19/06/2025
🔦Todays spotlight 🔦
Em Melrose yourcelebrant.life
Em lost both parents in 2019. Originally from Bath, she knew who to engage with, sadly because she had experienced the loss of many family members in recent years.
Em has lived in Llanelli for over 20 years and in 2021, faced the reality of planning her husband Don’s service. He walked courageously with throat cancer for almost three years and died at 50. She learned a lot about resilience, courage, compassion.
Em says. ‘It was an honour to walk alongside him in his final chapter of life. I imagined Don’s service, how it would feel and how I would cope many times over and I knew that surrounding myself with people I trusted was important. My experience of services I’d attended were more traditional in format than Don would’ve wanted.
Where I would find someone who understood what I wanted to create for him, to honour his life and hope for our future?’
Em shared ‘I was so grateful to connect with Dinah Liversidge, and together we crafted a beautiful service that even today people talk about. Dinah inspired me to train to become an Independent Funeral Celebrant, in June 2023 I attended her Celebrant Coaching and Training Academy , proud to have achieved a distinction and am a member of the Association of Independent Celebrants.’
For Em, establishing trust with our local funeral directors and the team at Llanelli Crematorium is an imperative for her ensuring that seamless communication eases the burden that families may feel at such a tough time. ‘I needed to feel a genuine connection with both the team who would take care of Don’s body until it was laid to rest and have trust in the person would lead his service’ and she commits to do the same for each family she support.
Em shares, ‘The truth for us all is that we are born and we die, telling the unique story of what happens between these two events, of your loved one’s life is my privilege and honour. I’m here to support families creating a safe space to celebrate their life. ‘From darkness comes light; I’ll walk beside you to listen, understand and support you in the early days of your grief.’
With love and gratitude, Em x
