I’ve lived in Sussex all my life. I was born in Eastbourne, which is where I grew up, and I moved to Brighton in 2019. I'm a keen runner, belonging to a local club, and enjoy most sports. I also love travel, along with my wife we generally include some form of run if we can. Craziest thing we've done? Possibly 12 half marathons in 12 months which included flying to Philadelphia for a weekend to do a race. Maybe topped by going to New York to do a parkrun. Especially as New York, at that time, didn't have a parkrun!
I enjoy reading and am trying to complete my first book.
I worked in IT for over 40 years, becoming a director at a mid-size international consultancy. During my career I was fortunate to be able to travel widely, running workshops which entailed standing up in front of large groups of people.
Why become a celebrant?
Working in IT had provided me with a very good career, and the opportunity to travel to places I would not have gone to ordinarily. However, as the working model changed and became ever more remote I realised that I missed face to face interaction , and so I decided to look at making my own change.
Before my father-in-law died he had discussed the music and the reading that he wanted for his service. When it came to who would do the reading, a poem, neither my wife nor her brother felt they would be able to do it. I was asked if I would.
As I’d delivered the eulogies for both my parents at their funerals, and along with being used to speaking in public, it was felt I’d do a “decent job”. More to the point, I was honoured to do it. At the end of the service the celebrant who had officiated thanked me and asked if I’d thought of being a celebrant myself. And so, the light bulb moment……………….
I trained with the Academy of Modern Celebrancy, gaining a respected industry standard qualification. So you can be assured that I uphold the highest standards as a celebrant.