Celebrant Conference 2018 is an opportunity for our 400-strong network of Humanist Ceremonies celebrants to come together; to learn from each other, and to strengthen the bonds of our community. It takes place 27–28 October, at Conference Aston.
Those wishing to experience Celebrant Conference 2018 without the Gala Dinner and accommodation may wish to purchase a non-residential ticket.
This provides full access to the Conference, excluding dinner and accommodation. Book your ticket
Day tickets for either Saturday or Sunday are available for £50. These include entry to all sessions, teas and coffees, and lunch.
Those looking to book day tickets for both Saturday and Sunday should instead purchase a Non-residential ticket. Book your ticket
I don't need accommodation, but I'd like to attend the dinner.
I'd like to bring my partner to dinner and get a double room.
It was great to be among so many lovely, like minded people. Thank you for organising a great event!
I always enjoy the Celebrant Conference. With great speakers and great entertainment, I always feel re-invigorated.
My first conference and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I met some wonderful new people and my old training cohort. I feel so pleased to be a part of Humanists UK.
Full details of the programme are still to be confirmed; watch this space!
| Start time | End time | Session |
|---|---|---|
| 11:30 | 13:00 | Registration |
| 12:00 | 13:00 | Lunch |
| 13:15 | 14:00 | Welcome Bill Stephenson Ceremonies Board Chair A year in Ceremonies Community Services and Humanists UK |
| 14:00 | 14:20 | Quality Assurance Committee Useful learning for celebrants |
| 14:20 | 14:35 | Break |
| 14:35 | 15:35 | Workshop session 1 |
| 15:35 | 15:55 | Break/networking |
| 15:55 | 16:55 | Workshop session 2 |
| 16:55 | 17:15 | Break/networking |
| 17:15 | 17:35 | Marketing Committee and Humanist Archive |
| 17:35 | 18:20 | The Funeral Ceremonies landscape
Fran Hall Terry Tennens David Billington |
| 18:20 | Wrap-up | |
| 19:15 | Meet at bar | |
| 20:00 | Dinner and entertainment with Shappi Khorsandi |
| Start time | End time | Session |
|---|---|---|
| From 07:00 | Breakfast | |
| 09:00 | 10:00 | Workshop session 3 |
| 10:00 | 10:20 | Break/check-out of accommodation |
| 10:20 | 11:20 | Workshop session 4 |
| 11:20 | 11:40 | Break/networking |
| 11:40 | 12:25 | Humanists UK Directorate Q&A |
| 12:25 | 13:10 | Legal recognition for humanist weddings Laura Lacole Richy Thompson Zena Birch |
| 13:10 | 13:20 | Close and thanks |
| 13:20 | Lunch and depart |
You will have the opportunity to select your preferred workshops after booking your ticket.
| Session | Leader |
|---|---|
| Standing out as a celebrant | Maxine Beech |
| Emerging LGBT issues and their consequence for celebrant practice | Teddy Prout |
| Grieving children, grieving families; supporting children and families after the death of someone important | Di Stubbs |
| Operating successfully in today's ceremonies marketplace | Ceremonies Board members |
| Becoming a ceremonies trainer | Ginny Collins |
| Session | Leader |
|---|---|
| Making namings meaningful | Felicity Harvest |
| The story of music: tools and tips on how to think about music in ceremonies | Teddy Prout |
| Operating successfully in today's ceremonies marketplace | Ceremonies Board members |
| Running your own business: getting started in self-employment | Catriona McLellan |
| Ritual identity | Isabel Russo |
| Session | Leader |
|---|---|
| Giving and receiving peer feedback | Teddy Prout |
| Data Protection | Catriona McLellan |
| Writing copy for your website | Steve Church |
| Safeguarding | Carole Truman |
| Celebrant IT: Q&A | Andrew West |
| Session | Leader |
|---|---|
| Developing a voice you can rely on | Isabel Russo |
| Speaking in schools | Sophie Colligan |
| Using social media to promote yourself | Ian Scott |
| Running your own business: getting started in self-employment | Catriona McLellan |
| Conducting a remembrance ceremony | Ruth Staton |
Aston
Celebrant Conference 2018 takes place at Conference Aston, in leafy green grounds even with its city-centre location. With the advantage of Birmingham's excellent transport links, Celebrant Conference 2018 will be the easiest to reach we've ever hosted.
Our venue
Our plenary space is a large and comfortable room that can accommodate up to 200, with three large projector screens to allow all attendees perfect vision of what's being discussed. Immediately outside our plenary room is a breakout space large enough for all our networking needs – and all our breakout rooms lead directly off from this space too, each equipped with their own screen. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the venue. For those with Residential tickets who will joining us for the Gala Dinner and staying the night, our evening restaurant and hotel are in the adjacent building, just across the grass.
Transport
Conference Aston is within 10 minutes' walk of each of Birmingham's three mainline railway stations. Additionally, on-site car-parking is available for a flat rate of £7.95 per 24 hours (08:00–08:00).
Cancellations
Bookings may be cancelled free of charge up to 90 days prior to the Conference start date (by 29 July 2018, inclusive). Bookings cancelled 30-89 days (by 27 September 2018, inclusive) from the start date will incur a 50% charge of the full price of the ticket. Cancellations made within 29 days of the Conference start date (from 28 September, inclusive) will not be refunded, but may, at the discretion of Humanists UK and with no less than 21 days’ notice (by 6 October, inclusive), be transferred to another eligible individual. Any refunds for ticket cancellations will be processed within two months.
Speakers
All appearances are subject to speakers' work and other commitments.
Photography, video, and audio recording
Humanists UK reserves the right to photograph and record video and audio of all public sections of the Convention and to make public the footage as it sees appropriate. Please be aware that by attending Celebrant Conference 2018, you consent to your voice, name, and/or likeness being used, without compensation, in any and all media, whether now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity, and you release Humanists UK, its successors, assigns, and licensees from any liability whatsoever of any nature. If you would like to ensure that you are not captured in any media, please contact ceremonies@humanists.uk and we will do our best to accommodate you.
