What does a Funeral Director and a Celebrant chat about over coffee? Non-religious funerals of course!

Training Providers are churning out new Celebrants into the market place every month!

Every couple of months or so, I’m contacted by a new Celebrant either introducing themselves or asking for some guidance! 

And year on year, my funeral portfolio work almost doubles! 

So this week, I decided to grab a coffee with a local North Staffordshire Funeral Director, to ask him why he thinks our services are growing so fast! 

Andrew Butcher heads up his family owned funeral home - Hopkinson Wootton Lovatt (www.hopkinsonwoottonlovatt.co.uk) which is based in the heart of Newcastle-under-Lyme.  He’s the younger of the two in the picture below! – and he’s got a good handle on the funeral industry and where it’s heading.

Here are his thoughts to the questions I asked him! 

v     You and your family have been in the funeral industry for many years.  Why do you think more and more people are favouring Civil Celebrant led services? 

“Well if you turn the clock back sort of 15 to 20 years ago, there was a very strong, set tradition for a church service.  Whereas now, people tend to go either direct to the crematorium, or to a chapel at a cemetery.  It’s more appropriate in these places, to have a Civil Celebrant,  Humanist or a Funeral Director who’ll conduct the service throughout.

People are favouring it, because it’s more of a personal token to the deceased, rather than a member of the clergy preaching to the congregation.” 

v     When you’re with families, what triggers you to suggest using a Civil Celebrant rather than a member of the clergy? 

“As a Funeral Director, you’d take in all the surroundings of that family, as soon as you walk into their home.  You look to see if they’re committed to any sort of church and then how you’d want to celebrate the life that’s just been lost.  This gives you the vibes for which route you need to take the family down and what help they’ll need, to help them say their last goodbyes to their loved ones.” 

v     What’s the ‘best bit’ of a funeral led by a Civil Celebrant? 

“It’s often the personal touch that’s always added in, or ‘off the cuff’ statements made during the service, which brings laughter or applause.  But as a Funeral Director, we have hundreds of different contacts ranging from Humanists, Civil Celebrants and Clergy.  

You always have to remember – only use someone if you’d be willing to let them conduct a service for your own family.” 

v     What do you look for in the ‘ideal’ Civil Celebrant? 

“Well Carole, as you well know, I will not just accept a ‘knock on the door’ from someone who introduces themselves as a new Civil Celebrant.  I like to do my research on services they’ve done, their mannerisms, and how they conduct themselves.  They don’t just represent themselves, but also our firm. 

At Hopkinsons, we have a very high standard which people have to work to.  We would never lower our standards and they always have to remember, that the Funeral Director is in control of the service.  They need to work as a team in a very successful farewell for each individual family.” 

v     If you look ahead 10 years, do you see any trends or patterns emerging for what people will want from a funeral service? 

“Yes and No! 

The British are very slow on change.  We like tradition.   

You have to remember, Humanists have only been strong for the last 15 years and Civil Celebrants for around 4 or 5 years.  People have started to notice it more.  It’s all about educating families about what they can have and what’s possible. 

I feel that the next 10 years will see an incline to Civil services being held in more public buildings.  But as with most things and trends in life, everything tends to loop round in a big circle!” 

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So there we have it! 

      *  Civil funeral services are ‘personal’. 

      *  They’re not about ‘preaching’. 

      *  And the test for whoever you book for a funeral, is........’ only use someone if you’d be willing to let them conduct a service for your own family.” 

My thanks to Andrew for sharing his time, his insights and his forward thinking in this developing area. 

And if you're interested in how a Civil Celebrant led funeral can really make a difference, then do get in touch: M 07723 346 820 or Email carole@sinceremoments.co.uk

Carole