Even in the sadness of death, we can proudly pay tribute to the joy that someone has brought to our lives. And that is why I continue to do the job I have been doing since the beginning of this century!
It is such a privilege to work, with the trust of a family, to get to know the essence of their loved one - the ways and quirks, that make them unique. And to then reflect that in a ceremony in which everybody can feel included and, quite often, uplifted. "You got him just right" is a frequent comment. Or, equally rewarding "she would have loved that".
Whether it's a funeral in a crematorium, by a graveside, or in a woodland, a Humanist Ceremony will reflect the life of the person who has died in a gentle, compassionate and inclusive gathering. It's all about love really.
Increasingly some people are choosing small, private cremation, or burial funerals, or Direct Cremations, with nobody in attendance, but that doesn't exclude the opportunity to celebrate or pay tribute to the person's life some weeks or months later. A Humanist Memorial Ceremony gives the opportunity to bring people together in a more planned way, in a more relaxed environment without time restraints. The venue can be a grand hotel, a community hall or a park or garden that the person loved.
If music, poems and readings are important to you then I can guide you if you'd like me to, but the content of the ceremony will be in your control in order that it is appropriate to the uniqueness of the person you have lost and to the people who mourn them.
I offer experience, compassion, humour, an open mind and a ceremony without pomp but with sincerity.
