Hello. My name is Jane Anderson, and I am an accredited Humanists UK funeral celebrant. I appreciate that you may be looking at this page whilst grieving the death of a loved one or planning your own funeral, so I thank you for taking the time to pause for a moment and read this. I am not going to overwhelm you with words, merely set out what you can expect from a Humanist ceremony, the services that I offer and a little bit about me.

Why a Humanist Ceremony?

The core tenet of Humanism is that we get just this one life, that everyone is unique and that, ideally, we make the most of our time on planet Earth, treating those we encounter along the way with kindness and respect. A Humanist ceremony is a way to celebrate the life of someone who has died with dignity and warmth, acknowledging their impact upon the lives of their family, friends and colleagues. While Humanists do not believe in any deity, our ceremonies are always open and inclusive. They ensure that anyone who does hold religious beliefs will not feel excluded and there will be a moment when those attending can offer a silent prayer, should they wish to do so.

How Does the Process Work?

• I offer cremation, burial, memorial and interment ceremonies. I can also work with you if you are planning your own ceremony in advance.
• I will meet with you, preferably in person but, depending upon your circumstances and timetable, via Zoom or Teams or over the telephone, to discuss the life of the deceased. You can invite as many family members or friends as you wish to join us in this meeting – or none at all. The choice is yours.
• Together, we will create a ceremony that paints a unique portrait of your loved one’s life, celebrating their personality, achievements, career, background, any particular quirks or tastes, the effect they had upon those around them. Every ceremony, like every client, is unique and an original script will be created.
• I will write up the script after our meeting and send it to you for approval. This is your ceremony, and nothing goes in without your say so.
• I can help you select suitable readings and assist with the choices of music, although these tend to be, obviously, a very personal decision.
• I will liaise with your chosen funeral director and ensure that they have all the information about the ceremony they require.
• After the ceremony, I will give you a presentation script to keep. This can be a printed document or a PDF for you to share online – or both formats. Once more, it’s entirely your call.

My Biography

I was born, raised and schooled in Buckinghamshire, where I still live. I gained a BA Hons in English Language and Literature from Lincoln College, Oxford University, in the mid-1980s before beginning a career in journalism. I’ve worked at various magazines and newspapers but spent the majority of my career with the BBC (and, latterly, a privately-owned company called Immediate Media) as the radio editor of Radio Times. I consider myself very fortunate to have had a job that I absolutely loved – being paid to listen to the radio. I have interviewed so many incredibly talented actors, musicians, broadcasters and writers. I have appeared on Radio 4, Radio 2, Absolute and Planet Rock to offer opinion and comment. I have been on the judging panels for audio awards including the Sonys, Writers Guild, Amnesty International and Broadcasting Press Guild, and spoken at numerous events including the Cheltenham Literary Festival, Radio Academy Festival and the Radio Times/British Film Institute Festival.

Listening, writing and public speaking are my key skills, which I now bring to ceremonies. I have been a Humanist for many years, but it was after the death of my mother, step-mother and mother-in-law in close succession in 2018 that I began to consider the idea of training as a funeral celebrant. These significant deaths prompted a call to service in me to explore a new direction in my career. It’s my role to guide and support you in the most difficult of times. I do this with meticulous planning, warmth and empathy. If you would like to learn more, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or telephone (see contact details, right). I will help you to honour and celebrate the life of the deceased.

Testimonials

• “Jane was dignified, spoke clearly, looked in charge when it came to ‘stage management’ and best of all had flashes of warmth and humour when it was entirely appropriate. An excellent example of a Humanist funeral.”
  Denise
• “My sister and I were so impressed and touched by the effort Jane put in to really get to know what kind of person our wonderful mum was, and to ensure Mum’s Humanist ceremony was a genuinely personal and fitting celebration of her life. We were so happy we chose Jane, she was thoughtful, empathetic and committed all the way through the process, and we only wish that our mum could have met Jane herself.”
  Louise
• “In fact the celebrant exceeded my expectations. Obviously, I don’t have a great deal experience in these matters but Jane guided me through the process and compiled a lovely order of service, which allowed the words and music to create a pictorial montage of my partner’s life. That, combined with the lovely setting at GreenAcres, has shown many of the people who attended and watched online what a joyous thing a celebration of life can be!”
  Mike
• “Jane was both professional, thorough and caring. She really went ‘above and beyond’ to help us integrate the different contributions of family members and friends. We felt very well supported and would feel very confident in recommending Jane to anyone seeking a Humanist officiant.”
  Juliet
• “Jane was a fantastic support from start to finish. Having previously worked with a humanist celebrant for our wedding, it felt a humanist celebrant would be the right fit for our mother’s funeral. None of my siblings had any previous experience organising a funeral and it was great to have someone on board helping coach us through ideas and give us the confidence that we could do whatever we wanted and whatever felt like the right way to honour mum. Jane was easy to work with, witty, sympathetic and a great orator on the day, despite the wind and rain. She also gave me greater confidence with my own tribute.”
  Daniella
• “Jane put everything together beautifully and was so genuine in her delivery. A wonderful lady who made the celebration feel special.”
  Oliver
• “Jane was amazing throughout the whole process. She was compassionate, empathetic, professional and friendly with a great talent for writing. Would highly recommend.”
  Sue
• “Thank you, Jane, for the beautiful ceremony for mum. You captured her very essence with your words. We were heartbroken but this felt like the perfect send off for our wonderful mum. We left smiling as well as crying. Everyone said how surprised they’d been by the effect the service had on them. It was really special.”
  Sally
• “Dad was such a complex man. It’s really hard to describe his character, but you managed it somehow. We are so pleased that you were able to work in live performances from his musical friends. He would have loved that. Thank you.”
  Jonathan
• “I flew from the States for XXXXX XXXXXXXX’s funeral. I’ve been a man of faith all my life and was wondering if this kind of service would register with me. As I said afterwards, it was the most powerful and meaningful funeral I have been to. You honoured my dear friend so beautifully and with so much respect. It was the service he would have wanted.”
  David
• “Jane was thoroughly professional and supportive throughout, very responsive to any queries we had.”
  Pete