Funeral Celebrant in Darlington

Hello, my name is Karen, I am a qualified independent funeral celebrant and a member of the UK Society of Celebrants, taught by the Society’s Principal, James Convery.  Living in Darlington, with my fiancée Patrick, daughter Eloise and Nell, our labradoodle.

Thank you for possibly considering me to help you celebrate the life of and to say goodbye to a very important person. With your cherished memories and those of family and friends, we can create a unique personal ceremony that will celebrate, pay tribute and express the loss of someone close to you.

In 2010 we settled back in Darlington after living in New Zealand for a few years having an acre plot with fruit trees, vegetable beds and chickens, living the good life, my nickname is Barbara!  I am the happiest when the sun is shining on my back weeding the garden or relaxing outdoors listening to the birds.

At every opportunity we are away in our caravan touring North Yorkshire, The Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District enjoying the fresh air going on long dog walks that usually end with a reviving drink in a country pub.

Cooking for family and friends on a weekend is a passion of mine.  I would say typically British cuisine works best for me, being a dab hand at a Yorkshire pudding, one day hopefully I will master spices to make a curry worth eating.

With a background in business, the latter half of my career I moved into further and higher education, initially teaching then onto managerial roles.  Public speaking, communicating and relationship building are skills that I have developed that ensure my ceremonies are delivered appropriately.  I am a very attentive listener and can communicate the feelings and emotions of others in a meaningful way with respect.

It was during a service for a relative of mine that I felt the ceremony was not unique to her, I could have been at anyone’s ceremony but with her name and dates incorporated.  Upset at what I had experienced I knew I could do so much better so decided to study to become a Funeral Celebrant.

The services I offer are delivering funeral ceremonies in crematoriums or burial grounds, ceremony script writing and memorials.   Organising a funeral can be a particularly stressful time for the bereaved, be assured I will put you at ease and support you through the process.

The ceremony is a celebration of life of your loved one, and so while there may be sadness, there may also be laughter, and hopefully those present can leave feeling that the person they have lost was accurately remembered in a fitting tribute.

For this to happen we will have an initial meeting, ideally face to face, with whoever you wish to attend.  During this meeting through listening to your recollections, memories, and stories, talking about their life, their loves and their relationship with others and why you loved them, the information I gather will be created into draft the ceremony.  We will choose special music to play, as well as the incorporation of poetry, lyrics, readings and prayers, which may have been outlined in last requests.

From the time of our initial contact to the day of the ceremony, we will work together to bring about that unique celebration which your loved one so rightly deserves and which the family feels accurately reflects the life and character of the deceased.  After the funeral you will receive a printed copy of the ceremony as a lasting memorial.

One of my daughter’s favourite childhood character Winnie the Pooh said “How lucky I am to have known someone who was so hard to say goodbye too”.  Through creating a ceremony, a final farewell, it helps the family on their grieving journey.  I would be delighted if you allow me to support you on this journey in planning the best 'send off' possible.