[Now fully reopened – as of December 2024] I mentioned in a previous blog that Dundee crematorium was closing for refurbishments. To be more accurate, it has closed for services – it will still continue to carry out cremations. Services
Using the staged funeral to inform
Recently I helped lead a project for SICA to stage two funerals for educational purposes. This involved us in conducting ceremonies for imagined people at Brewsterwells Crematorium near St Andrews. I’m now starting to use the footage to help families
Dundee Crematorium – closing for refurbishments
Dundee Crematorium will close for services at the beginning of July. Cremations will still take place there, it’s just that funeral services won’t happen in the chapel. Instead, they have arranged for services to take place at the Landmark Hotel.
SICA Creative Writing Workshop
Yesterday I was delighted to attend one of the Scottish Independent Celebrants’ professional development sessions – a creative writing workshop. Nine celebrants gathered at the beautiful Subud Centre in Perth for what was a bit of a departure for SICA.
Happy Birthday Brewsterwells!
Brewsterwells Crematorium is two years old! I’m very pleased to send best wishes to Jake and the team as well as to the owners and directors. I’ve always found it a very good place to work – more relaxed than
Demystifying Death Week – SICA activities
Each year in May, the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care organizes a week of events designed to raise awareness of end of life issues, funerals etc. The partnership runs this via its initiative Good Life Good Death Good Grief. This
Murrayshall – a place for ceremony
Before the pandemic, I started a series of visits to venues that offer interesting alternatives for funerals and memorial services. That had to be put to one side, but when I got a call from Marlene Lowe at Murrayshall Country
A trip to Balintore Castle
Last week I visited Balintore Castle, a few miles north west of Kirriemuir in Angus. I’ve known the owner, David Johnston, for just over ten years but it’s a while since I’ve visited his home so it was nice to
HMS Unicorn
Another historic venue with very personal significance to me Almost exactly two years ago, I conducted a memorial service for my father. This was before I started working professionally as a celebrant – before I even trained. But dad had
Myres Castle
First in an occasional series of profiles of interesting alternative venues for funerals and memorials in the Dundee and Fife areas I first encountered Myres Castle in January 2019 when I attended a writers’ retreat there. It felt like an