Support with Leading a Funeral

Would you like to lead a loved one's funeral, but need a little support and guidance on how to pull it altogether? Then read on...


The best services are generally those that are the most personal - and what could be more personal than having a funeral led by someone who really knew the individual concerned? Standing at the front of a full chapel, talking about someone dear to you isn't easy - especially when you're grieving yourself - but for some, it's an important way of expressing just how special their loved one was, and is, both to them and all those gathered there on the day. 


Done well, a family led service can be a beautiful, unique and intimate expression of love and gratitude - but it can also be a daunting prospect if it's fallen to you to pull it together and lead it...


I'm here to help.


With fifteen years of experience leading funerals for folks from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and beliefs, I can act as a sounding board for your ideas, offer suggestions for how to organise those ideas into a coherent whole, and give you advice and guidance on the practicalities of leading a service in a crematorium. Above all, I can hold your hand through the whole process, and even attend the funeral on the day to act as a backup if, when it comes to it, you feel that leading the service will be too much for you... .

You're in the driving seat...

What Do I Offer?

The support I give is always driven exclusively by your needs... Sometimes my input might be minimal, sometimes it might be more extensive - but either way, you're in the driving seat all the way through the process of preparing and delivering the funeral.


And because of that, I tend to charge by the hour, rather than offering a fixed package of support for a fixed fee - this way, you only pay for what you use.


Everyone's needs are different, but typical examples of the kind of support I can offer include: 

  • Basic guidance on how to structure the service - not only what to include, but where to put it in the running order...
  • Helping you choose appropriate content - religious or secular - to reflect the beliefs of your loved one... In particular, I specialise in adapting materials from the Humanist, Christian (Anglican/Catholic) and Jewish traditions...
  • Help on structuring and writing a eulogy for your loved one: how long should it be, what should it include, and how to arrange  the material for maximum effect...
  • Support and training on public speaking, including how to project, how to use your voice to colour your text, and guidance on appropriate pacing...
  • Support with the practicalities for leading a service in a crematorium chapel: for example: what to do when you arrive to lead a service, including what you need to check and discuss with the chapel attendant; what you'll be expected to do during that service to ensure everything runs smoothly, including how to play any music choices, how and when to close the curtain around the coffin (if appropriate), and any notices/announcements you'll be expected to make during the service on behalf of the crematorium 

What do I charge?

If you'd like to explore a little further, drop me a line via the contact page. I'll then give you a call and we can have an initial chat, just to give me a sense of what your needs might be. Once we've established the kind of help you're after, and agreed the level of support that I'll provide (including guidance on likely cost) we can then get to work on planning the service. I'm normally happy to visit you in person if you live within Worcestershire, though I do charge a fee for mileage (45p per mile, beyond the border) if you live outside the county. Alternatively, we can communicate via Zoom, Whatsapp, email or telephone if that would be easier. 


To give you some idea of cost, I normally charge £40 for the first full hour of support, and £25 for each hour thereafter (pro-rata for less than the hour).   


When you're ready to proceed, drop me a line! 


I don't charge for my services until I have a clear idea of your needs...

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