Hi, I'm Martin

Image of Martin Smidman

My name is Martin Smidman. I am an accredited Humanist Funeral Celebrant based in Bridgend, South Wales. I believe that the service should focus on the person themselves, who they were, and what they meant to the people around them. This means that I will always consult closely with the family in order to find out as much as I can about them. I will conduct a ceremony that reflects and celebrates as closely as possible the person they were and the life that they led. I am happy to conduct any type of funeral and will also carry out Memorial Services.

I am an ex comprehensive school teacher, and school ICT Manager, of 33 years service. I was then employed as a Volunteer Manager by 3 different organisations in the 3rd Sector, latterly the Welsh Refugee Council. I was honoured to be awarded Volunteer Manager of the Year by the Cardiff Third Sector Council in 2023. I am involved in a number of charities as a volunteer including as a listener with Samaritans. I have done that for 29 years now and, among other things, I was a founder of a new hub in the South Wales Valleys. I am a Trustee and Social Media Manager for "Extra Mile Sierra Leone". I have been out to Sierra Leone as a volunteer teacher. I am also a volunteer with a charity called Parallel Histories. We arrange debates and discussion between schools on different areas of historical conflict, in order to try to improve mutual understanding.

If you ask me what activities make me happy, I would say, among other many other things, running (past marathon/half marathon runner and 161 Parkruns to date), cinema, reading, discussing politics (ex town councillor), watching cricket, hiking with my daughter and, of course, playing with my grandchildren.

Martin was absolutely fantastic. I couldn’t have chosen better for his approach and conduct. As a family, we are located in different areas so a zoom meeting with Martin enabled us to paint a picture of dad so that Martin was able to write his service. Would definitely recommend him to anyone who would like a humanist funeral.

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Martin was absolutely fantastic from start to finish when our mum passed away. He showed such kindness and respect from the moment he arrived, treating her with genuine care and dignity. The service he delivered was exactly as we asked — personal, heartfelt and beautifully done. We can’t thank him enough for the compassion and professionalism he showed throughout.

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Martin was very helpful from the moment we met him. He visited our venue beforehand ensuring everything would go smoothly. He kept in contact via email and phone ensuring all details were accurate and as the family wished. Lovely service conducted. Many Thanks

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This was my wife's funeral. Martin engaged fully with the family, well in advance of the ceremony, and took on board all of the information and observations we provided, including draft speeches that my children wanted to make at the ceremony. He planned ahead but at the same time was flexible in following our wishes. This approach was very reassuring, and allowed us to be part of planning the ceremony. In the ceremony itself, Martin pitched his address spot on in our view, with the appropriate level of gravitas while at the same time allowing space for one or two humorous recollections, to which the audience responded with appreciation. Most of the people I spoke to afterwards took the same view as me, that the ceremony had been well conducted and as a result, it generated a great deal of warmth, and was much appreciated. This was the second time we have used Martin to conduct a funeral, and I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone else needing the services of a humanist celebrant.

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Martin took a long time talking through what we wanted to say about my stepfather. He was very kind and sensitive, and also very thorough. It was a lovely service and exactly what we wanted.

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Image of Martin Smidman

Martin Smidman

Where I work

I am available for ceremonies in the South Wales area but could be tempted further afield. 

Fees from...

£200, but always negotiable.

How to contact me
Email

martin.smidman@btopenworld.com

Phone

07553 118799

Website

humanist.org.uk/martinsmidman/2022/09/09/about-me

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.