Hi, I'm Deborah

Image of Deborah Gearing

Welcome!

If you are looking for help with a funeral, you may be feeling some pressure to find a celebrant quickly. 

I aim to offer professional support , sensitive listening and friendly guidance, working with you to create a funeral, celebration of life, or memorial that fulfils your wishes and reflects and honours the life story of your loved one.

How does it work?

Call me, or text or email me and I will call you.

We will have a short chat on the phone, where you can ask me questions and I’ll ask you about your loved one and what you are looking for in a ceremony.

You might want to talk to other celebrants before you make a decision who suits you best – that’s fine!

If you decide you want to work with me, we’ll arrange a date for a ‘family meeting’, where we can talk about the ceremony and the life of your loved one. This will take about 90 minutes. I am a professional writer and I believe that words matter. It’s important to find the right tone, so I always ask a lot of questions when we meet!  

I’ll take all that information and draft a ceremony, which I will then send to you for approval. 

I’ll also liaise with the funeral director on details for the day, music required and any other requests.

The aim is for you to come to the ceremony confident that you really have done the best you can for your loved one.

I speak fluent German and good French and I'm happy to use these if required!

Image of Deborah Gearing

Deborah Gearing

Where I work

I offer funerals, memorials, celebrations of life in the Southampton area and Weymouth.

Fees from...

£250. Longer memorials and extra travel may incur extra fees.

Fluent in

German

How to contact me
Email

deborah.gearing@humanistceremonies.org.uk

Phone

07599 387957

Website

humanist.org.uk/deborahgearing

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.