Hi, I'm Sheila

Image of Sheila Churchill

I am so lucky to have had a career as a nurse – a job which I absolutely loved. Since retiring from the NHS, I never have a problem wondering what to do next. I love walking, seeing friends and family and gardening. I'm also extra lucky to have found this second career, that I love just as much- as a funeral celebrant.

Being a celebrant, seems like a continuation of my caring role as a nurse and a chance to do one last wonderful thing for a much-loved person.

How do I work?

Most people have very little experience of arranging a funeral and I am here to help you, and to make a unique ceremony which reflects and captures the special qualities of your loved one.

Do call me to discuss what you would like and if you decide to go ahead, we can meet. This “family visit” takes around one to two hours and often includes other friends or family. Following the meeting, I craft a personalised ceremony with your loved one right at its heart.

Some families have lots of people who want to take part, speaking, reading or making music. Others prefer that I speak for them. The service can contain music and prose or poetry and photo tributes- or none of those. It has to be whatever you feel is appropriate.

On the day of the funeral, I will meet you and come with you into the chapel. There I take the lead, conducting the ceremony. Although Humanist funerals are non-religious, I also aim to make your ceremony as inclusive as possible. There can be a time for reflection so those who have religious beliefs could say a silent prayer.

Each unique funeral ceremony offers a personal, memorable and meaningful farewell and while the ceremony can be as formal or informal as you would like, it will always be respectful and dignified.

I believe that it is a privilege to conduct a funeral ceremony, and I always work closely with a family to make sure that the ceremony is perfect for them, truly reflecting their loved one's life. Together we can create a wonderful and meaningful celebration as a last farewell.

I am often asked to make ceremonies and memorials following Direct Cremations. These have often been joyful ceremonies, in places such as community centres, back gardens, a pub where family and friends come together, without time constraints to say a personal farewell in their own way. It has felt completely appropriate and caring, managing a funeral like this and families have said how much a real celebration of their loved one’s life it has been.

We all appreciated the care Sheila took to listen to us and took care to ensure the accuracy of her script. My father had stated that he had no faith. If he had known what Humanism is, I think he would have described himself as a humanist.

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Sheila carefully listened to us, and created a moving, truthful and sensitive celebration. She was kind and calm and was happy to follow all our ideas. She was the perfect link between our items and she read the service beautifully.

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Sheila went above and beyond. I felt we were dealing with a friend and her conduction was absolutely amazing and sensitive. It was a lovely service and she was excellent both before and after the ceremony too.

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Special thanks once again for making today’s service so warm and personal for our family and Dad’s friends. Your tribute truly resonated with us all and everyone will have left with such lovely thoughts and memories of Dad. 

The time and effort you put in to making today so memorable is greatly appreciated. Thank you also for the digital copy of the ceremony. 

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Just a quick note to say thank you again for all you did to help make yesterday go as well as we could have hoped. Your guidance and steering of us was invaluable and I’ve had a lot of complimentary messages about the ceremony.

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Thank you for everything you’ve done to organise and lead E’s funeral. It was a beautiful ceremony. We particularly cherished scattering petals and rosemary from the three gardens into her grave- a lovely idea. It gives us solace to have offered E a “proper” burial and ceremony, personal to us.”

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Dear Sheila, Thank you so much for everything… for making this sad process so much easier to bear.”

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I should like to thank you immensely for taking the funeral service for our dear K. It was exactly as she would have wished. I am so glad I found you.

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Just to say what a great job you did at Ds funeral yesterday. Thank you.

You delivered the Service beautifully, in a measured and professional manner, capturing precisely D’s persona and history. We were fortunate to have your contribution which succinctly gave structure to the ensuing contributions of others! Thank you again

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Dear Sheila

You did a fantastic job and lots of people told us that A. really came across. A couple of people commented that they had been to services before where it was clear the person speaking did not know the deceased - and although they knew you didn't, it seemed as if you did.

Thank you for being part of our lives at this time and please know that I would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone else needing a humanist celebrant. You were exactly what we needed.

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Image of Sheila Churchill

Sheila Churchill

Where I work

I live in Kidlington, and conduct Humanist, non-religious funerals and memorial ceremonies across Oxford, Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas.

Fees from...

£300 but may be more, for example when there is a double slot, a weekend funeral, one that is further afield or a funeral followed by a burial.

How to contact me
Email

sheila.churchill@humanistceremonies.org.uk

Phone

07942 822808

Website

humanist.org.uk/sheilachurchill

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.