Hi, I'm Pippa

Image of Pippa Pal

As a humanist funeral celebrant I understand the importance of rituals to mark the significant events in our lives. I find it a real privilege to help people find ways to commemorate and celebrate the life of someone important to them in ways that are meaningful, personal and individual and that can help them at what is often a difficult and challenging time in their own lives.

I can help you create funeral and memorial ceremonies that are personal and completely tailored to your needs. Each humanist funeral and memorial ceremony is as individual and unique as the person it is created for. As a celebrant I have learned the importance of really listening to people, finding out what their best hopes are and ensuring that everything I do is informed by their ideas and wishes.

To give you a little background, I am originally from Sussex and have lived and worked in North Nottinghamshire for over 30 years. I worked as a psychologist for many years and through my work I supported school staff, parents and pupils, helping them find strengths in often very challenging situations. I have found that the skills I learned as a psychologist are also skills that help me to be an empathetic and supportive celebrant. I follow the humanist philosophy of living life as fully as possible and supporting others to do the same, together with respecting other’s values and beliefs.

I am proud to be a member of Humanists UK, with whom I did my initial celebrant training. I maintain high professional standards, undertake regular professional development and have a peer-review every three years. I also work closely with local celebrants to ensure that we are offering as professional a service as possible and we meet regularly to share ideas.

I realise this is an important decision for you and understand that you might find it helpful to have a chat with me as you think about choosing a celebrant. I would be very happy to talk with you as you make this important decision. Do, please, contact me using my phone number or email address.

“Pippa was so warm and friendly, my daughters and I found her so easy to talk to about my late wife. This meant she was able to get a rounded picture from everyone. The ceremony was beautifully written and executed, we couldn’t have wished for a better send off for a much loved wife, mother and friend.”

—

“Pippa Pal is an exceptional celebrant and my family were fortunate to be able to secure her services in what was an extremely difficult time. She worked to create a beautiful humanist funeral/memorial for my sister in law that was inclusive of young children. Her natural empathy and easy manner meant she gained the trust and confidence of the family at the initial meeting (all of whom had never attended a humanist ceremony and were still in shock at the death)…..Pippa made the development of the script a collaborative process offering invaluable advice and words of encouragement along the way… She was very much at the heart of this humanist celebration with our family and friends, not just someone who was there to do the formalities….My family and I can’t praise and thank Pippa Pal enough and we feel lucky to have found someone as incredible as her who helped us mark the life of someone we loved. Perhaps more importantly, she also succeeded in creating a ceremony which had an enormous impact on the grieving process of young children and something that they will remember forever.”

—

“Your approach from the very first phone contact has been nothing but professional. You have demonstrated huge empathy for us as a family and in particular with …’s very specific wishes……..In everything you’ve done you’ve been very respectful and deferential. You’ve acknowledged our requests and been considerate around our demands. Finally you have been unpretentious and very straightforward. We have had nothing but positive comments about last Saturday’s celebration. Some didn’t know what to expect but were really pleasantly surprised and expressed that it was an “enjoyable” event and one that would be remembered. Guess, with your help we achieved …’s desires at the end.Thanks once again from all the family, a day that will live in our collective memories for a very long time.”

—

“Pippa coped incredibly well with my family in a speakerphone family meeting with us, four people in the room and one on Facetime, all speaking over one another! A lovely service for my Dad which told his life story with warmth and love.”

—

Image of Pippa Pal

Pippa Pal

Where I work

I am happy to work in North Nottinghamshire and surrounding areas of South Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire, usually within a 40 mile radius of Retford and sometimes further if needed.

Fees from...

£230

How to contact me
Email

pippaandnick@aol.com

Phone

07769 203007

Website

humanist.org.uk/pippapal

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.