Funeral Celebrant in East Sussex

My name is Roger and I am a funeral celebrant and a professional actor based in Brighton as well as a member of the UK Society of Celebrants. I’m happy to work in and around Brighton and throughout Sussex.

I moved to Brighton in 1989 from South West London and this has been ‘Home’ ever since. It’s a place I love and a part of the country that I am wedded to. I am lucky to have the sea and the downs on my doorstep, as well as a fantastic and close community to which myself and my family are deeply embedded. I’m married to Jenny and have four beautiful children, a cat and a 1989 VW T25 Campervan – my pride and joy, (although it has probably cost me at least three times the original purchase price in maintenance) – but who’s counting?!

My career as a professional actor has spanned forty-five years across the spectrum of television, West End theatre, television commercials and voice-overs and that level of professional experience and performance is of enormous help in the presentation of the funeral. During the ‘lockdown’, like many of us, I revaluated what mattered in my life, and what does matter is my concern and compassion for those around me. From that decision, I decided that, rather than sit back, I would seek to actively try to find a way to help; hence my decision to train as a celebrant. Throughout my life I’ve always written songs as a hobby – even one for my campervan, and have had a few of them played on Local Radio. That discipline has helped me to attain the ability to structure and compose lyrics and prose, which has proven to be an invaluable asset in writing in all formats and it is that lyrical capability that I want to bring when realising the life and story of the one that you love. Every person has their story.

My role, as your funeral celebrant is to be there for you at this most difficult time, to listen to you and to help create a loving and personal ceremony that honours the life of your loved one, with dignity, compassion and respect. It is also important to understand that the construction and content of the ceremony is very much your choice as a family – I am there to facilitate and help you, but however you decide your loved one should be celebrated, it is my role to support and guide you towards achieving that. Getting the tone appropriate for the person whose ceremony is being celebrated, and that is a true depiction of them, is an integral part of the skills needed to compose the funeral ceremony in the manner that you, the family, require. One of the main drivers for me has always been compassion for others and that is the reason why I have followed this path into funeral celebrancy. Having suffered loss myself, I also know how important it is to work together to create a personal and truly representative ceremony for your lost loved one that gives voice to the type of ceremony that is right for you. I will support you in the choices you make when constructing the ceremony, with or without religious content, and, together we will shape the ceremony in the manner that you feel captures the story of the life of the person you have lost.