Heather Bowen | Wedding and Funeral Celebrant

Life in our rural part of the world means a strong sense of community and a more relaxed pace of life. A huge fan of anything sheep related, with a mind more towards a hearty Texel than a delicate Valais Blacknose, sheep seems to be a constant topic of conversation wherever I go.  I am an avid sunset chaser, hill roamer and photographer. I’m always up with the dawn chorus, out in the fields watching the world wake up, tea in hand whilst the dogs chase imaginary rabbits, greeting a brand new day, it’s food for the soul. I also take time out to solo travel around the world, well off the beaten track, getting lost and being totally out of my comfort zone and bizarrely, loving it!

My work background is founded on a passion for a cause, to create change and to make a difference to people in need.  Previously with Macmillan and Cancer Research UK, the last 14 years as Senior Relationship Manager at Teenage Cancer Trust sees me supporting teenagers and young adults diagnosed with cancer.

Working with young people and their families at such a worrying time calls for strength of character, to be strong when everyone around them is falling apart, and to be a constant in a sea of change and uncertainty. We celebrate and we grieve and we do it with the young person at the centre of all that we do.   Not for the faint hearted, yet with every day throwing up a myriad of challenges to conquer, I constantly find myself feeling immensely privileged and honoured to be part of their lives..

Being in a caring and compassionate industry, delivering speeches to various audiences from corporates to community groups is a constant in my work diary.  Such is my motivation for the young people we care and support, more often than not, I will deliver my speech  straight from my heart, because for me, that’s where the best ones come from.

A confident and charismatic speaker, not often phased, my largest audience was over 12,000 people, with worldwide screening right across the globe. With The Green Goddess on stage before me and John Suchet after me, it was a tough gig. Despite the growing nerves and the slightly wobbly knees, the performer in me simply shone and I delivered my speech to perfection.  At least I didn’t have to dress up in a bright green leotard, there’s always a positive if you look hard enough.

Knowing how to speak to various audiences, telling stories, bringing people together, being engaging and empathetic, whether that be with joy or in grief, is a skill I have been using right throughout my career, it is all based on good listening skills.

I am one of life’s calm and practical people, not given to drama or crisis but if it happens, I’m the quiet ship in the corner ready to launch.  Creative with a huge zest for words that explode with colour, noise and life, or once spoken, created to sit quietly within. I am a natural storyteller, capable of leaving a lasting impression on any audience.

From the moment we meet, our time together will be about you and your wishes. Creating treasured memories which reflect the very essence of a person, whether that be a wedding, life celebration or funeral.  My role is to shape, nurture and deliver your ceremony with humanity and respect.

Life ceremonies are incredibly important, they are one off occasions that are built from memories and dreams, family and friends, beginnings and endings and all the lovely bits in between.

When a story is told well, it is never forgotten, it is remembered forever, and storytelling is what I do best.