About Rebecca…
Rebecca Stevens
Non-religious funeral ceremonies in Brighton, Hove, East and West Sussex and beyond…
About me…
I’ve spent my working life as a writer and performer for stage and screen and have written several children’s books. After leaving school I moved to Brighton and formed a theatre company with three friends. We spent the next ten years in a transit van taking comedy shows to people all over the country, whether they wanted us to or not.
Since that time, I’ve worked as a freelance writer and actor in comedy and children’s TV and have published five books for children.
As my own children grew up, I felt the need for some human contact that didn’t involve frying fish fingers or arguing about cheese, so applied to train as a listening volunteer with the Samaritans. I loved it and, after over twelve years, I still do. Listening while a stranger pours their story into your ear feels like the most intense and meaningful human connection possible.
And now, as a funeral celebrant with Humanists UK, I’ve found a role that brings together all my skills, interests and experience.
I believe…
…that a good funeral is as much about the living as the person who has died. It can be formal or informal, simple or flamboyant; there can be music, poetry, photos and flowers; stories, anecdotes, laughter as well as tears. There can be peace and silence; time for reflection and space to think.
But most of all there will be memories.
Sad, happy, funny, meaningful memories that celebrate the person’s life and enable their friends and family members to come together not just to say goodbye, but to support each other by sharing their feelings; to cry, to smile, to laugh, to nod in recognition.
To remember.
Out of sight need never be out of mind…
‘Lovely’
‘So many people commented on how lovely and appropriate you were. The copy of the celebration is beautiful and unexpected too. Thank you’
– Funeral, May 2026
‘Wonderful’
‘I’s ceremony was outstandingly wonderful, beautifully delivered and I thank you so much for it. People said to me that it was a beautiful service, that the words were lovely, that you were a born communicator. Everyone I spoke to said it showed all the facets of I’s personality’
– Funeral, March 2026
‘Lovely service’
‘Becky was wonderful. She gave so much support and did a lovely service. It really helped through what was a difficult time’
– Funeral, January 2026
‘Inclusive and respectful’
‘Becky managed to capture the essence of my mum so well. She was always inclusive and respectful of the family’s wishes and helped create a wonderful order of service. We couldn’t have managed without her. The day was a wonderful celebration of my mum’s life thanks to Becky.’
– Family burial, December 2025
‘Brilliant’
‘Thank you for doing such a great job at our mum’s funeral…You were brilliant and I loved the fact that you ad-libbed with my dad‘
– Memorial, November 2025
‘A true catharsis’
‘The way you presented S’s story was just beautiful. So joyful, warm and kind and wise and funny. It was a true catharsis’
– Woodland burial, September 2025
‘Thank you’
‘I simply do not have the right words to thank you for what you did for us prior to, and on, Thursday’
– Funeral, 2025
‘Lovely farewell’
‘Thank you so much for all your efforts in creating a lovely farewell for our mum. Your words were beautifully delivered and definitely honoured E’
– Funeral, June 2025
‘Patient and compassionate’
‘The whole family wanted to thank you for the patient and compassionate way you dealt with building the order of service and for the flawless service yesterday. We had many comments at the reception afterwards about how beautiful the service was and how well it reflected P’s character’
– Funeral, June 2025
‘An occasion to remember and cherish’
‘Thank you so much for all your help and understanding and making C’s funeral an occasion to remember and cherish’
– Funeral, March 2025
‘Beautiful’
‘Thank you so much for the beautiful celebration for C. It was exactly what we wanted, all about his life not his death’
– Funeral, March 2025
‘Perfectly pitched’
‘So many people said how great and perfectly pitched you were with real sadness and joy in your voice, face and heart. You have to be genuine to do this kind of thing and you have that in bucket-loads’
– Funeral, December 2024
‘Strong and gentle presence’
‘Such a strong and gentle presence to hold the service together and everything was spoken as if she’d known my mum all her life’
– Funeral, December 2024
‘I would recommend her 100%’
‘Rebecca has a proper talent and the very necessary depth for this and I would recommend her 100% to anyone looking for the right person to create and tell the story of their loved one at a funeral service’
– Funeral, December 2024
‘Very safe hands’
‘A million thanks to Becky, we felt in very safe hands from start to finish’
– Funeral, December 2024
‘Perfect’
‘…the perfect celebrant’
– Memorial, October 2024
