Losing a loved one is never easy and can feel overwhelming. I can help you to remember and celebrate their life in a way that honours them warmly and respectfully. You might be looking to have a traditional funeral, but I will also challenge you to think of other ways to celebrate their life in a way that's right for you. I can also help you to plan a 'living funeral'.

There are no right or wrong things to do so you can include religious and spiritual elements if you wish such as prayers, meditations or candles. You can include contributions from family friends and children too. I can help you to combine all of these together to create a funeral which is fitting for your loved one.

I will meet with you and take time to get to know you so that I can understand your wishes and help you to choose poems, readings and words that will express your feelings. Should you wish to write your own tribute, I can support you in doing this or I can create a eulogy on your behalf.

A celebration of life often takes place at a traditional venue but I can also guide you towards other possibilities such as a family home or garden, a historic building, a hotel or an outdoor natural space such as a hillside or woodland that is meaningful to you. It can take place at the same time as a burial or cremation or it might be on a different day, at a different location. The coffin of the person who has died can be present and then ‘waved off’ or you might choose for the cremation or burial to happen first.

Alternative venues can give you the opportunity to take more time for your ceremony and to share refreshments at the same location. You can arrange seating in formal rows or you may prefer a more informal plan – in a horseshoe or circle with the coffin at the centre.

A Living Funeral can be both powerful and empowering. Living funerals affirm our connection with those we love and give us the opportunity to celebrate a life with love and laughter, while we are still living. You can be at the heart of the ceremony, contribute yourself or even lead it if you wish.

What can you expect from me?

• We will meet in person, I will listen a lot and ask a lot of questions too. I want to understand the essence of your person in life, to know what made them tick and how you want their ceremony to feel.
• I will make suggestions about how we can create a service suitable for a crematorium or burial ground, but I can also suggest other venues and formats – a dinner, a pilgrimage, a party or a community event!
• I then write a draft for you, which you edit until it feels right, and any others, who want to contribute, can do so. If you would like to include your own I can help you with these too.
• I will be there through every step of the day to make sure that everything is exactly as we have planned and I will lead the ceremony with compassion, to support you at a time that can be very disorientating.

Ceremonies Start at £220