What is a Grand Goodbye?

​

I'm a humanist funeral celebrant, working in and around Newcastle Upon Tyne and North Tyneside. Accredited by Humanists UK, I combine years of professional writing and presenting experience with a fresh outlook on funerals and memorial ceremonies. I believe that everyone who dies deserves a bespoke and uplifting ceremony to mark and celebrate their life - whether it's a traditional funeral in a crematorium chapel or a celebration of life ceremony in an event venue, hall, garden or pub, following a direct cremation.

 

Whatever style you prefer, we only get on chance to say a collective goodbye. If you're looking for someone to deliver a highly-personalised, meaningful  non-religious ceremony with warmth, understanding, intelligence and creativity, a Grand Goodbye is probably exactly right for you. 

 

I don't offer a bog-standard, fill-in-the-gaps service. I listen, understand each individual story, ask questions, and then create a beautiful, heartfelt and fitting script. Do take a look at my reviews. My delivery style is friendly, modern and relaxed, with a flow that encourages smiles and tears in all the right places - because you want to remember the good times and celebrate the whole life that was lived, as well as hold space for your grief.

 

I'm a professional event manager, so can guide you through the whole process, and work with your venue manager or I can liaise with your funeral director on logistics.  I specialise in writing and presenting in a warm and engaging manner; but also in incorporating music, slideshows, others' contributions, singing and anything else that helps tell the story you want to tell.  

 

Times are changing and formal goodbye ceremonies do not have to follow any rules or traditions. Although many families choose to have traditional funeral services at a crematorium chapel, these can be quite time limiting. There are other options. Families are increasingly choosing to have direct (unattended) cremations. Others want to hold their funeral ceremonies at less formal venue than a crematorium. And more and more people are asking me to write their funeral ceremonies on receiving a terminal diagnosis - taking control over their own goodbye ceremonies so that their families don't have to..

​

I specialise in celebration of life ceremonies and memorials. I also offer standard funeral services, and 2 part ceremonies for families who want to say a formal goodbye to their loved one's body at the crematorium, with the continuation of the ceremony over drinks and food somewhere more relaxed - potentially with several contributions from families and friends; possibly slideshows of images, possibly singing, probably a glass in hand.

 

I work regularly with progressive and traditional Funeral Directors but can also be booked independently by families to deliver services anywhere in NE1 (Newcastle city centre), Jesmond, Gosforth, Heaton, North Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, up to Corbridge, Hexham and Amble and down to Consett, Durham and Thirsk. For those wanting a bright and airy crematorium chapel, I can recommend Mountsett Crematorium, Northumberland Woodland Burial Site and Maple Park - all of which I cover..

​

The planning of the ceremony usually takes at least a couple of hours. We can do this face-to-face, or if you prefer (or if distance or logistics dictate) we can meet and plan the content on Zoom. This is a good idea if you want a few people to contribute and you don't all live in the same town.

 

If you are looking for a good listener, writing skills that document and reflect your loved one's story and character perfectly, and a friendly, supportive, professional, empathetic and experienced celebrant who works within the network of the national human rights charity, Humanists UK - you're in the right place!

​

Because I come from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, 'A Grand Goodbye' seemed an apt name for the service I am offering as a humanist funeral celebrant.  We only get one life (that we know about) and so it seems only right that we say our final farewells in a fitting way. - with love and care, respect, beauty and and element of lightness; with story-telling, emotion and in celebration of our being part of the world.