Historically most funeral services were prepared and officiated by members of the clergy but now, as we live in a predominantly secular society, the majority of bereaved families want services that aren’t based upon religion or an ‘after life.’ They want funerals that reflect the life and achievements of their loved one and a service that, although still grieves the loss, also celebrates the life lived.
These ceremonies can take place in traditional settings like cemeteries or crematoria but can also be at natural burial sites or woodlands. Some celebrants also conduct memorial services, scatterings of ashes and living funerals. Memorial services are getting increasingly popular and can take place in church halls, pubs or other venues. See what I can offer for more information.
In most cases a celebrant can be chosen and contacted via your funeral director. We work alongside each other to guide you through the process of planning and constructing a ceremony. If a family has a specific celebrant in mind, the funeral director will accommodate their wishes otherwise they will make recommendations to suggest someone they believe to be a good 'fit' with your family.
Once a celebrant has received the instruction they will arrange to meet with you at your convenience and together, the process of constructing the script will begin. To find out more go to the section marked 'How do I work?'.
How do I work?
Once I receive the call from the funeral director I will contact you to arrange a meeting at your convenience as soon as possible. In most cases I will visit you in your home but meetings can also take place at the funeral director’s premises if you prefer.
This initial meeting usually takes approximately two hours. During this time I will want to find out as much information as possible about the life of your loved one. This usually includes their childhood, education, career, family, hobbies and interests. From this, I can begin to construct the ceremony.
You might already have ideas for music, poetry or readings. If not I can help to guide you. Alternatively, some clients ask family members to provide memories which they read themselves. If you think this could be a possibility I can meet with you or your family member and provide public speaking tuition if required.
When it comes to writing the service, some celebrants use templates or rewrite previous ceremonies to fit the new clients but I believe each service should be bespoke. This means that each script is as unique as your loved one.
You will be sent a copy to view and amend (if necessary) prior to the ceremony so you will know what to expect on the day.
Afterwards you will receive a souvenir copy of the script.
Why choose me for your celebrant?
I have a background in arts and education. I graduated with a Theatre degree from Dartington College of Arts in 1998. This launched me in to a career which included acting, directing and devising theatre. I worked in Plymouth and around the UK with various theatre companies. I have run drama sessions for adults with learning disabilities, teenagers and residents of Plymouth Homeless Shelter.
After the birth of my eldest daughter in 2004, I completed a Certificate of Education in Teaching Literacy to Adults. I worked for eighteen years in adult education teaching a variety of subjects from art to English, maths to mindfulness and various other courses and workshops. I co-ordinated two day-long one-off events with the Family and Parent Learning Service, who were part of Plymouth City Council. My remit was to engage ‘hard to reach’ learners.
In recent years I have been working on a freelance basis with Peninsula Medical School using drama to assist in the training of our future doctors.
I have been able to bring together these ‘transferrable skills’ in to my work as a celebrant.
My training was with Civil Ceremonies in Northampton. The course was in depth and rigorous and earned me a Level Three diploma in Funeral Celebrancy.
I am creative, empathic and enjoy sharing my skills with families to ensure that their ceremonies are original and memorable. I am currently Plymouth's only pink haired celebrant!
I can supply sample services on request.
Thank you messages from client family A:
‘Thank you so much for everything you have done and all your hard work. The family and I really appreciate it and we have had so many lovely messages from his friends about how wonderful and fitting the tribute you wrote was and how special it made the funeral.’
‘Thank you so much for all the time and hard work you put into the funeral service. It was simply perfect and you captured his life and spirit completely. Thank you for the support and guidance throughout. It made such a difference.’
‘Thank you for the great service. We couldn’t have expected better!’
Response to my first draft of a ceremony for client B:
‘It’s wonderful. I found it very emotional to read.’
Response to my first draft of a ceremony for client C:
‘I’m actually lost for words. That’s absolutely beautiful!’
Reference from previous manager in Adult Education:
I have known Lorraine as both a friend and a colleague for almost a decade. In my experience, Lorraine is caring, empathetic and professional, which can be a difficult balancing act to achieve. I would have no hesitation in recommending her as a funeral celebrant.
Reference from ex Head of Service of Family Learning
When I first heard Lorraine was training and practicing as a Funeral Celebrant, my immediate reaction was, what a perfect role for her; I considered she would transfer the personal qualities and outstanding communication and interpersonal skills she demonstrated in her work with families to her new role.
Lorraine is an excellent listener. She is patient, calm and encouraging. She has the ability to reflect on what she hears and capture it well in written form. She is highly literate and her public speaking abilities stand her in good stead.
She is emotionally supportive, empathic and operates from a strong value base. Lorraine is a warm, compassionate individual who is easy to be with and approaches her professional roles with a high degree of integrity and care.
