My Ceremonies, whether they are funerals, burials, scatterings, interments or memorials, can bring comfort and closure for those left behind. Let me help you to craft a Ceremony that is entirely fitting for your circumstances and loved one. A Ceremony may be a conventional funeral – the convention has its comforts in its protocols and etiquettes – but a ceremony can still be unique and personal.  Or you may be looking for an event that is more bespoke and informal.

My goal is to sound as though I knew the person I am talking about by capturing the essence of their personality and reflecting the impact they have had. I do not have a formula for my Ceremonies but choose instead to create an event that has meaning for you.

There might be the constraints of crematorium time-slots or the complications of people attending online; you may want to include children in the proceedings or you may want have a display of key memorabilia or live music. You may want to ditch convention altogether and have a get-together in the village hall with the coffin driven off to the crematorium with everyone waving goodbye. You might want to take the ashes on a favourite hike and gather people together for a picnic and a shared scattering. Or you may be planning ahead for a memorial event that combines with an exhibition or concert. There are many options and variations, and lots of decisions to make when you are feeling vulnerable or distressed. But I can guide you through and deliver a Ceremony that fits with your wishes.

My Humanist beliefs directly inform my Ceremonies where I emphasise the humanity and individual qualities of the person who has died, concentrating on their meaning and legacy to their families, friends and humankind. Although it is unlikely that I will include references to supernatural forces or life after death in a Ceremony, I am happy to acknowledge and include the range of faiths present – death should unite, not divide us in a shared appreciation of the value of life and our common human experience.