This week I started a Masters course at the University of Glasgow. The course is run by the End of Life Studies Group and is a completely online part-time course that will last for about three years. It’s very exciting
Welcoming 2021
Just a very short blog to say Happy New Year to everyone. In particular my fellow celebrants and the funeral directors I work with. I am looking forward to starting this year – with a few new projects on the
Eddie Small
Some sad news this week. I heard that my good friend and mentor, Eddie Small, had died. We first met in about 2009, not long after I moved back to Scotland. We did keep in touch but it was only
Faded rose from days gone by
My good friend, Paul Connell, is a photographer based in Dublin. During lockdown he found that the nearest open place he could walk in and get a bit of fresh air – without having to dodge joggers and cyclists –
Mike and Florence Crook
When I lived in London, one of my good friends was a man called Mike Crook. We’d got to know each other through work and, after we both turned freelance in about 2000, we started to meet regularly. One of
Masters at Glasgow
I just heard today that I’ve been accepted on the University of Glasgow’s MSc in End of Life Studies. This is a totally online part-time course so I’ll be able to continue my celebrancy work around it. It will be
“Hope in the Dark” – music by Carole Nelson
Just taking a break from all the news at the moment. My friend Carole Nelson from Ireland has recorded a series of short YouTube videos called Live from the Living Room and the first piece in the series is called,
A dear friend goes forward…
Bryan Bale, 8th January 1944 – St David’s Day 2020 On Sunday, St David’s Day, my good friend Bryan Bale died in Cardiff. I’ve known Bryan since the mid-90s when we both lived in Hackney. We first met after Bryan
The writing group
On Sunday I went through to my writing group in Glasgow. I haven’t been for a long time so it was great to see everyone and we did a lot of catching up. Larry Butler, one of the group facilitators
Goodbye 2019
This has been a pretty eventful year for me. In January I attended a writers’ retreat at Myres Castle. It was the perfect way to start the year. A chance to review things and think about my plans to become