Celebrant Funeral & Memorial Services
“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne, author
Funerals are the last and final chance we have to say our goodbyes; to honour the person who has died and to pay tribute to them in the most appropriate manner. It’s one of the hardest things in life that any of us have to do and it’s a crucial part of the grieving process to ensure that the final farewell is exactly right.
I am able to provide sensitive and respectful home visits, during which time I will glean information about your loved one, whilst offering guidance about music, poems and readings, to really capture the essence of the person. I encourage participation from family and friends and can discuss this with you at the family meeting. Arranging a funeral is an emotional time, please don’t worry about being upset or crying during the discussion.
As a family we want to thank Lisa for paying respects to Dad.
Mum, Me and all the family would like to say thanks to Lisa for all she has done over the weeks and especially at the funeral service, it was a lovely tribute.
Aug 2021
What you have so openly shared with me will then enable me to start composing a beautiful, personal ceremony to ensure that the deceased takes centre stage for the last time – a Ceremony which will be both a celebration of their life and a gentle mourning of their loss.
Once the celebration of life tribute has been drafted, I will then telephone or if you prefer visit you and your family to go through the ceremony, ensuring that you’re fully aware of what will be said and the order of the day.
On the day, I will meet you, your family and loves ones at the Crematorium or chosen resting place, liaise with the Funeral Director and perform the ceremony. You'll also receive a commemorative keepsake copy of the service to keep memories close to your heart.
Memorial Services
We are so accustomed to preparing for a funeral in the immediate aftermath of a loved one’s death, it seems inappropriate to defer what should be a celebration of their life. However, there are circumstances where this isn’t always possible.
A memorial can provide the same as a Funeral Ceremony and is held at whatever time and wherever the family choose. I can perform a similar service to the one described in the Funeral Ceremony but the benefit with Memorials is there are no time constraints.
If a funeral has already taken place but it felt wrong because not all family and friends could attend or for any other reason that the ceremony did not give the sense of completion, then a future memorial event may provide this.
Memorials often involve more people (both contributing and attending), and the ceremonies usually have a more upbeat feel to them. Time is likely to have passed since the death and those who knew the person have an opportunity to come together to share memories, and to celebrate their life.
In recent years, there has been more of an emphasis on celebrating a person’s life. This emphasis is often present in the tone of their funeral, but can also influence the choice of memorial for them. A living memorial is a tree, shrub or garden planted in memory of a person who has died.
Creating a scrapbook, memory album or memory box when someone dies can also be a positive activity. A book of remembrance is a blank book in which family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances of someone that has died can write condolences and memories. It can be helpful for the bereaved to see how much a member of their family was loved and respected by others.
I am here to guide and assist you through this difficult and emotional time, a simple call is all it takes.