Lauren Jones, Civil Celebrant

22/02/2026

You’ll walk past someone who’s grieving today; someone who is carrying the ghost of love.

And the ghost of love is heavy: it makes the easy things difficult, and the difficult things unbearable. It weighs on every breath, every step and every turn that we take. It can make the every-day exhausting.

For some people, the ghost is a new acquaintance, and they carry it on their shoulders.
Unknown and unfamiliar, it is finding its place. Figuring out how to settle here forever.

For some it is an old friend, and they carry it in their arms.
It’s almost pleasant and overly-familiar, but it can still grow heavy; and that’s when it starts to ache.

And for some, it has become a part of who they are.
It walks beside them; love hand-in-hand with grief.

You’ll walk past someone who’s grieving today; someone weighed down by an invisible heaviness that they carry.

It’s new and it’s old,
and then it’s old that becomes new all over again in a heartbeat.

Because, no matter how long they have known it,
that is truly where they carry it.

Not on their shoulders.
Not in their arms.

But always,
always
in their heart.

*****

Becky Hemsley 2024
Beautiful artwork by Laura Makabresku

This poem is from my most recent grief and loss collection, I Missed You Quietly Today: https://amzn.to/46e4L0Y
(affiliate link)

19/02/2026

I woke up to this email this morning.

Someone asked me today what it is that I find so rewarding about my role as a funeral celebrant. They couldn’t understand how (in their words) ‘I could be around so much grief on a daily basis’. I showed them this email, and they read the other testimonials on my website, then they came back to me and said “Wow! Ok, now I get it!!”

This is why my role is so rewarding. To be able to help families say their final goodbye to their loved one in a way that is perfect for them.

23/01/2026

Today I had the honour of taking my Dad’s funeral service.

I was so proud to be able to do this for Dad. As he was in the forces, he had a military funeral, and I can’t thank the Royal Signals regimental standard bearers enough for the they helped us give him.

They met the hearse as we arrived at the crem and escorted him to the door, stood by the catafalque holding their flags throughout the full service, read the exhortation and honoured Dad during the Last Post and Reveille. Members of his regiment stood and saluted as he arrived.

Dad would have loved it!

Thank you to Bastock & Bruce Funeral Directors for your care of Dad.

Rest in Peace Dad, thank you for everything. You’ll always live on in our hearts and memories.

22/12/2025

For those of you navigating your first Christmas without a loved one, this is a beautiful poem and I hope this brings comfort to you.

I also lost my Dad recently. I like to think that he would want us to enjoy Christmas, to still laugh and find joy in spending time with family. I like to believe he’s looking down on us with the family members he’s now reunited with.

22/12/2025

13/08/2025

Poetry can be so powerful. Words can be so comforting…
Donna Ashworth’s poem Feathers is so beautiful. You can hear her reading it on her page - her voice is so soothing and she has such a wonderful talent with words.

06/08/2025

The team at Waseley are fab! I was lucky enough to spend a morning with them when I was doing my training and they are so caring and professional. Since I’ve been taking services at Waseley, it’s been a pleasure to spend time with the team.

This is a great opportunity to have a look around the chapel and to understand what happens after a service at the crematorium.

Sometimes it really helps to know what happens ‘behind the curtains’. The team will all be there to answer your questions and to show you the options you can have during a service - from seating configurations and decorations in the chapel, to the music and visual tributes and the different service packages they offer.

Local funeral directors will be there to showcase their vehicles too - you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the different vehicles available for your or a loved one’s final journey.

All are welcome to come along to our Open Day on Saturday 6th September.
You can meet our wonderful team and ask questions, there will be tours of our chapel and crematory, light refreshments, a craft event in the waiting room, local funeral directors here displaying their vehicles, all of this set in our beautiful grounds.
We look forward to meeting everyone 🙂

28/07/2025

Mortons are such a caring team and will always go above and above for their families.

I was honoured to take Len’s service.

The late Leonard Taylor was never seen fishing without his hat and it was for this reason, it travelled with him one last time alongside the beautiful floral tributes and photograph chosen by his family 🎣

14/06/2025

Lovely words from Becky Hemsley…

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR FATHER

As the world around you gears up for a 'Happy Fathers' Day' tomorrow, you are reminded that someone is missing from yours: from your day, from your happiness.
From your world.

The break in your heart and the empty space in your life are magnified. And so is your grief.
And it’s a grief perhaps made even more complex by the fact you’ll be celebrating other fathers in your life: yourself, your partner, your children.
How can you grieve and still feel pride and joy?
How can you celebrate when you are sad?

Well, because you are human.
Because you can't ignore that the rug has been pulled from beneath you and you don't have to. It is more than ok to acknowledge that you stand on shaky ground whilst cheering others on.

But maybe as you cheer, you will watch those others and recognise the legacy that a caring father leaves; the legacy your father left you. One of love.

So whilst it will hurt that he isn't here, take comfort in his legacy. And know that you can still celebrate him.
You can still honour him.

And you can always,
always
love him.

*****

10/06/2025

Not everyone will be able to make it to services. Now they can still watch the service at no extra cost!

A live and on demand webcast of your loved ones service is now included in all full services here at Waseley Hills at no extra cost to you 🎥

28/05/2025

I was honoured to take Brian’s service. Trudy was the ideal way for him to take his final journey.

Morton’s have a wide range of hearses to add a special touch to your loved one’s funeral.

Trudy, our Morris Minor Hearse transported the late Brian Hales on his final journey; a fitting choice of Hearse as he had owned a Moggy in years gone by!

Steve, our Funeral Director led the cortege on foot as a mark of respect and accommodated a request from Brian’s family that his beloved Liverpool FC shirt be draped over the coffin, proudly on display ❤️

29/03/2025

Mother’s Day without your mum
is to be painfully reminded of the scar across your soul.

The scar that sits where a part of you is missing.
Because when she left, something within you broke and left too.

You were part of her and she was part of you.

But this means that whilst a piece of you left with her,
precious pieces of her also stayed behind with you.

And if you look for her, you will see her. Everywhere.

In the way your nose crinkles when you smile.
In the sound of your voice when you laugh.
In the way you treasure those you love.
In the way you share your passions.
In your kindness.

So, though your mother may not walk beside you on this Earth right now, know that she is still here.

She lives on. In you.
Because love lives on.

You are still part of her and she is still part of you.
She is still your mother and you are still her child.

And that scar is a reminder of what it is to love and be loved. It is a reminder that the legacy of great love is great grief.

Yet grief is hard.
So when it feels almost impossibly painful,
you must love yourself harder still.

You must give yourself great love.

Just the way your mother
always did.

*****

Becky Hemsley 2024
Beautiful artwork by Grace J. Kim

Sending my love to anyone missing their mum in the lead up to Mother's Day here in the UK ❤️‍🩹