Hi, I'm Gaynor

Image of Gaynor Doherty

When someone we love dies, the loss can be overwhelming.

Planning a funeral or memorial ceremony can feel daunting.

But it provides an opportunity to say goodbye in just the right way.

Every human life is unique and every funeral should reflect the journey and passage of that life.

Helping people to mark the end of a life is an incredible privilege, and one I find profound and humbling. As a Celebrant, my role is to help you create a ceremony which pays a fitting tribute to someone special. I will help you tell their unique human story in all its richness and complexity, and set the tone you choose. I can advise on poetry and music choices and will work with you and your funeral director to make the ceremony feel just right.

At the heart of each Humanist ceremony is the life of the person who has died. There is no set script, no reference to afterlife or religion. Instead, the ceremony focuses on what really lives on – memory and influence. We are all touched by the lives of those we share family connections with, those we choose to love and who become our work colleagues and friends. Together, we tell the story through tribute, poetry and music, through recollection of the good times and bad, the things we learned and the hopes we have for the future.

Planning and Practical Matters:

I will meet with you and close family as soon as possible after you or the funeral director contact me with date and time of the ceremony. It is also helpful to talk to to anyone who wishes to speak in tribute – friends, family and colleagues.

I will write a ceremony based on all that you, family members and friends are able to tell me – life story, important dates and places, hobbies and travels, foibles and quirks, things they cared about deeply - weaving poetry, music, personal tributes and symbolic action into the structure.

I will email a first draft for you to check and edit well in advance of the ceremony.

On the day I will be there to lead the ceremony, to support you and any speakers and will give you a full copy of the script to keep.

“Gaynor was amazing. She strangely feels like part of the family! She was amazing in the build up to the funeral, bringing out funny stories of my mum from the 3 sons. She took all the time we needed, and more, to cover the story of my mums life. She is such a perfectionist. Honestly, I would want her to represent my life at my funeral. The ceremony itself was outstanding, and Gaynor lifted the sombre mood with her amazingly final chapter of mum’s life in her eulogy. For me, from a client point of view, this is literally the best customer experience I have had in my 55 years on this planet. Thank you Gaynor, you were truly amazing.” 

— DS

“Gaynor’s warmth, empathy and sincerity shone through from our very first contact and throughout this emotionally difficult process. She was fully focused on supporting us in producing a beautiful Order of Service to honour the life of my husband and father to our four daughters. She is an extraordinary person who managed to bring us so much comfort and sense of purpose in these terrible moments. Her eulogy blended in so movingly with the texts we had chosen to honour my husband. We could not have wished for a more a more just send-off and are forever grateful for Gaynor’s huge contribution and support throughout.” 

— M-D O

“I could not have asked for a better experience with Gaynor. She is one of the most sincere, reassuring and kind people I have had the pleasure to meet. Nothing was too much and she went the extra mile to support us. Checking in with us regularly in an appropriate and sensitive manner, visiting my Aunty before she died, listening to her story, holding her hand. Taking the reigns and making decisions when we felt unable, meticulously planning each and every detail. And all with such warmth and sincerity. She is wonderful. I recommend Gaynor to anyone looking for a celebrant. She made a difficult time a little bit more bearable. Thank you Gaynor.”

— MM

“I dreaded the funeral until Gaynor sent me the 1st draft of the ceremony. She transformed my wife’s funeral into a complete celebration of her life with dignity and compassion. Everyone was spell bound .”

— MM

“I want to say a huge thank you from myself and our family, the service you delivered for our Dad was perfect, you perfectly captured our stories and the character of ****. You have such a beautiful way with words and your delivery was perfect, you made us smile, laugh and cry, I know my dad would have given you the thumbs up and would ply you with an extra-large measure of your chosen tipple. I can’t thank you enough, you made a dark day lighter.”

— EW

Image of Gaynor Doherty

Gaynor Doherty

Where I work

I regularly conduct ceremonies at Bramcote, Trent Valley, Markeaton, Amber Valley, Wilford Hill, Rushcliffe Oaks, Gedling and Mansfield crematoria and Tithe Green, Dale Hill and Golden Valley Natural Burial Grounds. I cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and further afield if requested

Fees from...

From £235

How to contact me
Email

gaynor.doherty@humanistceremonies.org.uk

Phone

07885 448644

Website

humanist.org.uk/gaynordoherty

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.