Hi, I'm Claire

Image of Claire Johnston

My role is to honour the richness of human life. My funerals or memorial events tell the story of a precious and unique life. I will work closely with you to prepare a ceremony full of memories, words and music reflecting the special and individual life of the person you knew and loved. Every ceremony will be as different as every person. But the ritual of saying goodbye will always be at the centre of it, supporting you to move forward with a precious treasure chest of memories.

My professional background is as a lawyer and an English teacher. I will listen, guide and then write up a moving tribute incorporating your stories and your values. The ceremony will be as lively or peaceful as you choose, but always well-planned and impeccably delivered.

You may already have clear ideas about the words and music you want to hear at the ceremony. After listening to your stories, I can suggest poems, readings and music that might resonate with you, and the people you expect to attend. My own cultural background is Scottish and I know a lot of Scottish songs and poems. I am good at languages and happy to integrate French, Spanish or German words or readings into your ceremony - and to learn the correct pronunciation of names and places from any other countries. As a choir member, I also understand the power of human voices joining together in tribute and celebration. I hope we can work together to craft a ceremony which does justice to your person's unique life.

Please email me on clairejohnston3@gmail.com and arrange an informal chat, to see if I am the right celebrant for you.

Some recent feedback from families:

"Claire is warm, compassionate and a wonderful story-teller and speaker. She went above and beyond, amending her text as needed on the day due to last minute absences. I would thoroughly recommend Claire to anyone looking to mark an important event in their lives." L family, ceremony at Mortlake Crematorium, August 2026

"Claire was excellent, she conducted the ceremony with grace, feeling and sympathy. Claire met with us beforehand and made a great effort to ensure her script was personalised to our family. She showed great empathy and understanding." B family, ceremony at West Norwood Crematorium, April 2026.

Image of Claire Johnston

Claire Johnston

Where I work

I live in South-East London and work throughout London.

Fees from...

£275 - to include meeting you to plan and prepare, writing up the script and delivering your ceremony on the day.

Fluent in

French

How to contact me
Email

clairejohnston3@gmail.com

Phone

07876 313260

HUMANIST CEREMONIES™ is the network of more than 550 celebrants, trained by national charity Humanists UK to a gold standard to provide memorable and meaningful humanist ceremonies to non-religious people. Operating throughout England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, we deliver authentic, tailor-made and heartfelt ceremonies for life’s key moments. They are always inclusive and welcoming, regardless of the beliefs of those attending.

You can trust Humanist Ceremonies celebrants: We are DBS-checked, fully insured, and regularly peer reviewed for quality assurance. We are committed to a code of conduct, and have a transparent and robust complaints process in the rare case of a problem. We all pay a monthly fee to Humanists UK to further support the work of the charity, and are part of a regional network for like-minded celebrants for support and learning.

Humanist funerals

Humanist funerals, memorials and ash ceremonies are a fitting way to honour a unique life with warmth, sensitivity and meaning, but without reference to religion or an afterlife. They put the story of the person who has died at the heart of the ceremony, paying tribute to them and the legacy they leave, and provide an opportunity to bring people together, not just to share sadness but to celebrate a life lived.