There are many choices to be made. As a funeral celebrant, I wholeheartedly offer my time and skills to create, with you, the most fitting ceremony to respect and honour your loved one and truly reflect their life, values and beliefs. I am committed to sharing my knowledge and expertise, making available the whole range of options, dispelling misunderstandings and myths. I put the person who has died, and you, the closest people to them, at the very centre of my work, holding you all with mindfulness and compassion. I offer ceremonies for those who wish for something more personal and meaningful than a traditional service. I offer person-centred, bespoke ceremonies for all. You will be in safe, capable hands. For more details: djonescelebrant.com
I am a professional member of the Green Fuse Guild of Funeral Celebrants and have the OCN London Level 3 Diploma for Funeral Celebrants. TESTIMONIALS
April 2023
"Thank you to you Debbie for delivering the service so beautifully. Lots of people said how lovely you were. I think my Mum would have approved of what we did. It was a very emotional day but I get comfort that she is at peace now. I'll miss her dreadfully but she had a lovely send off. Diane Lucas, Timperley, Cheshire
March 2023
“Thank you so much for the celebration of David's life today, it was lovely. We had so many comments about the service and your delivery today. Betty was so pleased it went so well. Many thanks.”
Dave and Lynn Brumby, Altrincham
“You were amazing!! Everyone said what a beautiful celebration it was. Your words from beginning to end were perfect. It was always going to be sad, but it was sad in a good way. He would have been very proud of all his lovely family. We went on to the club in Timperley, where along with many friends, and relatives from Cornwall and Essex, celebrated dad's life!! Thanks again for your kindness and compassion, it was greatly appreciated by us both.”
Lindsey & Tracey, Altrincham
Feb 2023
“Hi Debbie, thank you so much for the script, I will print it and let my Sisters have a copy. Everybody thought it was a lovely service and just what Mum would have wanted.”
Linda and Roy Tomkinson, Timperley, Cheshire
“Thank you so much for yesterday. We couldn't have asked for a better person to help us say goodbye to our lovely Dad. Everyone commented on how fitting the ceremony was and how much Dad would have liked it. A few people also mentioned to me that they loved the fact that it was so personal and that your tribute contained so many interesting facts about him. It painted a vivid picture of who he was as a person and you definitely captured his gentle and gentleman spirit. Thank you for being part of what was a special day and for making it as easy as possible for us, his loved ones, to say a proper sorrowful farewell to a beloved man. You were a fantastic celebrant for us. Our Aunty even said today that a few people mentioned to her they were rethinking their own funeral plans given how personal Dad's was. Thanks very much”
Lyndsey, Steve and Ember, Cheshire
“Neil and I were both pleased you were our celebrant at Dad's funeral service today. Everyone said you did a wonderful job. We were really pleased and grateful for this and for your support.”
Warmest regards
Keith Barron, Chorley
Jan 2023
“Thank you so much. We will all cherish this momento. You definitely made the painful process of creating and conducting mums funeral service far less stressful than it could have been. Your words were beautiful and covered all people’s faiths, linking the service together in just the right way. You have certainly chosen a career path to which you are suited. You will be a great comfort to many people as you were to all of us. Thanks again
Best wishes”
Gill and David. Jon and Anne, Timperley
“Thank you so much you did such a beautiful job and I will never forget your kindness. I would recommend you to anybody. You made such a painful process much more bearable ”
Clair Hudson, Tameside
“Many thanks for your kind words & sentiments, and thanks again also for conducting our service so perfectly for us on Thursday. It is a beautiful spot and thankfully the weather too was very kind to us. It was a lovely day & we couldn’t have said farewell and to celebrate Lorraine’s life in any better way. Thank you for the keepsake copy. Although I hope it is some considerable time before our paths may cross again (!), I would contact you in an instant if I was in a position to engage a celebrant again. All the best for the future.”
Kind regards
D. H. , Bolton
December 2022
“Thanks so much for all your input for dad's funeral. It was lovely that I had a connection with you but my sisters immediately warmed to you when we all met you before the funeral. You did a great job on the day and a number of people said how good you were 🙂. The service couldn't have gone better and the reception afterwards was very heart warming. Best wishes”
Kath Fernie, Manchester
“Thank you for the keepsake it is something we will treasure. Thank you again for such a wonderful, humorous and emotional service, it was absolutely perfect for my dad. “
Robert, Timperley
"Thanks Debbie. We all thought you did a wonderful job and everything went perfectly." Jane Fernie and family, Altrincham
“Thanks so much for all your input for dad's funeral. Best wishes”
Kath Fernie, Manchester
November 2022
“Thank you for your lovely words about Ken. Friends of his who were there all said how they enjoyed listening to you and what a lovely service it was.”
Debbie König, Knutsford
“The service was lovely and the way you spoke and represented Sharon was amazing. I’m so proud of how it all turned out, so thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. I’m also really grateful for the attachment. I will most definitely print this out and put this in Sharon’s memory book. I truly can’t thank you enough for yesterday. take care”
Jackie , Blackpool
October 2022
“I want to thank you SO much for your presentation. So many people came up to me to say how good it was. Your delivery is really smooth and heartfelt.”
Rosemary, Cheshire
“Thank you so much for conducting a beautiful service for Javier and all of us. As always, your words and calm delivery were a fitting tribute to a truly remarkable man who will be forever missed but never forgotten.“
Martin, Andrea, Alejandra, Isabel and family and friends. Liverpool. September 2022
“A big thank you for making today much easier for us all.”
Ross Willard, Cheshire
June 2022
"Thanks very much for the script. It will be nice to have this to look back on. Thank you so much for everything you've done for us over the last few weeks. Yesterday's celebration was amazing really, although very difficult for us. Everyone said how calming and well pitched the ceremony was. And funny too at times. Your words and calm presence were fantastic. The box decorating was also very moving. One friend who I spoke to, who is a united reformed minister, said he would never take funerals in the same way again. And everyone found it very powerful and lots said it was a privilege to have been there.”
Bob Dinn, Manchester
"Thank you so much for the keepsake copy of the service you carried out so beautifully on Friday. The comments I received from the people who attended the service were amazing and so complimentary of you. They thought you carried out the service in a very compassionate and sensitive way making it a very special and touching celebration of dad's life. It really was a pleasure to meet you and to work with you. Heartfelt thanks"
Helen Porter, Cheshire
“Just a note to thank you for the funeral on Thursday, it was a
beautiful celebration for, and of, S. The text you edited from friends' messages was beautiful and although
it was a daunting prospect to read it out, you had made such a calm
and spiritual atmosphere in the room that it was a pleasure to read,
although very emotional. The whole service and burial was incredible, and so fitting. All best wishes for your celebrancy work,”
Neil, Manchester
February 2022
"Thank you for leading my mum’s service and for sending the ‘script’. It was a lovely service and captured the essence of my mum. I had lots of positive feedback from relatives and friends. In particular, they praised your warmth. I hope you are able to bring comfort to other families. Very kind regards”
Bev McGowan, Manchester
"We think you did a fantastic job. The feedback from everyone present was really positive. Sue would have loved it.”
Charles Harding, Hale, Cheshire
January 2022
"We would like to thank you for leading mum's funeral service yesterday. Your comforting and warm manner greatly helped us through a difficult day. It is very difficult to imagine how the written word and any amount of planning will come over on the day but we were very happy with the service which in a large part was due to your professionalism and all the support and help you gave us. Everyone liked the service and it was certainly "very Doreen". Once again many thanks
All best wishes"
Chris and Caroline, Sale, Cheshire
"Thank you so much for yesterday and for putting together such a lovely service for us. It was exactly what we wanted and everyone who attended commented on how good it was, and they could picture dad from the words. It made a sad day so much easier. Deepest thanks”
Den, Sue and Ally, Manchester
"It was nice to meet you and thank you once again for your lovely service, everyone said to me afterwards that it was fantastic and just right. I'm sure Mum would have been pleased! All the best and take care." Jane Watson, Cheshire
"Thank you for the keepsake and for your wonderful presence and service yesterday. You made it very special for us all.”
Lauren and Ross Goodwin, Cheshire
December 2021
“Thanks for a great service yesterday. We think you did Dad proud, it was just as he had requested. Best regards”
Anon
"Thank you so much for the beautiful ceremony yesterday for Mum. It was everything I hoped it would be and the lovely comments we have had from family and friends reflect the same. I have forwarded the written words to family and friends who couldn't be there, such a nice idea, it makes them, and us, feel like they were part of the day too. Wishing you and your family best wishes and happy times during the Christmas time and future, I will never forget the part you played in us saying farewell to our Mum.”
Mandy Price, Cheshire
"I want to thank you so much for yesterday’s service for Mum. It was all we hoped for and more. Without exception, everyone who spoke to us said what a beautiful service it was and were full of praise for you. Everything you said and the way you said it gave us a feeling of peace and gratitude. I will never forget you and the amazing way you delivered the service. Thank you again Debbie, you made the day very special. Thank you also for the transcripts of the service which I know people will be happy to receive." Sue Lane, Cheshire
Thank you for the service yesterday. You were very professional, had a lovely manner and came across beautifully. Everyone commented on how lovely you were and what a lovely service it was. Anon (Lynda, Gwen’s daughter)
“Thank you for today, you did a fantastic job and having spent the afternoon with Mum's siblings, they absolutely loved it and felt that everything was exactly as she would have wanted - even dare I say the slightly odd choice of music! A great chance for people to remember her in the way she would have liked. Thanks again”
Neil Dickens, York. November 2021
"Just wanted to say “Thank You” for yesterday, you did us proud. So many people who attended said what a lovely service it was. Thank you also for the script you used, between us we did a good job in paying tribute to my mum (and Brother)." Dave & Gill. Timperley, Cheshire
"Thanks so much it was a wonderful service everyone agreed and thought you were wonderful. It was perfect. The farewell words were just on point. Aunty Jean would have loved it all, no doubt she was watching wherever her, Bob and my dad are now.. If I ever need you again I know how to contact you. Many many thanks"
Nicola ❤️
"Thankyou for a very special service for our Mum, Mum in law and Grandma. Jane would have loved her 'do' , no one can take away the sorrow but it helps knowing that she got the send off she deserved. I'm sure that she was looking down on us with a huge smile on her face. Thank you”
Ryan, Helen, Stephen, Lucy, Sam ,Christian. Altrincham.
“Thankyou so much for yesterday Debbie, you did our dad proud. Your words were so lovely and many of my friends said how nice the service was. Thankyou for the keepsake script. Any other family who has you as a celebrant are very honoured.”
SJ, Sale, Cheshire
“Oh Debbie you were amazing and thanks to you, I was able to speak for my wonderful Dad. Your energy kept me as calm as I could be and I think Dad would be so proud of the send off we gave him. Everyone (and I mean everyone) absolutely loved the service and thought you were incredible. You were definitely meant to be a ‘celebrant’ Debbie." JH, Cheshire. "Many thanks for the copy of Dad's funeral script which I will share with family who couldn’t attend. Thank you again for the lovely service which was everything we hoped for and more, plus your help at this difficult time. One of Dad's carers managed to attend which was lovely. Yours”
B, London
October 2021
"The eulogy and your delivery were absolutely excellent everyone commented how lovely the service was. Your calmness was a great help on a difficult day. We will treasure the keepsake of the script. Many thanks once again. Warm regards”J. , Cheshire
"We just wanted to say a huge thank you for being the Celebrant at my Dad’s funeral. We had so many people come up to us and say how wonderful you were in the way you delivered it. You absolutely did our Dad justice in the way you talked about his life. We felt it was a true celebration of his life which is we wanted. Thank you so much from us all. With best wishes”
Siân, Sale, Cheshire
“It was such a wonderful service. I couldn’t help but want to look at you and listen to everything you were saying.”
Preferred to remain anonymous
“It was a very special service, a beautiful celebration of dads life. Thank you so much.”
C. , Altrincham
Note: Please see my website if you'd like to see other testimonials during this period. https://djonescelebrant.com/testimonials/
May 2017
“I have recently had occasion to use the services of Debbie Jones who is an independent celebrant based in Manchester (she had been recommended by close friends) at a funeral to celebrate and honour my brother who had died suddenly. Because I have never had to organise a funeral before, the idea of trying to deal with the grief of the loss of a (close) brother whilst also being tied up in formality, protocols and paperwork was a daunting one. I needn’t have worried. At the very first consultation at my home (Debbie is flexible and indicated that she would have been happy to do this elsewhere if I wanted to) I was immediately set at ease as she carefully teased out the important and salient points she needed, and was a calming presence throughout this, for me, emotional and difficult process. After this initial meeting, and in the run- up to the actual day of the ceremony, Debbie was always available to address any concerns that I had, via text, email or mobile; which is really important if you are trying to plan something like this on your own, because there are many decisions and issues that have to be decided. In terms of the ‘service’ itself, Debbie was again very flexible as she fitted her ‘script’ not only around a personal testimony that I had written, but in that she was also happy to accommodate fully five other separate personal remembrances, as well as having to find space for three pieces of music. So: the ceremony itself could not have gone any better and was carried out exactly as both I, and my late brother, would have wanted. Debbie has a very calming presence and a genuine warmth which sets everyone at ease, and has that amazing skill whereby you think she’s addressing you personally all the way through! Many attendees were very complimentary with regards not only to Debbie, but also to the refreshing lack of ‘formality’ (just as my brother had requested some time ago) and many also mentioned how they loved the warm and moving ‘personalisation’ of the ceremony. Debbie is hugely & highly recommended.” Rahman Baloch, Manchester
“An excellent service. Wonderful. Thank you.” H.S, Manchester
Feb 2017
Stafford, Lincolnshire
“I did wonder how you were going to do it without having known him but you did it really well.” S.L.
“You did a marvellous job.” R.B.
“Thank you for being so patient with us, coordinating it all in such a calm way, with grace and dignity. Thank you for being here.” K.W.
“You did brilliantly.” W.G. March 2017
“So lovely to sit and chat to you, Debbie, and to benefit from your warm and interested presence.” A.B, Chorlton, Manchester
“Debbie has an abundance of natural warmth, she is open and interested, listens without judgement, and you feel safe and held in her company.” A.D, Didsbury, Manchester
April 2017
“Hi Debbie, just wanted to say thank you so much for all you did to send A on his way so wonderfully. Everyone who I spoke to after the service said you were really good and they said it was very good service.” L.K, Leyland, Lancashire
May 2017
“ Thank you for the script and for the ceremony. Thank you for helping us at such a hard time. We really appreciate it.” B. Moston, Manchester
June 2017
“Hi Debbie, I’ve read this through and think it’s lovely and very fitting for my mum.” M.M, Crumpsall, Manchester
“Thank you, that was perfect. I actually feel as if I know my dad much better now.” L.F. Blackley, Manchester
September 2017
“Debbie, you did an amazing job of the Service, it hit just the right note – not too sentimental (we aren’t generally that kind of family) and not too ‘stiff upper lip’ either. Everyone commented on what a lovely service it was. All in all, it couldn’t have gone any better. We consider ourselves very lucky that it was you who officiated at the service for us. With heartfelt gratitude”
Alison Podlasiuk and family, Irlam, Salford
October 2017
“Thanks, that was really lovely.” M.O, Harperhey, Manchester
“Hello Debbie, I just wanted to give you heartfelt thanks for yesterday and all you did to make it so special. It really did seem a loving celebration. Everyone there felt that too.” L.T, Chorlton, Manchester
“Organising a funeral is never easy and when you want someone to help, you would want Debbie to be the person to do it. For someone to be so calm and open is a real comfort. Someone who has the ability to understand and make someone’s life really, meant a lot to our family and friends at the service. What a sad day was truly made wonderful by Debbie’s service, consultation, and thoughtfulness.” Lisa and David, Chorlton, Manchester
“Debbie’s warmth and authenticity created a really beautiful and moving funeral service for B’s family – L, my brother D, R and friends. Debbie is a gifted celebrant, who in a calm and loving way, was able to speak from the heart and with such humanity about B, describing her life and personality so effectively. Her thoughtful words about B and her genuine care for the family were so comforting. I was unsure of how I would feel experiencing a non-traditional funeral, but I found Debbie to be inclusive and welcoming to all – inviting people of faith to say the Lord’s prayer and giving time for prayer for those who chose to pray, and a time of reflection for those who chose not to. It was the most inclusive and touching service I have been to. Thank you Debbie. With appreciation….” L.G, Chorlton, Manchester
November 2017
“That was wonderful! So natural. It was as if you’d known him. Thank you so much.” F.G, Urmston, Greater Manchester
“Your words are lovely and brought a tear to my eyes when I read them. It would be very kind of you to send me a copy of the service. I will treasure that very much and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your input and kindness during this very difficult time.” K. H, Chester, Cheshire
