Neil Spencer | Funeral Celebrant

I live on Merseyside in the countryside between Liverpool and Southport. Prior to training as a funeral celebrant, I was head of Religious Studies and History at two different secondary schools over a twenty year period. Before my teaching career, I served for twelve years in the Royal Navy, where I travelled widely and saw active service. In 1991, left the Royal Navy having reached the rank of Petty Officer.

I have a wide range of interest including: hill and mountain walking, watching football, reading and music. I also own and have fully restored a vintage wooden motor cruiser on the Norfolk Broads.

I studied Theology and Philosophy at Edinburgh university, and became interested in funeral celebrancy whilst researching an MA and MPhil at Liverpool. During the course of my studies, I saw the need for meaningful funeral ceremonies which reflect the life of the deceased rather than a "one size fits all approach", this resulted in me training with the UKSOC as a funeral celebrant.

I work with families and funeral directors in order to deliver a bespoke, meaningful. personal and dignified funeral ceremony. My ceremonies focus on the life of the deceased, their wishes and those of their family. I will meet with family and friends in order to compose a memorable and fitting tribute to the deceased in a ceremony that reflects aspects of their life. I am happy to write funeral ceremonies which reflect the religious/spiritual or non-religious beliefs of the deceased and their family. I am able to write and conduct ceremonies for cremation, burial, memorials, and scattering of ashes. As all my ceremonies are bespoke, a wide range of poetry, readings and music can be included in the ceremony. Family and friends are actively encouraged to contribute and participate in ceremonies.

My experience as a teacher, academic research, celebrant training, and high standards of care combine to enable me to collaborate with families and friends to produce and deliver a very personal, dignified and meaningful ceremony. Attention to detail and collaboration with families are a key feature of my ceremonies, this makes each ceremony unique in order to reflect the uniqueness of every human life. I. Living near Liverpool, I can perform ceremonies throughout Merseyside and west Lancashire. Having served in the Royal Navy, I am particularly able to conduct ceremonies for veterans of HM Forces and seafarers.

My aim is to work with families and funeral directors in order to produce and deliver a meaningful, personal and dignified funeral ceremony.