Photograph courtesy of Sharon White Photography 2016
"sensitive and dignified way you conducted the service"
Hello. My name's Anne, and I'm an experienced Funeral Celebrant, conducting semi/non religious funeral ceremonies across Worcestershire, Herefordshire & Gloucestershire.
I retrained as a civil funeral celebrant in 2014, qualifying in the spring of 2015, with Civil Ceremonies in Cambridgeshire.
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I was initially drawn to working as a funeral celebrant having attended a friend’s husbands service, which I later understood to be a non-religious ceremony. I came away feeling strangely uplifted, and my eyes had been opened to an altogether lighter and brighter funeral service. Not the sombre, black affair to which I was accustomed.
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Several months later, whilst talking to my friend, she suggested I explore working as a celebrant. She felt with my gentle, compassionate and professional manner, I had the perfect attributes to work as a celebrant. And so, my journey began. I tentatively researched training as a Funeral Celebrant.
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Having found a course I wished to train under, and one which reflected my values, I embarked on my new vocation. Training was rigorous - exams were excruciating, but with gritted determination, and a deep desire to support grieving families, I pushed on. Now, nearly 18 months later, I have an established reputation working with local Funeral Directors, several of whom have encouraged and supported me from the outset.
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If you’re newly bereaved, or faced with a terminal illness, I will gently support and guide you through the process of planning and writing a funeral service that reflects your wishes. You may be surprised to learn how few ‘rules’ and ‘stipulations’ there are when it comes to saying goodbye.
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Together, in a relaxed, informal manner, we’ll discuss in your time, and at your pace, the qualities that made your loved one unique and special. We’ll then give some thought as to how you may like to say goodbye. I’ll then pull all the elements of the service together, and deliver the service on the day.
I will happily incorporate religious content of your choosing should you so wish, with the emphasis very much on 'Celebrating the life' of your loved one, leaving you, your family and friends with joyful memories you can take forward into the future.
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If you’d like to speak in person, without obligation, please call on 07494 137281.
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With warm regards,
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Anne
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Anne Matthew - Civil Funeral Celebrant
September 2016