Hello
My name is Gillian and it is an absolute honour to be able to work as a funeral celebrant.
Who am I?
I recently took early retirement from a long career working on behalf of Government nature conservation bodies. I managed a large team and I took pride in being able to support colleagues who depended on me for guidance. My role was always about engagement and communication, how to understand the needs of others and most importantly, how to listen. These are all skills that I bring with me into my new role as a celebrant along with my love of nature and the traditions which are linked to life's rites of passage.
What lead me to becoming a Celebrant?
I first encountered a humanist funeral when we chose this route for my dad's ceremony. If I'm honest, I hadn't really come across humanism before but the funeral was all about him and his life, right down to playing his favourite Dave Brubeck track and having claret and blue flowers in honour of his beloved West Ham! I came away thinking, "he would've enjoyed that". I decided then that becoming a celebrant was something that I wanted to do, to provide for others that support and very personal goodbye that had been provided for us.
What you can expect from me
I will put together a fitting and meaningful goodbye for your loved one, using your recollections and memories to tell their story. I will meet with you so that the ceremony I write very much comes from you. The tribute is a collaboration between us to make sure that it's just right. But I will also guide you through how this can be put together, using words, music or poetry that are fitting, as I recognise that many things may feel overwhelming at this time. I am there to support you before and on the day of the funeral itself, to ensure that you are able to celebrate your loved ones life in just the way they would have wanted and that this, in turn, provides you with some comfort.
Celebrate a Life
A humanist funeral is all about your loved one and your memories of them. It will be an honest, uplifting, respectful and deeply personal way for you to say goodbye. If you want to play their favourite rock anthem, we can. If you want other families members or friends to share a recipe from their favourite cookbook, we will. If you want quiet contemplation and gentle reflection, of course, that's absolutely fine. This is the celebration of the life your loved one lead, who they were, what they achieved, how they lived and what they meant to you.
