Hi, I'm Louise

Image of Louise Jopling

The first time I attended a humanist funeral, I left feeling both comforted and wonderfully uplifted. It was a compassionate, beautiful and completely unique celebration of life. 

Having discovered how amazing a humanist funeral could be, I wanted to help opening up this option for as many people as possible. Since 2011, I've been delivering funerals and memorials across the South West and further afield. I have always loved hearing people’s stories, learning about people, places and things they loved. Having done this job for so many years, I can confidently say there is something memorable to be found in all of our lives.

My role is to work with you to create something personal, meaningful, honest and memorable. And I say 'something' because there really are no rules for what we create. We're all individuals and so no two funerals or memorial ceremonies should ever be the same. Whether I write and say every word or weave around personally delivered tributes, my determination to get it absolutely right is the same. 

Families often say that simply sharing the stories is a comforting way to quietly pay tribute before we've even got to the ceremony day. It is a wonderful moment when I'm with a family, drawing out those memories, and the laughter comes through the tears. You don't have to have changed the world to have led a life worth celebrating. 

When it comes to funerals and memorials, people often worry about doing 'the right thing'. Even those putting plans in place for their own funerals worry (I'm accredited in pre-planned funerals and can help with this too). To me, getting it 'right' is about making sure that everything reflects the unique person we are remembering and there's no template for that. Whether a huge crowd or an intimate gathering, my job is the same. Supporting you with every detail of the day is what I am here to do. When those attending say: 'it's as if you knew them' or 'it was a real celebration of life', I know I've got it right.

Call me or drop me a line to talk more about how I can support you...

"Hi Louise, it was a cracking service. You did Dad proud."

— Funeral Client June 2024

"I just wanted to thank you once again for a beautiful service - I can't really imagine it going any better. Your tribute came across so well, almost as if you personally knew mum. A special thanks for going above and beyond in sourcing that particular version of the Tchaikovsky - that was great! There was nothing but praise for the service afterwards: outside and at the wake, which, incidentally, was a really good send off too, full of tears, laughter and memories."

— Funeral Client June 2024

"So many friends and family approached me afterwards and commented on how great your presentation, and the whole ceremony was, and how it seemed as if you knew [name] personally as you were able portray her character so perfectly. Most of the attendees had never been to a Humanist Funeral before, and I think they all left feeling a sense of wonder at how saying goodbye can, at the same time as feeling sadness, be a heart felt feeling of joy that we all managed to share some of our life’s journey with such an amazing person."

— Funeral Client October 2024

"The period since the Celebration seems to have been very busy with gatherings with family and local friends and travelling fair distances to see close friends who couldn't travel to [location] in September. I really think that the Celebration and the way you constructed it, particularly the way [children's names] felt involved in the planning, has been enormously helpful as we all, in our different ways, adjust to [name's] absence. So thank you again."

— Funeral Client December 2024

"I was thinking about how lucky we were to have [Funeral Director] choose you as our celebrant for [name's] funeral yesterday.  It was absolutely perfect in every way and you spoke as though you knew him too.  It is a fine line between taking over the whole service and not really being present - you did neither and we are all so thankful to you.  You wove his story beautifully.

I know how much preparation you put in to get to Dad’s character and I am so grateful that you came into my family’s lives for the brief week and a half that I have known you. I’ll never forget you."

— Funeral Client February 2025

Image of Louise Jopling

Louise Jopling

Where I work

Wiltshire, Berkshire, Dorset, East Somerset, Hampshire and happy to travel.

Fees from...

£250

How to contact me
Email

humanistceremonies@icloud.com

Phone

07966 509207

Website

humanist.org.uk/louisejopling

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.