A celebrant is a person who conducts the major ceremonies in our lives – baby naming, weddings, funerals, memorials.

Traditionally, these have been led by religious figures. There have also been Humanist ceremonies for atheist and agnostic people.

More recently a new tradition has emerged. These independent celebrants (sometimes called civil celebrants or officiants) place the emphasis on the requests of the family and friends. This means that the ceremony can be completely non-religious or can include a prayer, a favourite hymn or other spiritual elements according to your beliefs.

This new tradition means that people are more free to decide how these significant moments in our lives should be marked. You may wish to have a short service or a lengthy eulogy that details all the milestones of a person’s life. You may wish to have a solemn ceremony or a more upbeat celebration of life. A celebrant can help you put together the funeral that you feel is most fitting.

I trained as a funeral celebrant and so I conduct funerals and memorials, interment or scattering of ashes. I can lead the ceremony myself, write a eulogy etc – or you can just engage me to give you advice on how to conduct it yourself if that is what you prefer.

I’m not currently registered to marry people so I don’t conduct weddings, but I can help you devise a ceremony for other rites of passage such as adult naming ceremonies for trans people.