Welcome to Celebrant Medway – Susannah Clayton

**Families and Funeral Directors please note this page

~ My Preferred Funeral Directors ~

A final gift of love and respect

In our increasingly secular society, many of us struggle when seeking to arrange a funeral ceremony. We want to honour and celebrate the unique life of our family member or friend. Doing this within the confines of a religious ceremony, whatever the creed, can be difficult. As we get older, we attend more funeral ceremonies. Sometimes we might be dismayed by a final farewell where it seems that the person we’re bidding goodbye, doesn’t have the ‘centre stage’.

A funeral celebrant’s role

The wishes of the deceased and their family are at the very centre of a celebrant led ceremony. A respectful farewell should not only leave the bereaved with a sense of loss, but also a togetherness with their loved one. The part that they played in their lives might be looked back on with kind words and fond memories.

All celebrants are not the same

A poor funeral service may complicate and prolong the grieving process. A memorable adieu may set the tone for positive steps forward; your family member or friend still in your heart and felt by your side. Most funeral directors will have details of a number of celebrants and the services that they offer. Equally well, you are most welcome to contact me direct for an informal discussion of your requirements and convictions, without obligation.  Some celebrants might more often perform other ceremonies, such as wedding services or naming ceremonies. It is my privilege to offer funeral celebrancy, first and foremost. I hold a nationally recognised qualification from Civil Ceremonies, the UK’s  most established provider in this specialised area.

A celebration of life

The tribute, or eulogy is at the heart of a funeral ceremony. Often, family and friends may not want to give the tribute at the service but do want to be involved in its creation. With the help of a professional and accredited funeral celebrant, the most appropriate and meaningful ceremony can be created for your loved one and your family. I will meet with you and your family, at a convenient time and place, to listen sensitively to your remembrances of your loved one. From this, a eulogy or tribute might be created. Your family will be provided with a draft tribute for approval, which can be amended as you wish. Ultimately, the words spoken on the day will have been approved by the family member or friend arranging the ceremony.

Deciding what’s right for your family