22/11/2024
FUNERAL CELEBRANT DAY//
Organised by the and
22nd November is the inaugural Funeral Celebrant Day, so let's show some love for your local funeral celebrant (psssst.... I'm one of them)
I've adopted the accord as set out by the FCC in 2019
The Funeral Celebrant Accord
The Funeral Celebrant Accord defines the attributes and skills required of an excellent funeral celebrant and is intended to set the standards by which all celebrants offering funeral services should be measured.
The role of a funeral celebrant is to serve the bereaved and their community by creating and leading a personal, accurate and respectful funeral ceremony.
Their work should clearly reflect the life, values and beliefs of the person who has died, acknowledge and give time to their community of family and friends, and create an environment in which the grieving process can be held and supported.
An excellent funeral celebrant:
1. Is professional
2. Cares for their clients
3. Is calm and shows natural leadership
4. Writes personalised ceremonies
5. Cares about their self-development
1. Is professional
● They are easy to contact, friendly, approachable, and communicate well with fellow professionals. They are prompt, reliable, efficient and organised. They are able to remain open and empathetic, at the same time as recognising the professional stance necessary to lead the funeral appropriately.
● They have good computer and IT skills that support effective communication and produce professional looking scripts that can be offered as keepsakes.
● They are GDPR aware and compliant; work confidentially, and have Personal Liability Insurance and Indemnity Insurance.
● They are well groomed and appropriately dressed.
2. Cares for their clients
● They offer to visit clients at home, and give as much time as is needed for the interview and to create the funeral ceremony.
● They are inclusive, flexible and non-judgmental.
● They engender trust through openness, sensitivity and confidentiality.
● They are willing to involve family and friends in creating the funeral, and offer to send
the script for approval before the funeral.
● They meet and greet their clients at the venue, and are available immediately after the
funeral ceremony.
● They understand that a successful funeral is one that serves and supports the bereaved
and reflect the life, values and beliefs of the person who has died.
3. Is calm and shows natural leadership
● They have a calm and reassuring presence, providing gentle leadership without seeking to be the centre of attention.
● They are a clear, confident and engaging speaker with a range of pace and intonation.
● They are responsive to what is happening in the room and the environment, and are
able to think on their feet and adapt where necessary.
4. Writes personalised ceremonies
● Every ceremony is unique, and created following a detailed and extensive interview with the relevant family and community of the person who has died, whenever possible.
● Every ceremony draws out and encourages the family’s own tastes in culture and
literature, using the celebrants own knowledge and resources as appropriate.
● Every ceremony is meaningful, inspiring and well structured, with a script that accurately
reflects the life, values and beliefs of the person who has died.
● Every ceremony includes language and ritual that is appropriate to the family they serve.
5. Cares about their self-development
● They are on a continuing path of personal and professional development to keep
informing and improving the profound and varied demands of celebrancy work.
© The Funeral Celebrancy Council 2019
I pride myself with listening to families and creating a fitting goodbye for their loved one. This is what a good celebrant does. This is just one reason to support what we do and find out how we can best support you.
Don't settle for less, and don't forget you are in charge of who you book to carry out the ceremony, you have choices, find the celebrant that fits you best.
