Pride Month
Pride Month! Another time for me to do a bit of research and educate myself further. I have learned some heart-breaking facts. It’s been hard to read. But very enlightening. July 1967: The Sexual Offences Act legalised homosexual acts in England and Wales, on...
Top Five Regrets of the Dying
Bronnie Ware has written about the five most common deathbed regrets she heard during her time working as a palliative carer. She has published two books on the subject. Here, I have listed the five title sentences from her findings, but the thoughts and...
Funeral Etiquette
What is the right thing to do, or wear, at a funeral. Many people worry about funeral etiquette, this article gives 9 simple guidelines on funeral etiquette.
Grieving a Beloved Pet
The loss of a pet may feel, for some people, something to be embarrassed about being upset over. The truth is; the loss of a pet can be huge. Keeping in mind that people can have dogs and cats for fifteen to twenty years or so. Even a few years is a noticeable...
The Last Thing I Said to Them…
Final words. I hear a lot of clients tell me, when recounting the loss of their loved-one, what the last thing they said to each other was. Sometimes, this causes unwanted emotions of guilt and regret. Why didn’t I tell them I loved them? Why was I distracted? Or...
My all-time ‘Top Books for Children’ List
A book is a lovely, personal and thoughtful gift for a child of any age. From a Naming Day to a Coming of Age, a Birthday or festive present, the gift of a book is a timeless one. Here is my all-time 'Top Books for Children' List: 'The Velveteen Rabbit' by Margery...
Being in Hospital
When it comes to being an in-patient, as well as being there for a physical reason, there are often other factors going on for people. Being a regular recurring hospital ‘inmate’ for all of my life, here are a few points to remember when someone is staying in...
Pride on TV
June is Pride Month, so I thought I’d take a look at some ground-breaking moments on television. In October 1991 we saw the first gay commitment ceremony on a show called Roc, starring Charles S. Dutton. Roc’s uncle Russell, played by Richard Roundtree (the famous...
The Funeral of Prince Philip
His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral ceremony was on Saturday 17th April 2021 at 3pm, and took place in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. The Prince himself had carefully planned his own funeral. This included readings, hymns and...
Harry & Meghan’s Private Wedding?
I wanted to talk about the exciting Meghan and Harry interview by Oprah that happened this year. As a Celebrant, one of the things that really got my attention with that interview was when Meghan said that they were actually married three days before their big...
Grief at Christmas-time
Christmas is often a wonderful time, anticipated with excitement and hope. However, for the grieving, it can be incredibly difficult and isolating. I view Christmas as a giant magnifying glass; if you’re happy with family, friends and loved-ones, these blessings are...
Ceremony for Grieving Children
The recent loss of actor Chadwick Boseman has sent a wave of collective grief around the world. Arguably most famous for his role as Black Panther (T’Challa) in the Marvel film franchise, Chadwick played the first black superhero; an important role-model for so...
Ceremonies During Lockdown
If your wedding celebration date has had to be postponed, due to the lockdown and social distancing, you may still wish to mark the original date in some way. This can be with an online event with family and friends. Or you can keep it small and intimate, with just...
Ceremonies During Isolation.
How I can work with you during this time. The coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused difficulties to many, and is likely to continue to affect plans and events for the coming weeks. Here's how we can work around this. I am currently still offering home (face-to-face)...
Grief at Christmas-time
Christmas is often a wonderful time, anticipated with excitement and hope. However, for the bereaved, it can be incredibly difficult and isolating. I view Christmas as a giant magnifying glass; if you’re happy, with family, friends and loved-ones, these blessings...