It took me a while to find my metier, and it's this. I lead ceremonies of farewell from cremations and burials to scattering of ashes to, increasingly, memorials.
Originally from Yorkshire and now based in North London, I have a self-wilding garden, a handful of adult children, a demanding cat, and a writer husband. I sing in a choir, walk in the countryside, battle with brambles in the local park, and – in my role as a Humanist Chaplain – offer pastoral support to prisoners in my local jail.
In my previous career I worked for a number of rewarding organisations including a leading literary publisher (I once rejected a novel that turned out to be a Booker Prize winner). I had a spell in Paris with an Anglo-French engineering company and, back in London, brought my experience to several charities.
Part of my role as a celebrant is to guide you towards a celebration based on humanist values of openness, kindness and hope. The ceremony I lead on the day will allow you to mark appropriately the end of a life and to bear witness to your thoughts, your beliefs, and the emotions it kindles. Everyone is different, and so are my ceremonies.
Although the ceremonies mark a sad event, they can be joyous too − there are stories to be told, memories to recall, music to enjoy, tears and laughter to be had. People tell me that my warmth shows in the ceremonies I conduct, and in the way I bring families and friends together.
Sometimes, having a stranger as a sounding board can be helpful in straightening thoughts and identifying what we really care about. As for me, I love listening to families, learning about the person at the centre of the ceremony, and relishing their stories. I rarely come out of a meeting without learning something myself – whether an aspect of social history, an unfamiliar song or poem, a new insight, or just a weird fact.
So if you are looking for a non-religious funeral or memorial ceremony crafted with care and attention, please email me or pick up the phone for a chat. Your wishes will always be at the centre of everything I do.
