Why I trained as a funeral celebrant
From my early teens, I was involved in funerals, as a singer I often asked to sing during services. Being present at funerals from a young age gave me a practical understanding of what those moments are like for families and friends — the weight of the occasion, the need for things to feel right, and how much the structure and tone of a service matters.
I trained as a funeral celebrant because I believe that people who die deserve a ceremony that reflects who they were, whatever their life looked like. There is no single “right” way to live, and there should be no single template for a funeral. A service should fit the person, not the other way around.
Funerals also matter for those who are left behind. They provide a shared place to grieve and a clear moment in time to acknowledge what has been lost. They can also be a space to recognise, remember, and honour the life that has been lived.
I have attended funerals where I left feeling that the service did not really reflect the person who had died, and that important parts of their life or character were missing. Those experiences stayed with me and reinforced why it matters to take time to get things right.
When I meet with a family, it is important to me that I leave feeling I have a genuine sense of the person whose service I am being asked to write and conduct. I take time to listen carefully, ask questions, and understand what mattered to them, so the ceremony feels personal, respectful, and true to who they were.
My role as a celebrant is to create and hold a service that reflects the person who has died and supports those attending to mark that loss in a way that feels appropriate and meaningful to them.
