Precious Moment

01/05/2026

01/05/2026

This beauty led her proud owner to the crematorium yesterday. Every personal, individual touch matters and makes for the perfect celebration of life. With the sun shining I wished I could go for a ride in her.

13/04/2026

Lovely handmade gift from today’s family for a much loved mum, grandma & friend.

25/03/2026

20/03/2026

This morning I met with a family, who do not live locally, Mum is in a dementia care home and Dad, who has passed was in a care home too, so where to meet. The Aviator hotel in
Farnborough was a perfect choice. Their lounge areas comfortable and calm, staff friendly and helpful, tea & coffee served and pastries had we wanted them. The ladies I met with did not know that you could go into a hotel for a drink, to meet someone. They were most pleased with my suggested location and learnt more than they expected this morning.

14/03/2026

Celebrants don’t do their work for thanks afterwards but it is always appreciated. Every family receives everything I have within me to ensure saying farewell to a loved one is right for them. This is often with suggestions and advice. It may only be 30 minutes in a chapel, but they are very precious 30 minutes.

09/03/2026

International Women’s Day, - the special women in my life Hazel Searl .kyte.165 and from the past my mother-in-law and grandma-in-law. Of course there are some dear friends too and work colleagues it is an honour to work alongside

03/03/2026

Today’s service was at the newly renovated Aldershot Crematorium, quite a contrast to yesterday but similar in that it was a unique farewell. The sun shone, appropriately, I added colour and butterflies (not real ones) and the ladies husband lit a candle, a reminder that her love and memory will always be shining brightly in their lives. Everyone on the live stream only spoke Italian, the service had been pre-sent to them in Italian, their welcome and introductions were done in Italian too. Both the FD and myself were having to fight back the tears at the end of this service for a beautiful Sicilian lady.

28/02/2026

It is always lovely to see staff from a care home attend a funeral but yesterday’s hit me. A service for a 59 year old man who hard passed away having had Alzheimer’s for the last 5 years. 5 carers attended and as most do took themselves to seats at the back of the chapel. They were clearly sad and I couldn’t help myself I had to say something. I said, “please sit further forward, you are very important people”. They did and they all left in tears. Care home staff live with the people they care for, they become family, yet they see themselves as insignificant at a funeral - they are not, they are important people who have made the last months or years of a person’s life comfortable. We are blessed in Surrey to have excellent hospice care, Alzheimer’s & Dementia care homes. Those that work in these care facilities know you are special, important and greatly valued. I say a heartfelt thank you to every carer who attends a service I am officiating.