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Celebrations of Life (Funerals) and Memorials:
A funeral can provide so many different things; it can help us not only to say goodbye, but to find a significance to the life of that individual. It can help us to start to come to terms with the loss and find support in each other at one of the most difficult times in anyone’s life. If all these aspects can be brought together in a meaningful way, with sensitivity but also with joy, a funeral ceremony can provide a positive conclusion to that’s person’s life even in the most difficult or chaotic of circumstances.
In the NHS, I worked as an Intensive Care Nurse for many years, supporting people at some of their most vulnerable times, in life and death. Some people shy away from the finality of these kind of experiences, but I see it as the last honour and privilege that can be done for someone. I am well versed in “uncomfortable” conversations in whatever form they take.
I can help you take those tough times and turn them into something that is right for you. If you feel that this approach is important to you, I would be delighted to meet with you. It will be a bespoke ceremony, personal to you and your family and friends, the way you want it. Free to make the irreverent choices if you wish or a hymn or reading if it’s the right thing for you. Unique, just like the one you loved.
Celebrations of Life
For so many of us, it’s really important to get this final farewell right, isn’t it?
Spending time with you, your family and friends is an important part of helping me in telling your loved one’s story.
This can be done face to face, or by Skype or Zoom if you are all in different parts of the world.
I then pull all the elements together, from the musical and reading choices, to the anecdotes that made that person so special and compose a draft ceremony for you to consider.
When this has been agreed, I will conduct the ceremony at your chosen venue having liaised with the Funeral Director and venue team (whether that be Crematorium, Hotel or wherever) to ensure all is as planned.
After the funeral is over, I will visit with you again and leave you with a keepsake copy of the ceremony.
Memorials
We are so accustomed to preparing for a funeral in the immediate aftermath of a loved one’s death, that for many of us it seems “not right” to defer what should be a celebration of their life. However, there have always been circumstances where this isn’t always possible such as during the Covid 19 crisis where so many people had a direct cremation.
A memorial can provide the same as a Funeral Ceremony and is held at whatever time and wherever the family want it to be. No times constraints, and exactly as you want it!
If a funeral has already taken place but it felt wrong because not all family and friends could attend or for any other reason that the ceremony did not give the sense of completion, then a future memorial event may provide this.
If you wish to conduct your loved ones funeral yourself, but feel that you need some help and guidance in getting the ceremony the way you want it to be heard, I can help you express those thoughts onto paper.