On 16 January I conducted an online memorial service on zoom for someone who had been living in Portugal. She was originally from Linlithgow in Scotland (not far from where I grew up myself). However, she and her husband had
A St David’s Day Online Memorial for my friend Bryan Bale
Last year one of my closest friends, Bryan Bale, died after a long illness. On Monday I conducted a one year on memorial on Zoom. It was pure coincidence of course but Bryan, always a proud Welshman, died on St
More Zoom!
On Friday last I took part in a talk about online Zoom funerals organized by Louise Winter of Poetic Endings, a progressive and forward thinking independent London funeral director. It was led by Christina Andreola and Amber Carvaly. They are
Online ceremonies – first of the year
Last year I did a lot of work on how to conduct a funeral or memorial ceremony – a celebration of life – on Zoom. At the time I was surprised at just how dignified and moving such an occasion
Dundee Courier
I was interviewed by the Dundee Courier on Friday regarding virtual funerals. Wasn’t sure how it would turn out as I’m not very experienced speaking to the press but it’s a nice article. With talk of lockdown being eased, maybe
St Andrews Citizen
Congratulations to my colleague, Fife celebrant Cate Reid for getting an article published in the St Andrews Citizen and on the Fife Today website! Cate was discussing the work we’ve been doing together to develop online ceremonies. Good to see
Zoom funerals in the news
The BBC Radio 4 Today Programme this morning (18 April) carried an interesting feature about how funeral celebrants are starting to use Zoom and other similar online ways to perform ceremonies during the current coronavirus lockdown. Celebrant Claire Bradford explained
My first online funeral ceremony
Yesterday I conducted my first online funeral ceremony. The family of the deceased live on another continent and it wasn’t possible to hold the ceremony at a crematorium with live streaming facilities. So Co-op FuneralCare opted to hold the ceremony
Online funerals….in the age of COVID-19
See also update 10 April 2020. At the time of writing this (3rd April 2020) funerals in Scotland are still going ahead in crematoriums. Numbers are restricted to just ten people but some places, like Dundee, have the option to