"This funeral is so impersonal!"
These were the words going through my head as I sat through yet another service that was dry, dull and felt forced into a one-size-fits-all template.
This was the third such funeral that my wife and I had recently attended, and it just felt wrong. The words spoken from the front were impersonal and bland. It was leaving a bad taste in my mouth because I believe that all of us are unique and deserve to have a funeral that reflects who we are, and celebrates our value. These services were just not hitting the mark, and were letting families down.
I realised that you only get one shot at giving a loved one the goodbye they truly deserve, and if it's not done right it can leave you feeling really flat. I mentioned this to my wife and she said "You could do a better job than that." Because my awesome wife is someone worth listening to, I took her encouraging advice and ran with it.
This was 2012, and since then I've become a highly experienced celebrant, specialising in funerals that are light-hearted, relaxed and unique. With every funeral I deliver, I realise what a privilege it is to serve and support families through one of their most difficult times of their lives. I cant main the pain disappear, but I can make it a bit more bearable.
I've lived in Southampton since I was 10 and at present reside in Portswood with my wife, some of our children and a varying number of foster teens. Having lived in a number of different kinds of communities, I have the ability to engage with a diverse range of people.
Alongside my celebrant work and fostering, I create mosaic street art that can be found all across the city.