About Me

I’ve been a celebrant with the Humanist Society Scotland since the autumn of 2005, which coincided with the start of my last year at Stirling University.

I was a full time mature student at Stirling…I originally signed up to take my degree in journalism - radio is my thing -  but got side tracked by my fascination with religious studies. I ended up finishing my degree as a joint honours student in Religious Studies and Media Studies, so I could keep up my radio work, and managed to fit in a few extra English units too. I loved it all, but in the end my undergrad dissertation was on a fairly obscure facet of Islamic philosophy.

Before that I worked part time in marketing for a touring theatre company, with my daughters and home life in Perthshire being the primary focus of my days. Retail work was a big part of my youth, and I worked and lived in the States briefly too, where I met my husband.

I listen to music and radio and read a lot, cycle a bit, play Ultimate Frisbee and have practiced Yoga for years, sing folk songs occasionally, and dream about going back to University to do a Masters.

Much of my time is spent as a funeral celebrant, an aspect of my work I love, pulling together the life stories of those who are no longer with us for their families & friends to share, or at times spending time with folk who want to make their own plans for end of life celebrations.

I try and be realistic about my work load, and am pretty open about the weeks when it all heaps up…there are times when a new ceremony draft is welcomed with a “Sorry, not happening ‘till next week” reply on the e-mail, but I will always let you know when things will be happening in relation to your ceremony, so you’ll have all the information you need, when you need it.

I love my work. The writing is something I really enjoy, and the families and couples I meet make it all feel less like work and more like a project with friends much of the time. Wedding day’s themselves are the icing on the cake (sorry!), the admin & paperwork is long sorted, the final draft is in the folder and everyone is ready to go, and for me the day itself is about enjoying the fruits of our labour…meeting the friends and families I’ve learned about through the meeting and writing process, hearing the music and listening to the readings….and of course the all important...

 “Ladies and Gentlemen I present the new Mr & Mrs  Newlywed!!!! ”