My aim as a funeral minister and celebrant is to give each family the option to say goodbye to their loved one in any way they see fit. I can advise and help you with options, or I will simply honour your requests and do everything I can to help you achieve the ceremony and service you feel are appropriate for your family.​ I can also help with advising on all funeral services.

When we have to say goodbye to a loved one, we need to be able to express the way we feel and the way we want to say those final words. You don’t want to hear, “No”, you can’t do that or have that”. As a funeral minister and celebrant, no is not really a word I use.

As your funeral minister and celebrant, I will help, support, and guide you through the most challenging times, not just for the funeral but afterwards as well.

It is important to remember that a funeral is a celebration of life, and from this life event, we need to draw on all the support we can when it’s most needed. I will meet with you to create a ceremony that feels right and captures your loved one’s life. I will be able to give guidance on poems, readings and music and to help make the ceremony as personal as possible. Following our meeting, I will provide you with the wording for the Order of Service and the tribute to ensure everything is correct. I will also be able to advise family and friends that wish to take part in the service/ceremony. I will liaise with the funeral director to make sure that all the ceremony plans are confirmed.

Children

The Family-Centred Farewell Setting – When a family is saying goodbye to a baby or child, the environment in which the service takes place can make a great difference. Traditional chapel arrangements can sometimes feel formal or overwhelming at such a tender time.

The Family-Centred Farewell Setting is a gentle approach I have developed through experience and reflective practice. It adapts the chapel space to create a softer, calmer, and more intimate setting, helping families feel supported and allowing the focus to remain on love, remembrance, and the life of the child.

Every setting is prepared with care and sensitivity, and always in consultation with the family. Cultural traditions, beliefs, and personal wishes are fully respected, and the approach is inclusive of all families, faiths, and identities.

Above all, the aim is simple: to create a peaceful and dignified space in which families can say goodbye in their own way and in their own time.

My fee for all Infant and Children’s Funerals under the age of 18 years is free of charge.

Pets 

Pets are just as important as humans and play a major role within the family. Pet funerals follow the same format as a human funeral.

After the funeral has taken place

As your funeral celebrant, I will work with you to arrange the interment or scattering of the ashes.

I will lead a short ceremony for the burial of the cremated remains at a later date.

This service is free of charge for the families that I have led the ceremony for (travel expenses may be applicable).

A memorial ceremony can be especially helpful if you were unable to attend a funeral, or a past funeral did not meet your needs or expectations for any reason.

To see a selection of poems and readings which can be used within the ceremony, please click here.

For memorial ideas, please click here.

For further information on my non-denominational ministry, please click here.

For further information about Jon, please click here.

Sustainability statement – funerals

Every funeral is a deeply personal moment, and I believe it can also be approached in a way that is mindful of the world around us.

When supporting families, I gently encourage simple and thoughtful choices that can help reduce environmental impact, without ever taking anything away from the meaning of the service. This might include reducing unnecessary travel, using digital materials where appropriate, and working with local suppliers who share a similar care and respect for their work.

There are also small, meaningful ways to reflect this within the service itself. For example, choosing natural flowers, plants, or items from a family garden, rather than arrangements that may involve plastic or non-biodegradable materials such as oasis. These choices often feel more personal and can carry a lasting connection beyond the day.

My role is always to support you in creating a service that feels right. If sustainability is something that matters to you or your family, it can be gently woven into the ceremony in a way that feels natural, respectful, and appropriate.

At its heart, a funeral is about honouring a life. When approached with care and intention, it can also reflect a quiet respect for the world that life was part of.

For further information on my sustainability policy, please click here.