Funerals and Memorial Services
I am so sorry you need a funeral celebrant.
It would be a privilege to be of service to you in this time.
No words can adequately capture the wrenching, harrowing force of grief.
In May last year I lost my wife, Imogen, very suddenly. We knew she was ill but a rare complication meant that everything was wrapped up, while we were still on the starting line. It felt like my entire life was set on fire.
You might know the feeling.
One slender piece of good fortune was that I’d been a funeral celebrant. I’d designed countless services and was friends with other celebrants and funeral directors. Planning funerals was not new to me - and I could call on friendly experts for advice.
When Imogen died, I looked on planning her funeral as the final gift that we could give her.
She had left us far too soon but, by God, we could send her off with a bang!
My experience, and the trusted advisors around me, gave me the confidence to do things the way Imogen would have wanted. And, with the help of friends, family and funeral directors, we did her proud.
Imogen wasn’t sombre, serious or tragic. Neither was the funeral.
We were all in tears, but the words we said, the memories that were shared, and the energy we brought was pure gratitude.
Never before have so many people said how lucky they were, while sobbing their eyes out.
I’d love to work with you to design, plan and curate the service your loved one deserves.
Once we do that, I’ll stand up on the day and deliver the service the way they’d want it.
Working with friends and family we’ll bring to life the person they were, the love they gave, and the joy they exuded.
And if they were a bit grumpy in the morning we will include that too.
No two people are the same, so no two funerals should be the same.
To find out more about the skills and experience I bring to this work look at the About page.
Get in touch
If you are interested in finding out more, then please get in touch. (You can read some testimonials below).
Email: sanderson@lifefulness.io
Call: +44 7886602669
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Testimonials
Major Richard Grice
(1946 - 2015)
“Sanderson was the celebrant at both the saddest and happiest days of my life: my father's funeral, and my wife and I's wedding.
These are defining moments in anyone's life, but Sanderson somehow elevated their salience so spectacularly that they're etched into the memory of those who were present.
He wasn't unnecessarily earnest at our wedding, neither did he mope at my Father's funeral. He injected an exhilarating energy that is very hard to describe.
He brought a lightness of touch, fun, and belly laughs to each occasion (including the funeral), without ever losing sight of the underlying seriousness of to why we were all together.
Importantly, he was incredibly inclusive, encouraging every participant to join in and making everyone feel that they were contributing to the occasion.
My father had a very wide circle of friends from his time in the Army, through his MBA, to his successful business career, as well as pals he made from his many trips to Ibiza. They all felt welcome.
I can’t recommend Sanderson highly enough.”
- Dylan Grice, son
Francoise Caulier
(1946 - 2015)
“Organising funerals is really hard. You want it to be the perfect send off for the person you’ve just lost; you don’t want to feel like you’re on a conveyor belt of funeral organising.
Sanderson Jones held our hands throughout the process, helping us to create a beautiful day in memory of my late mother. It was the perfect occasion - completely befitting of the woman she was.
Over many phone calls, and one long lunch, Sanderson learnt all about her, and what we wanted the day to be about.
He made sure the day was filled with love, warmth and emotion. He was able to capture my mum’s spirit in the words he so beautifully spoke - there was joy, laughter, music, sadness and gratitude in the service.
He has a real gift in bringing people together, creating these moments and I will be forever grateful for the love, care and thought he gave to us and our mum on that day.”
- Julie Simon, daughter
Imogen Moore-Shelley
(1988 - 2023)
“I met Sanderson in the summer of 2023 in the saddest of circumstances after the passing of his wife, he asked for our assistance in arranging the funeral, as arrangements progressed,
I soon realised this was a very different funeral, what Sanderson was arranging was unconventional, he was trying to arrange something personal and different, to what a normal funeral is.
We often use “Celebration” or “Remembrance” to mask the words Funeral Service, what Sanderson arranged was greater than this, a gathering of his closest friends that laughed, cried, and came together in stories, songs and acts of respect that gave his beloved wife the ultimate funeral.
Sanderson created and delivered a service that was unique, as we all are. Is that not the greatest thing you can do for someone you’ve lost?”