Trisha Bennet - Funeral Celebrant

16/04/2026

A small thing, but it meant so much. Friends, family and I all wore blue yesterday- the favourite colour of the gentleman at the heart of the ceremony. Choosing to wear it brought a sense of togetherness. (Photo of the scarf I wore with a mix of blues)

16/04/2026

01/04/2026

A fellow humanist celebrant has captured beautifully an alternative funeral option: you can have a truly lovely and meaningful farewell alongside a direct cremation. When you choose a local funeral director, you’re met with real people who genuinely care — offering professionalism, dignity and humanity every step of the way.

Yesterday I held a funeral service at the funeral directors premises prior to a direct cremation. These are now becoming much more recognised as an option.

Please know that you have options like this, a direct cremation doesn't have to be done by a company you find on the Internet, dealing with someone by phone and never seeing the people who will take your person into their care.

Direct cremations are offered by all the funeral directors you walk past each day , by the ones at the end of your street, by the ones whose staff you see nipping out for their lunches at the same butty shop you go to. Your loved one can be nearby, at a place you recognise and can go to the crematorium near you that you walk through when the flowers are out.

Please consider your local Funeral director if you are in the position of considering a direct cremation, and consider the option of having an in house service or a separate service in a pub, sports hall or other space nearby so that you do get the chance to process your feelings and receive all the hugs and support from the others who love you and your person.

A service can look, feel and sound very different to the picture a lot of people have in their heads. Consider staying local for direct cremation, consider a service that's separate, know that you have choices

Humanist Ceremonies
Photo description for the visually impaired, a dark green background with lighter green writing that says - a funeral can look different in many ways , there is no single "right" way to have a funeral

27/03/2026

Worked with again today in their Eden Chapel. It is a pleasure to work alongside such a genuine, kind, caring team. Their warm professionalism makes all the difference.

15/03/2026

🌿 For anyone carrying loss today
Mother’s Day can land differently when the person you want to celebrate isn’t here anymore. It can stir memories that feel both precious and sharp. It can bring a quiet ache into a world full of flowers and posh lunch photos.
If today feels tender, you’re not alone.
You’re allowed to remember in your own way.
You’re allowed to feel the love and the grief side by side.

Here’s to the stories, the quirks, the lessons and the laughter that still lives in us.
Here’s to everyone navigating today with a brave heart.

13/03/2026

This is a fascinating profession. There is always more to learn — about people, about the funeral process and about the long, sometimes overlooked history behind it.

For much of history, caring for the dead was actually women’s work. Long before funeral homes existed, women in families and communities were responsible for washing, dressing, and preparing the body for burial. In many places they were known as “shrouding women.” Their role was to prepare the body for the wake while others in the community built the coffin or dug the grave.

In the early 1800s, things began to change. As embalming developed and funeral service became a commercial profession, men increasingly took over the role of undertaker and funeral director. But women never completely disappeared from the profession.

In 1899, a Spanish nurse named Lina Odou helped open the door for women in modern embalming by studying the science and even founding an organization for female embalmers.

Today, the profession is shifting again. In mortuary schools, women now make up 75% of students entering funeral service.
In a way, women entering funeral service today aren’t doing something new. They are simply returning to one of the oldest traditions in caring for the dead.

Funeral service continues to evolve, but its roots tell an interesting story. Do you think funeral service will become majority women in the future?

12/03/2026

Hearing this from today’s family meant a great deal. Every ceremony is a privilege, every story a responsibility.

12/03/2026

There are many ways to say goodbye and not all of them look like a traditional funeral. This afternoon a family gathered in Southport Funeral Care's Eden Chapel for a simple, intimate goodbye before a direct cremation. It was a calm, supportive space - and a reminder that even the smallest ceremonies can hold much meaning.

04/03/2026

I know I talk about death more than most, but I genuinely believe it’s important to be clear about what you want - and to make sure others know it too. If we’re fortunate enough to have any say in our final moments, the environment we choose can be a gift to the people we leave behind. This list really resonated with me and it might with you as well.

27/02/2026

Grief is complex...

26/02/2026

A really worthwhile open day. West Lancashire Cemetery and Crematorium has a team who are welcoming, knowledgeable and supportive. It’s a great opportunity to look around, ask questions, and see the care that goes into every part of their work.

We’re looking forward to welcoming our community to our upcoming Open Day on Saturday 28th March.

If you’d like to learn more about what to expect on the day, why we’re hosting the event, and who will be involved, you can read our full press release below.

The Open Day is a chance to meet our team, tour the crematorium, and speak with local funeral directors in an open and relaxed setting.

We hope you can join us.

Read more here: https://ow.ly/rTU850YlZ9P