“Thank you so much for making A’s funeral service everything we hoped it would be. You are a credit to your profession. The script was superb and more importantly, everyone who was there agreed that it was “Just A. Just right”.” M.P

The person who has died may have left very clear instructions or none at all. You may have many ideas about what you want for their funeral, or feel shocked and lost. Whatever the situation I am confident we can make a memorable and fitting farewell to honour their life.

Usually, the first step is to meet and talk about your person. We will talk about their life and their values: what brought them joy; what annoyed them; what made them laugh; what did they cherish, and how they would wish to be remembered. I will ask questions, but, most importantly, I will listen.

We will discuss the kind of ceremony you would like, who else might be involved, as well as music, readings, and any other ideas you may have. In this way, we will develop a structure for the ceremony.

Drawing upon the reminiscences, anecdotes, and other information gathered I will write a draft script for the ceremony that will be shared with you for checking and amending. It’s important that you feel a rightness about the contents and know what to expect. My aim is to craft a ceremony unique to the individual, celebrating their life, with a tone that is inclusive and authentic, reflecting their personality.

If you have chosen a funeral director I will liaise with them directly, as well as any family or friends who plan to speak at the ceremony. This should mean fewer emails and phone calls for you, and it will enable me to ensure that the ceremony runs smoothly.

I will stay in touch in case there are any necessary changes and be there before the ceremony begins to check that everything is in place. As well as speaking, I will provide support for any family members or friends who are giving tributes or other readings.

After the ceremony, I will provide you with a presentation version of the script that can be kept for the family, or shared on the Funeral Tribute Archive if that is your wish.

Humanist funerals are inclusive and provide an essential alternative for those who seek a non-religious approach.  To provide families with choice, humanist celebrants tend to charge fees related to the parochial fees set by the Church of England. My charges start at £270 for a 30-minute funeral ceremony. Included in this one-off fee is the time spent in meetings, writing and editing the script, email communications, delivery of the ceremony on the day, and a follow-up email with a presentation copy of the ceremony.   A reduced fee is available for NHS staff, carers, and full-time students.  There is no fee for funeral ceremonies of people under the age of 18.

I would feel honoured if you decided you would like to work with me.

“Thank you so, so, much for all of your help and support. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you were our celebrant. It was a little miracle finding you. We wanted to honour C’s life and it did just that..  Many of those present had never been to that type of celebration of life before, and they were bowled over by it. It meant so much to us” C.W and R.W

“the family and everyone else present thought you did a fantastic job, getting to the essence of M in a warm and moving way.. enormous thanks.. it was outstanding’ P.C