Over 7 years ago I began the journey of delivering funeral celebrations of life.
It involved initially excellent training – including home and residential training, before qualifying in the Diploma of Civil Funerals.

When I started there were not that many Celebrants, the market is now saturated. They run many courses a year; then are told to visit local funeral directors, ‘take them some biscuits – introduce yourself’ it is a hard world to enter now, Funeral Directors are loyal to their Celebrants.

Then the fun started, yes fun. The funeral world isn’t all sadness, I have sat for hours with families laughing our heads off, sharing beautiful hilarious memories.

My job after the 2 hour family interview is to weave my magic, ensuring that their loved one is captured, with the emotion from how they told me their stories.

It takes time, it isn’t just standing up there and talking – when you get it right the feeling is amazing. When people walk past me after – talking to each ‘well I didn’t know that about him/her’. We have really showcased the loved one who has passed away.

Occasionally it isn’t perfect. I have a birds eye view at the front of everyone’s faces, this includes the rolling eyes when something is said. Priceless is when I say something about the deceased and I can lip read those near the front saying, ‘he/she never did,’. Or ‘ who told her to say that??’

I have conducted over 1000 funerals and yes I have wept, but try not to. It isn’t about me, it is about the family. One stands out; a young woman had passed and left a devoted husband and two young children. Before the service her husband gave me an unopened letter, it was from his wife to read out at the service. Her last message to them. He was sat on the front row, an arm around each child. Yes I did cry – just a little, then sobbed all the way home at the sadness and injustice of it.

Then there are the children’s deaths and miscarriages – hopes and dreams dashed. I still spend 2 hours with those families. There is so much to say, including their hopes and dreams.

There are huge family fall outs, gently telling a story without upsetting others there.

I get inspiration from things I hear, things I read, from Pinterest – and books. From all this I have 4 huge databases with so much in them – these are my port of call.
Suicide is difficult, I have been asked to conduct many of those, and although heartbreaking, such a privilege.

I have had wonderful feedback and conducted services for families who keep using me, I get to know them to be part of their family extension.

I did think of giving up when I moved over here, but I can’t / every job I have ever had had given me transferable skills for this work, and I still believe I have a lot to offer families.

I was introduced to this world through my sisters childhood friend, Lesley Blessington. She is now a close friend of mine also. There are 5 of us from around the Country, we meet up twice a year in Warwick for the weekend, to share good practice and support each other.
The learning never stops, this is the last thing we do for someone – we don’t get a second chance, and it has to be perfect.