Hardingstone Ceremonies

21/12/2025

Today sees the shortest hours of daylight in the northern hemisphere - the Winter Solstice. This day and the festival that marked it, played a crucial role in the origin of today's festival of Christmas. You can read more in my blog -

By using traditions already familiar to people the Church cleverly shifted people’s allegiance without going into all out battle with them.

19/12/2025

Thinking of all the families I have been privileged to serve this year, facing their first Christmas without a loved one. Wishing everyone a peaceful Christmas.

As we enter the Christmas period and many are enjoying the festivities, it can be a difficult time for those who have lost a loved one, whether that is past or present. It is important to talk about how you are feeling, and to reach out to someone if you are struggling. There are support services available to you, with compassionate and friendly staff trained in bereavement support, on hand to listen. Here are a list of services, here to help you:

SAIF Care - www.saifcare.org.uk/bereavement-support/
Cruse Bereavement Support - www.cruse.org.uk/
The Good Grief Trust - www.thegoodgrieftrust.org

19/12/2025

Hugely grateful to C & M for sending me these photos of their June wedding. Wonderful memories of a fabulous day of love, family and fun. Supremely grateful to this special couple for letting me use their photos and for the great review.

Wishing them a particularly Happy 1st Christmas as Mr & Mrs!

19/12/2025

Well done to Fern and everyone at Reflection Funeralcare Ltd for organising this collection. A wonderful community contribution. 🌲🌲🌲

17/12/2025

A broach often allows me to show my respect to the person whose funeral I'm conducting. From the Royal Signals broach that belonged to my mum to pencils for a teacher, I like to reflect the person in my attire.

16/12/2025

Today is largely a day of rehearsing ahead of a funeral tomorrow. A gorgeous dog walk provided a valuable bit of fresh air. Thank you to my friend A for providing such excellent company (both human and dog) and for treating me to a Christmas coffee. A real treat!

08/12/2025

On this, the final day of National Grief Awareness Week my thoughts are with all those grieving this festive season. There are several of Donna Ashworth's poems that express the pain of missing a loved one at Christmas; it's difficult to pick any one but this brief verse seems sound advice. The Good Grief Trust have loads of resources on their website and have organised landmarks up and down the country to turn orange tonight in memory of all the loved ones lost.

Many of the Christmas traditions in my house come from my parents and fulfilling those traditions keep them close. Always remembered, always loved.

Day 4 of my advent.

It’s grief awareness week and there is always so much to say but this what I was getting through for today. I hope it’s meant for you. And I hope it lands with the love it was delivered. And if it is not for you, do keep reading, there will be something on this page that you need, soon.

Today, can you bring through a memory or tradition that they loved. Can you say their name and let them fill the room around you with their love? And if you cannot, that’s okay. They will meet you where you are and so will we all.

Gently does it. Grief is an unknown entity we are not taught how to survive through. But we will. Together.

Donna ###

06/12/2025

This time last week I was on a train to Birmingham to catch up with a University friend whom I hadn't seen for 30+ years! It was glorious to reconnect and triggered a significant amount of reflection on my part.

I count one of my greatest fortunes in life to be surrounded by wonderful friends who enrich my life immeasurably - THANK YOU to each and every one.

The value of long-standing friends and the excitement of new friends - both feature in this reflection on friendship.