be a burial in a graveyard or a burial site. Alternatively, it may be a memorial service at a venue of your choice This type of service is becoming more popular for families who opt for direct cremations.

Whatever you have chosen I will work with you to make sure that the ceremony is exactly what you want it to be and that it is perfect for the person whose life has ended.

 

Testimonials:

“The ceremony was perfect – thank you for producing such a lovely service for our Mum – it was a real celebration of her life”

 

“Thank you for the lovely memorial service for my brother. Everyone commented on how lovely it was and how personal. I also want to say thanks for all you help and support – it has been so appreciated at this difficult time.”

 

“Thank you so much for the beautiful service yesterday. You made a very difficult day as easy for everyone as possible.”

 

The Process

• The initial referral may come via a Funeral Director, or you can contact me directly via the Humanists UK website or my Facebook page – Cath York – Humanist Funeral Celebrant. Initially I just need to know the details of the funeral arrangements made so far, and I can then confirm my availability.

 

• I then arrange a time to visit you and your family to discuss in more detail what you would like the service to look like. It helps me to find out about the person who has died so that I can write a ceremony that truly reflects them and allows contributions from family and friends. We can include music, readings, and poetry, and at the meeting we can start to look at what you would like to include, although it does not need to be finalised at that point.

 

• If there are other people who would like to contribute who can’t attend the meeting, then I can arrange to follow up with them by telephone or Zoom.

 

• Following the visit and/or follow up calls, I will create a script which I will then send to you to read and review. If there are any errors or omissions, I can then correct these to make sure you are 100% happy with everything.

 

• The ceremony itself can range from a framework that allows personal contributions to one which I completely deliver myself. It can be very difficult for loved ones to stand up and say or read something on the day, as it is so emotional. As long as we have everything in the script then I can pick up if someone feels unable to speak on the day.

 

• On the day itself I will meet you at the venue and liaise with crematorium/burial staff and the chosen Funeral Director as appropriate to make sure that your ceremony runs smoothly and is the best it can be.

 

A typical funeral ceremony

• Entrance (usually to music)
• Welcome / Opening words from the celebrant
• Thoughts on Life & Death – emphasising the non-religious nature of the ceremony but the fact that it will be inclusive to people of all faiths
• The Tribute – by the celebrant, often with readings and poetry contributed by family and friends
• A period of quiet reflection (usually with music)
• The committal/farewell – the final goodbye (curtains closing in a crematorium or the coffin being lowered into the ground in a burial)
• Closing words
• Exit (usually to music)