My journey to becoming a funeral celebrant started with my mum’s funeral that was led by an amazing non-religious celebrant. My mum was funny, kind and very unconventional and her service was deeply personal and spoke to who she was. I remember sitting there and thinking this is how she would want to be remembered.
That moment stayed with me. I realised how important it is for a farewell to feel genuine – to reflect the real life, the real person, whilst feeling okay with there being no religious traditions. What matters is meaning, and there are many beautiful ways to create that. It was something I wanted to do.
This role is not just work to me – it’s a privilege. It’s about being there when words are hard to find, and helping families to feel seen, supported, and proud of the way they said goodbye.
I trained as a funeral celebrant with Humanists UK. Before that I went from science teaching into the corporate world ending as the corporate social responsibility manager for a large utility company. At the heart of everything I’ve done has been a commitment to engaging with people and communities to make a positive difference.
That commitment extended to the natural world, too. I found joy in creating new nature reserves where wildlife can thrive – places where local communities can come together and experience the beauty of wildlife and green spaces.
On a personal note, humanism speaks to my core values. I’ve never felt defined by any religion – the natural world is more than enough wonder for me. I believe in living life to the full, finding happiness in everyday moments. Whether that’s being out in nature, spending time with my family and our pets, travelling, singing, or trying out a new recipe, it’s all part of what makes life rich and meaningful.
Thank you for leading mum’s ashes ceremony with dignity and respect, and we are grateful for the care and compassion you showed with making a difficult time easier for us.
