Hi, I'm Helen

Image of Helen Walkington

Hello! I’m a Humanist Ceremonies funeral celebrant, trained and accredited by Humanists UK.

I create and lead memorable and meaningful non-religious funerals, celebrations of life, memorials, and ash ceremonies. Each humanist ceremony is unique and custom-made, and is an authentic reflection of the individual's life and values.

What I offer

I work closely with families to craft a bespoke and personal ceremony that reflects the story and legacy of their loved one. My aim is to provide a space where family and friends can come together to honour and remember the person, but also celebrate individual life.

A Celebration of a Unique Life

Every life is unique, and so should be the funeral to say farewell. Humanist funerals incorporate personal stories, memories, and tributes into the ceremony, to make it a sincere and authentic goodbye. I can guide you on choices, if needed, and also suggest other elements to make the ceremony right for everyone involved.

Contact me

Please do contact me if you are looking for a professional celebrant to lead a non-religious funeral ceremony for your loved one. I’m here to support you during this challenging time and help you create the most fitting funeral for them. I’m happy to have an initial conversation to better explain what I do and how I work.

Helen was wonderful...she went above and beyond for us; warm, patient and professional beforehand during and after my dad's funeral. All who attended remarked on how lovely it was..This was largely due to Helen whose gentle humour, understanding and respect for the whole process was exceptional. We cannot thank her enough and would thoroughly recommend her services.

— Denise

Helen, thank you so much for presiding at Mum’s funeral. Throughout you have been a pleasure to work with and I especially appreciate how you took my random reminiscences and turned them into a story with a coherent thread through Mum’s life – kind and compassionate, you got her to a tee. The gentle humour you incorporated helped us all to see the day as a positive celebration. On the day you provided such a reassuring presence, we were able to leave all of the arrangements to you – couldn’t have been more professional and appropriate.

— Caroline

We are so happy you agreed to be our celebrant, it has made the whole process more personal and I know Mike would approve of your gentle, caring and amusing approach to sharing his life story! You are wonderful!

— Ruth, Robert, Matty & Emily

Wow, you've done a marvellous job at threading Mum's life together. I’ve read through your draft, it is perfect, really beautiful. Mum would be pleased to read such an account of her life. 

Thank you again for today, everybody commented on how lovely the service was and that you’d done an amazing job.

— Kirsty

 Thank you so much for your wonderfully professional help yesterday, which ensured the day went without a hitch. 

— Cathi

Image of Helen Walkington

Helen Walkington

Where I work

Henley on Thames, Reading, Oxford, South Chilterns, West Berkshire

Fees from...

£270

How to contact me
Email

helen.walkington@humanistceremonies.org.uk

Phone

07906 463536

Google

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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.