Celebrating Life
Every life tells a story
A unique story filled with love, laughter, adventure, achievements, and moments that matter.
As a celebrant, my role is to craft deeply personal funeral ceremonies that tell the story of someone’s life with compassion and creativity, helping to bring comfort and closure to those who knew them.
Storytelling has been at the core of my professional journey for over 35 years. For me, honouring and celebrating someone’s life—their personality, their passions, and what they meant to the world—is a true privilege.
I live in Glasgow and serve the West of Scotland. You can contact me here.
Funeral Celebrant
A Ceremony as Unique as the Life It Celebrates
A funeral can be a space for both tears and smiles. For acknowledging the pain of loss while cherishing the joy and love that someone brought to the world.
As your civil funeral celebrant, I will work with you to craft a deeply personal and compassionate funeral service that reflects the true spirit of your loved one. Together, we’ll create a space where memories are shared, and those who are left behind feel gratitude for having shared in the life of somebody so special.
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A funeral is not just about marking an end. It's about celebrating the richness of a life well lived.
What I Offer:
A Bespoke Ceremony: From the opening words to the final farewell, every element will be crafted to reflect your loved one’s unique spirit.
A Heartfelt Eulogy: Drawing on my 30+ years of experience as a journalist and writer, I will craft a tribute that brings their character to life—filled with warmth and authenticity.
Incorporation of Meaningful Elements: Favourite songs, readings, and memories—I will weave these into a seamless ceremony.
Eulogy Writing
Finding the Right Words When They Matter Most
A eulogy is a tribute to a loved one who has passed away. Usually the focal point of a funeral service, it celebrates a life through meaningful stories and memories, providing comfort and closure to those in mourning.
Writing a eulogy is a privilege, but it can be daunting. How do you sum up a life in just a few words? How do you capture the love, laughter, and essence of someone who meant so much?
Let me help you. I’ll craft a deeply personal eulogy that captures the heart and soul of a person’s life, including stories of family and relationships, significant milestones, moments of triumph, personal habits and traditions—and of course the funny bits.
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1. We’ll start with a free, no-commitment 20-minute discovery call where you can share your thoughts about the funeral and we’ll explore how I can help with the eulogy.
2. We’ll then have a detailed one-to-one interview over Zoom, where I’ll gather insights, anecdotes, and the story of your loved one’s life. You and other family members can build upon this as I write the first draft.
3. We’ll review my draft together, with two rounds of edits included to ensure the final tribute is perfect.
4. You’ll receive the final eulogy within 7 days (5-day option available for urgent requests).
Memorial Ceremonies
A Time to Reflect, Remember, and Celebrate
Sometimes, a traditional funeral doesn't provide enough time—or the right atmosphere—to truly reflect on the life of someone you've lost. It may also come too quickly to include everyone who should be involved.
A memorial celebration offers a unique opportunity to gather family and friends after the intensity of grief has passed. This creates space for a richer, more meaningful tribute in a setting and style that feels right. Whether you envision an intimate family gathering, a lively celebration at a meaningful location, or a ceremony filled with stories, songs, and memories, I’m here to help you create something truly special and memorable.
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Here’s a helpful guiding principle when planning a memorial ceremony: would your loved one have enjoyed it? With this in mind, the focus shifts to three key elements:
Flexibility and Creativity: Memorials are wonderfully adaptable, allowing you to incorporate heartfelt speeches, personal tributes, photo displays, video montages, cherished memorabilia, live music, and the involvement of loved ones. You’re free to include whatever feels right to honour their memory.
A Tailored Approach: Without the formal structure of a traditional funeral, a memorial offers the freedom to design every detail in a way that truly reflects the personality, values, and legacy of the person being celebrated.
A Celebration of Life: While acknowledging the loss, a memorial centres on the richness of life. It brings people together to share stories, laughter, and personal memories in a more relaxed and comforting atmosphere where grief feels a little less overwhelming.
Video Tributes
A Beautiful Way to Preserve Memories
Bring your loved one’s story to life with a video tribute, complete with narration, photographs, video clips, music, and professionally crafted content. This thoughtful keepsake is perfect for playing at a funeral, either as a complement to or in place of a spoken eulogy.
And of course it can be kept and shared forever, across every generation, as a permanent tribute to your loved one’s legacy.
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1. We’ll start with a free, no-commitment 20-minute discovery call where you can share your thoughts and we’ll explore how I can help with the video tribute.
2. We’ll then have a detailed one-to-one call over Zoom, where I’ll gather insights, anecdotes, and the story of your loved one’s life. You and other family members can build upon this as we progress.
3. I’ll ask you to gather all relevant media, like photos, video clips, recordings, scans, favourite songs, and so on.
4. I’ll create a first draft of the video for review and collaboration, together with a script for narration.
5. I’ll produce the finished video tribute within 21 days of us starting together (or sooner if urgent - let’s discuss).
Living Funerals
Saying Farewell to Loved Ones on Your Own Terms
Inviting family and friends to celebrate your life when you’re still alive might not be an easy subject to consider. However, it can give you the opportunity to reflect on how you want to be remembered.
What stories about your life mean the most to you? What music, poetry, or readings best capture your relationship with people and the world? What do you want to say to those who will be left behind—and what might they want to say to you?
Planning your own funeral can also be one of the most caring and thoughtful gestures you make for your loved ones, relieving the pressure at what will certainly be a difficult time.
There’s a good Guardian article here that might help you decide whether this is something you wish to consider. If so, I can help.
“If people are going to say nice things about me, I’d rather hear it”