Hi, I'm Joanna
The starting point for any ceremony is understanding and appreciating the stories, and the life course, of the person to be honoured. Usually this means talking to family and friends, maybe looking through some old photographs together and establishing a timeline of their life. There is a lot of listening. In many ways, this is my favourite part, getting to know a person through the eyes of others reveals their legacy and often brings a smile as well as a tear. I’ll be asking for anecdotes and explanations from which we can then construct a fitting tribute. You may want to write and read your tribute yourselves, or we can dovetail different speakers together. Naturally, I will check with you to ensure that anything I write is accurate and appropriate and we can make adjustments and additions to fine tune the script and adjust the running order. There is always a balance to be struck between different accounts of a life and also an art in writing for the audience and within time restrictions. I take care in crafting a ceremony that reflects the tone and content that you are looking for, painting a multifaceted picture that everyone recognises.
The service that you crafted for my brother farewell was just pitch perfect, full of warmth and of his presence. It was a full acknowledgement of the person he was as well as a loving message to him. We were all agreed that it captured his strong, creative and determined spirit beautifully and gave us immense comfort and pleasure. It was a real joy to work with you beforehand and thank you for your wisdom, kindness and practical suggestions all of which played a key part in the success of the service. I felt I did him proud and was his Big Sister to the end which he would have wanted. Thank you so very much for making that possible. It really was a pleasure working with you. How lucky the world is to have your tender loving care and cleverness.
— JD
Jo conducted the service at my husband’s funeral. She spent some time prior to the event understanding what the close family wanted from the day. She shared a range of ideas to help the process and jointly constructed the text that was used at the ceremony. On the day her tone was warm but professional. She quietly led the event without dominating. To her credit as people left many commented that it had been an uplifting experience, the best they had been to and exactly what they would like when the time comes.
— CW
Without Joanna’s input and craftsmanship D’s Celebration of Life wouldn’t have had the same energy and polish. We were incredibly lucky to be able to achieve the upbeat, positive atmosphere we thought D would have wanted whilst at the same time reflecting her gentle and generous nature. We have had so many people say what a wonderful event it was and so different from the run-of-the-mill off the shelf funerals. I’ve even had several people actually thank me for inviting them! We cannot thank Joanna enough for her hard work which brought light and positivity to our darkest day.
— DS
Joanna Mutlow
Where I work
I am based in Sheffield but have conducted funerals and memorials in other places on request.
Fees from...
My fees are negotiable, but are based on a fee of £230 for a cremation, £250 for a burial or longer cremation service, £50 for a pre-planning meeting and £125 to write you a script to read yourselves. I offer a 10% discount for Green Party Members.
Fluent in
German
How to contact me
joanna.mutlow@humanistcare.org.uk
Phone
Website
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.
