Antony Skelding | Funeral Celebrant

I love travelling to new and interesting places, sampling diverse cuisine, reading history, books, and detective novels, viewing nature in reserves and walks near to home, watching movies, and streaming television series. My life, like that of many people has been eventful and varied – experiencing both joys and sadness, and a great deal of twists and turns and surprises along the way. No two lives are the same and nobody is ordinary. Everybody has their own story to tell.

Careerwise, I have spent most of my time in customer service-related roles, particularly, as a post office manager. In this position, my customers were from all backgrounds including many who were vulnerable. I learned that everybody deserves to be treated with compassion, dignity, and respect, regardless of background, or beliefs. Voluntarily, I served my local community council and at a homeless café in Bristol before I moved to Devon in 2017.

For me, every life is uniquely personal and special, to be embraced and celebrated without comparison or judgement, however young, or old they are. I am willing and able to prepare and perform ceremonies including some faith, spirituality, or none to reflect to deceased and according to your preferences.

Being a funeral celebrant brings together all these values, qualities, and life experiences. It is my privilege to support people in their time of grief and to sensitively, and professionally prepare and deliver a suitable ceremony that reflects the character and life of the deceased and a fitting opportunity for the bereaved to say their final goodbyes.

Death brings up all sorts of thoughts and emotions – especially when it is somebody close to us. In this time of grief (I recommend looking up the ‘Stages of Grief’), we also need to deal with the practical funeral arrangements of the deceased along with other paperwork. It can all seem a lot to handle at once.

This is where professionals are here to help. Funeral Directors deal with the body and either clergy or civil celebrants often handle the ceremony. Increasingly people in Britain are choosing civil celebrants because they aren’t part of a church and want a less religious ceremony with either some faith or spiritual elements, or a completely secular one, rather than the traditional religious funeral.

As a civil celebrant I can tailor the ceremony to suit you, and to faithfully reflect the religious beliefs (or none) of the deceased. The emphasis is upon acknowledging and celebrating the life of the deceased, in all its uniqueness.

You can either choose my services through a funeral director or contact me directly for a crematorium service, graveside burial ceremony, or a separate memorial.

It is my privilege to help support the bereaved and produce a ceremony which tells the personal life story of the deceased, including anecdotes, achievements, and cultural tastes. Some of the mourners may wish to share something within the ceremony – a favourite memory, poem, or song. In preparation for the ceremony, I will ask the chief mourners some questions (either by a phone, Zoom, or in person interview), to get a clear understanding of the deceased and to write a eulogy. From this information a fitting bespoke ceremony will be created.

Remember, it’s your ceremony. You can also express personal preferences of theme or style, so I can create a fitting and respectful ceremony to honour their life and help those present say their final goodbyes in a personal and meaningful way.