Humanist Funeral East Sussex
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Humanist Funeral
When it comes to arranging a funeral, a humanist funeral or non-religious funeral is a sincere and heartfelt way to say goodbye to a loved one without the religious ceremony and traditional funeral formalities.
As family run funeral directors, we understand and value that everyone is different. It’s those differences which make us who we are, and we believe that should be celebrated.
Humanist funeral celebrations can be unique to the deceased person and, with the right support, you can create a funeral that you and your family are happy with. If you’d like to know more about humanist funeral services, we’ve answered some frequently asked questions below to help you decide if this would be the right choice for your loved one.
What is a humanist funeral?
Today, if you or the person who has died are not religious there are several alternative funeral options. Many people wanting a non-religious funeral service are choosing a humanist funeral. This is a celebration of life and tribute to a loved one but without the religious order and solemnity of a traditional funeral.
Humanist funerals are based on the humanist perspective rather than religion or belief in God, recognising each life is individual and precious. You don’t have to be a humanist to have a humanist funeral, it’s just a meaningful, non-religious funeral celebration and focuses on the life the person led, rather than a faith.
Where can you hold a humanist funeral?
Most humanist funeral ceremonies are conducted at a crematorium, cemetery or green burial site. However, as funeral ceremonies have no legal status, they can be held wherever you choose from a hotel, pub or village hall to your home or garden, or even a public space or park.
You may also want to consider a direct cremation and then arrange a humanist funeral celebration with the ashes of the person who has died, rather than a coffin.
How do I find a humanist funeral celebrant?
Humanist funeral services are conducted by a humanist celebrant. They will lead the ceremony and help family and friends to pay their respects to the person who has died.
We can recommend someone, or you can contact a celebrant directly but do check that they are accredited by Humanists UK. You can find humanist celebrants near you here by entering your postcode.
What’s included in a humanist funeral order of service?
There are no rules or traditions to follow for a humanist funeral service, it depends on the requests of the deceased or what family members want. Humanist celebrations are unique and meaningful to mark the life of the person who has died. Whether you are planning a humanist burial or memorial, here’s some celebration of life ideas you can include.
• Any music you choose or singing of songs.
• Words of welcome, thoughts on life and death from a non-religious perspective.
• A tribute and the story of the life of the person who has died.
• Celebration of life readings, poetry or words from songs by family and friends.
• Symbolic gestures such as planting a tree, lighting candles or releasing a balloon in honour of your loved one.
• Commemorate the life of the person who has died with a video montage.
• A moment for reflection about the person who has died.
• Committal and wake or memorial to finish the ceremony.
When it comes to the dress code and what you wear to a humanist funeral, again there’s no rules and many people specify that guests should wear bright colours to help make the occasion feel less gloomy and more of a celebration.
How much does a humanist funeral cost?
The cost of a humanist funeral can range from £3,000 upwards depending on the humanist service you want. You should factor in the specific costs of the funeral and the celebrant’s fees which are usually between £150 and £300. Please see our price list for all our itemised fees. If you want something not shown in our standard price list, just ask us - we will find a price for you.
If you have any question please get in touch by calling 01424 436 386 or emailing us at info@towners.co.uk or fill in our contact form in the footer below. One of our friendly and experienced team will and we'll do our best to answer any queries or concerns you may have.
