About Me

During the mid-1980s, I attended a graveside funeral service at which the Anglican priest presiding delivered a most pious eulogy. Afterwards, friends of the deceased stood around the open grave disapprovingly muttering. Clearly disgruntled, they bemoaned that the priest had not touched upon a single aspect of their dead friend’s larger-than-life character. Listening to their collective condemnation of the service, I thought: “There has to be a better way.”

A day or two after the priest’s unsatisfactory service, I chanced upon a newspaper feature on Humanist ceremonies, which was about an alternative, refreshing and secular approach to conducting funerals, and which was aimed at recruiting new celebrants. Inspired, I signed up to undergo a course in funeral celebrancy, which took place at Conway Hall in London, one-time home of the former British Humanist Association. Following accreditation as a funeral celebrant, I was accredited to conduct namings and weddings whereupon I played an instrumental role in introducing the full range of Humanist ceremonies right across the Channel Islands.

Since and certainly within my native, island home of Guernsey, Humanist ceremonies have become an increasingly popular way to celebrate, commemorate or otherwise mark life’s crucial, significant and special occasions.

Passionate about the correct and normal usage of language, the choice of words, grammar, punctuation and syntax, I have developed a distinctive style of writing, which enables me to communicate effectively with listeners. As a writer, I consider it important not only to communicate the message that I seek to convey but also how to say it. Using language effectively is about being concrete, concise, familiar, clear, constructive and appropriately formal. Yet I endeavour, as best as I am able, to adapt each of these elements to what clients desire or expect and what their listening audience may require. Where appropriate, for example, I will inject humour into ceremonies albeit without sacrificing the dignity, seriousness or solemnity due on formal occasions. I try my level best to produce ceremonies that have impact and touch people’s hearts. I write and perform Humanist ceremonies that are captivating, meaningful and memorable.