My Background
I have over 30 years’ experience of working in professional healthcare and related teaching roles. Before completing a diploma in Funeral Celebrancy I worked for 12 years in a training team within a drug and alcohol charity. Working with people accessing the service and professionals supporting vulnerable adults with complex needs was an opportunity to build my knowledge and experience of compassion based support of people experiencing trauma and distress.
I began my working life as a Registered Nurse, then completed a BSc in Herbal Medicine. I practiced as a Herbalist for 10 years and taught on the undergraduate course at Lincoln.
I have a long standing yoga practice and have completed the Sivananda Teacher Training, Pregnancy Yoga Training with Uma Dinsmore Tuli and in 2025 additional training in the use of yoga in palliative care and bereavement.
I am also a qualified massage therapist.
I studied for my Diploma in Funeral Celebrancy with Greenfuse, the training arm of Heart and Soul Funerals. Simon and Jane did a huge amount of work over the years to develop this in-depth professional training course and to really instil in their students a profound understanding of the sacred nature of funeral celebrancy. I am very honoured to have studied with them.
The role of funeral celebrant called to me because I believe how we say goodbye is incredibly important.
I'd like my skills and experience to provide support and guidance for people to do so in a way which feels right for them, so that the funeral might be as helpful an experience as possible within their grieving process.
It has felt very natural to also offer an holistic grief support service where I combine all the different disciplines I have trained and practiced in, providing an individualised programme of support for people navigating this very tender path of grief.
I live and work in the city of Sheffield, on the edge of the Peak District.