Hi, I'm Dan
Why I’m A Funeral Celebrant
When my dad died, I was utterly overwhelmed. So many things needed to be taken care of that it felt like I didn’t even have time to properly grieve his death.
He wasn’t a religious man, so we called a celebrant from Humanists UK to lead his funeral. That man sat with us and listened as we talked about my dad, allowing us to open our hearts, speak about the impact he’d had on us, and begin to process our loss.
In the midst of all the paperwork, telephone calls and general mayhem, it was as if someone had walked in and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this bit.”
That made a lasting impression on me and led me to train as a funeral celebrant.
I consider it an enormous privilege to come into peoples’ lives and hear about their loved ones, weaving those fond, cherished memories into a tribute that encapsulates who that person was and what they meant to everyone around them.
It’s an honour to be able to say to those who are going through the most painful moments of their lives, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this bit.”
How I Work
I will meet with you and your family, either in person or via video call, so that you can share your memories of your loved one. My intention is to create a space where you can speak honestly and openly about them, allowing me to capture the essence of who they were.
Between us, we can structure the funeral to your specifications, incorporating music, video, personal tributes, poetry and readings. I will work with you to ensure that their funeral is a unique and meaningful event which truly celebrates their life.
About Me
I was born in Rochford and have lived in and around Southend my entire life.
In my 30+ year career as a civil servant, I’ve undertaken a number of different roles and have spent the last 15 years as a Security Advisor, writing guidance and content, running training courses, and giving presentations to audiences ranging from 20 to 200.
I’m a passionate film nerd; I love music of all kinds; I adore cooking; and I'm an avid reader.
“Dan captured the essence of a man much loved and sorely missed by many, but none more than Malcolm’s partner, their daughter and sons. He delivered the service with a depth of compassion not shown at any other funeral that I have attended. It was both beautiful and heart-breaking at the same time. Thank you!”
— Michelle D
“I was looking for a local humanist funeral celebrant for interment of my son Gordon’s ashes and am so glad that I found Dan. We worked hand in hand to prepare a service with reflection music that perfectly celebrated Gordon’s life and his passing. Dan’s delivery was both professional and compassionate in equal measure. So much so that family and friends commented afterwards on how pleased they were. We highly recommend Dan for such occasions.”
— Frank C
“Thank you for the service you performed for Dad’s funeral on Wednesday. Everyone agreed that it was pitch-perfect, captured his life brilliantly, and was exactly what he himself would have wanted.My sister and I were a little apprehensive about getting on that call with you and having to try to come up with memories that could sum up the life of someone we have known and loved our whole lives. But not only did you make the process easy for us, you made it enjoyable too. In fact we both agreed it was cathartic in a way, picking through happy memories. Mum felt the same.I imagine it cannot be easy to write a half-hour service about anybody, but especially someone you have never met. And yet you did such a wonderful job of combining our memories into a beautiful narrative of his life, and then delivering it in a heartfelt way. Everyone said afterwards what a warm and personal funeral it was – it was as if you knew him. You have a real gift.Thank you again for making a difficult day something that we will always remember fondly.”
— Henry E-D
“My Dad’s service was beautiful & you brought everything together so perfectly within the script and we just cannot thank you enough for all the hard work that you put into making the service so special for our Dad. We have had so many lovely comments from our family and friends saying how wonderful the service and funeral script was…a big thank you again from us all.”
— Stacey D
Thank you so much for sending the PDF through of Mum’s funeral service. It is obvious to me how much work you have put into it and that is borne out by other relatives all saying what a great service it was. Mum was very pleased with the service you did for Malcolm, so you were always going to be our No1 choice Dan. Thank you so much once again.
— Gary T
Everyone has been talking about the service and how moved they felt. We had lots of people coming up to us last night to tell us that they appreciated the service. Someone even asked "who you were," assuming you were an old friend of John's! Jackie also seems much more light-hearted and back to her normal self today. I think it gave her that sense of closure we all hoped for. She was talking about all the stories today and how easy and comfortable she felt when you visited us at home.Thank you again. Everyone said we couldn't have had a better person to deliver the tribute.
— Hannah C
Just a little note to say a big thank you for yesterday. Wonderful funeral and the wake was perfect too. Michael would have been so happy with it, which was always my main objective. Again, many thanks for all your hard work towards making Michael's day so memorable,
— Sue M
Dear Dan. My family and I just wanted to say a BIG thanks for the fantastic way you processed all our thoughts and stories about Bernard, and made your talk at his funeral service so very personal. You captured the very essence of the man and everyone we spoke to after the event was very impressed. You certainly have a gift in that direction. We would have no hesitation in recommending you to anyone who needs a top class speaker. You went the extra mile - pushed out the boat for us and dear Bernard - and we will never forget and will be forever grateful.
— Sue R
I cannot thank you enough for making our day so special yesterday. Many of our guests said they would like the same for their loved ones and themselves. And thank you for emailing the memorial speech. I'm exhausted today, and can't really find the right words, but it was just what I wanted for my dad. Thank you.
— Emily G
Hi Dan. I was really very pleased with the funeral. It was lovely to see so many people there, but more than that it was lovely to hear people laughing, which I think is exactly what Dad would have wanted. I had lots of people asking me about Humanism and non-religious ceremonies at the reception afterwards, which felt in a way like Dad was still imparting his wisdom about the world from beyond the grave! Thank you very much for the presentation copies of the funeral words, and for everything you did to help us celebrate Dad and his life.
— Lynn D
Dan Leonard
Where I work
I work primarily in the Southend, Rochford and Basildon areas, although I can go farther afield.
Fees from...
My fee for a standard funeral or memorial service is £250. For longer services, my fee is negotiable.
How to contact me
Phone
Website
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.
