A Look Back on 2025

I haven't written a blog post for a long time. To be honest, life has been pretty hectic, one way or another!

In January last year we finally got the keys to our new home - after many years of renting we own our own bricks and mortar once again. Never ones to make life easy for ourselves we had taken on a house that needed a lot of work to make it into the home we visualised.

We had planned for a three week slot, where we would do all that we possibly could to gut and rebuild, and with the help of friends and some amazing tradesmen we managed to do an incredible amount in that very short time, whilst both honouring work and family commitments too.

We moved in, cleaned our rented house, handed back the keys and so began an ongoing juggle of work, family, and normal life demands, mixed in with working our way through some very, very long lists of jobs to do on the house. What we have managed to achieve in the last year has been incredible. As I write we still have a few boxes to unpack (but shelves and storage need to be built first) and only one room has been decorated, but that's okay. We are getting there and the journey will definitely be worth it.

My mum has needed more support this year. I spend one day a week with her, and fit in other admin and tasks in between. She celebrated her 90th Birthday in September. Incredibly, we managed to arrange a surprise party for her - and she didn't even get the slightest whiff of it until she arrived on the day. There were 92 people waiting to celebrate with her, and another 42 who really wanted to be with us, but couldn't due to ill health or other committments. What an incredible testament to how amazing she is, that so many people hold her so dear.

And then, of course, there has been my job. It always seems strange to call it that, as it never feels like a job. It feels like something that I am so lucky to be doing. It is certainly something that I feel very privileged to do. No two days are ever the same - no two families are ever the same - no two services are ever the same, and that is just how it should be.

Having completed my level four qualification in November 2024, last year was all about bedding in what I had learnt. I gained so much from that training, and I know that it has helped me to evolve in a positive way in my role.

I have continued to network within my local community, and support local causes wherever possible and I continue to donate £5 from each service to support the work of the Heart of England Forest. It gives me so much pleasure to see new trees being planted around our local area, and beyond, and to watch them grow and mature. Walking through the woodland is always an opportunity for me to reflect and recharge my batteries. I love being outside in nature.

2025 wasn't always easy in my role. Whilst I have delivered services for family and friends before, and always feel so honoured to do so, last year was particularly hard, as we said goodbye to some very close relatives and friends, all of whom had touched my life in very positive ways. I have to find a balance between being a consummate professional, and yet alongside that I too am grieving and saying goodbye to someone I loved and respected.

I have also delivered a lot of services for families I have previously supported. This too brings a different level of emotion to the service for me, particularly when I have met the person. In fact, 2026 has started with two services for families who have had to say goodbye to another family member within a year.

I always find it interesting that people think it is 'easier' to do a husband when I have delivered the wife's service (or vice versa), but in fact that really isn't the case. Yes, there may well be some overlap - after all, they have lived together for many, many years, often had a family together, shared hobbies and holidays, but... we are all individuals, we all live our own lives, we are all unique and so we deserve to have our life celebrated in a way that is right for us. I am always, always conscious of that and so there is just as much work to do on a partner's service as there is for anyone else's.

Whilst finding the right balance for my own mental wellbeing has been important during the last year, spending time with friends and in nature has helped enormously, but of course, spending time with our family is always the best medicine, particulary with our two adorable granddaughters, who both change and grow each time we see or speak to them. They bring us untold joy, and we feel so very lucky to have them in our lives.

No doubt 2026 will bring its own challenges, but hopefully lots of fun and happy memory making moments too. We will continue to work through our long list of home improvements, and I look forward to sorting out the garden at some point too, but of course my focus also remains, as always, on my celebrant role. I am so very lucky to be able to do the job I do, to work with so many wonderful teams from such varied funeral directors/undertakers, at different venues - but most of all to get to meet such lovely families at such a difficult time, and to be trusted with their person's story and service.