Lucinda.Inglis.Celebrant

05/05/2026

Two of my brilliant colleagues championing such an important cause. Talking about what you feel would be important at the end of your life is so much less frightening when you’re well. I already know where I imagine I’d prefer to be looked after at the end of my life (home) and I’ve already chosen the songs I’d like played at my funeral. Take time to consider these things early. P.S. isn’t Joanna Louise Bate’s hair fab!

Talking about end of life care can feel hard. Many of us avoid it because it feels uncomfortable or overwhelming. But being open about what matters to us can make a real difference.

During Dying Matters Awareness Week, we’re encouraging open, honest conversations about what matters most to people towards the end of their life. These conversations help people feel heard and respected, and can guide care in a way that reflects their wishes, values and beliefs.

As part of our Let’s talk campaign, we’ve launched 2 new short films to inspire these conversations. One film encourages us all to think and talk about what’s important if we become seriously unwell. The other guides healthcare professionals to have thoughtful, culturally sensitive conversations with patients and families. The films are based on real-life experiences and are available in different languages and accessible formats.

Thanks to funding from Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, we’ve also introduced video playing devices and support packs in our hospitals, and in GP practices and care homes across Lambeth and Southwark. These allow staff to share helpful resources with patients in real time, guiding informed and empowering discussions.

Joanna Bate, matron for palliative and end of life care, said: “We know these conversations aren’t always easy, but they’re incredibly important. We hope these resources help patients, families and staff feel more supported to talk about end of life care, in a way that feels right for them.”

Find out more: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/letstalk

04/05/2026

Trying to navigate a world without your mum there to guide you, reassure you, and pick you up when things go wrong is so bloody hard.

Thankfully, this lovely family found themselves in the hands of , who supported and held them through organising their mum’s funeral.

Her daughters chose the most beautiful floral coffin, with the flowers tied together with ribbon. At the end of the ceremony, they were gently taken apart so each of them could take a bunch home — something small, but so meaningful, to hold onto.

01/05/2026

Handfasting 🤍
If you’ve never come across handfasting before, it’s a really lovely (and very old!) symbolic gesture from Celtic wedding traditions—it’s actually where the phrase “tying the knot” is believed to come from.
It’s most commonly used in wedding ceremonies, but it works just as beautifully for vow renewals or even naming ceremonies too.
You can make your own cords if you’re feeling crafty (honestly, I’m not crafty at all and I still managed to make the ones in this pic), or you can use fabrics from clothing or items that mean something to you both (or you can leave it to the professionals and buy them on Etsy).
During the ceremony, I can do the wrapping, or you can have someone special involved and I’ll guide them through it.
I’ve got a wedding coming up this autumn where the couple’s children will be wrapping the cords, which is such a lovely way to include them.
There are loads of ways to make it feel personal, so it can be as simple or as meaningful as you want it to be 🤍

24/04/2026

After over 20 years in the NHS, where care is free at the point of access, becoming a celebrant—and charging for such personal moments—hasn’t always felt easy.
When a neighbour of 10+ years passed away, I offered support and guidance on the key things to think about, pointing them in the direction of a couple of funeral directors who I knew would look after them all. They chose and were so glad they did. I didn’t offer my services because I worried they might think all the help I’d given came with an expectation.
But they asked me to lead the ceremony and I was so grateful as I really really wanted to do this for her and for them.
What an honour. A farewell full of laughter, stories, and a brilliant singalong (who doesn’t love an opportunity to belt out an Adele song… and the attendees gave it all they got!) celebrating a feisty, hardworking woman who lived life her way… and even brushed shoulders with Kray brothers back in the day.

23/04/2026

WEDDING SEASON 🥳 💃 🌷 🥂 sat in my kitchen in the sunshine laughing out loud at the couple’s story I’m writing about. I’m already so excited for their big day and it’s not til July! The puppy does not seem to be sharing the same level of enthusiasm…

22/04/2026

I’ve had a lovely little flurry of reviews recently and I’m genuinely so grateful for every single one.
This wonderful chap came down with his wife from Scotland to join the Met police when he was a young man and had a diverse and really interesting career. He was football obsessed, organising matches whenever and wherever he could so it came as no surprise that, when he travelled as a volunteer officer to what was then Rhodesia, supporting with the vote for independence, he set up a match between the Rhodesian police and the volunteer officers (the volunteers lost on penalties). He was a strong, dependable man who was loved by all in his East End community and it was an absolute honor to lead his funeral ceremony. At the start of our family meeting his wife couldn’t speak for crying. The idea of trying to create a celebration of his life when she was so overwhelmingly devastated felt impossible. Slowly but surely through the evening she started to find strength enough to chip in here and there when her children were sharing stories and by then end, she was giggling her head off whilst recounting some of the tales of their adventures through life. It was so wonderful to see her change through those hours we spent together. I very special transition that will stay with me for a long time

21/04/2026

Mums are so precious.
The responsibility of creating a ceremony that captures someone so irreplaceable is something I never take lightly. Even after two years, my heart still skips a beat every time I send that first draft to a family. I don’t think I’ll ever stop feeling that — and I wouldn’t want to.
This wonderful woman was a carer by profession, but long before that, she was the quiet constant for so many in her community. The person people turned to when they were struggling, lonely, or simply needed someone to listen. She didn’t make a fuss about it — she just showed up.
At the centre of her world were her three daughters, and the closeness they shared was something really special.
She was also forever rescuing cats. From hand-rearing newborn kittens found abandoned by a bin, to taking in scruffy-looking strays who found their way to her… she made space for them all. At one point, she had over 12 — each one loved, each one safe.
What struck me most was how she lived her life — gently, without seeking attention, but leaving a huge impact in the smallest, most human ways.
A reminder that you don’t have to be loud to make a difference.

20/04/2026

Recently I had the honour of leading a beautiful ceremony for L, a mum of 6 — a woman who not only juggled full-time work and family life, but made each of her children feel uniquely special and completely loved. She was the foundation of her family. And while they are devastated by her loss, they move forward with her example in their hearts — caring for their dad and each other, just as she would have done.

19/03/2026

https://youtu.be/DG0ywMc7Jq8?si=zazYhHNv9W0sWi5Y Last Friday I led a really lovely ceremony for a very special woman, Pat, who had been Nadia’s childminder. The next day, Nadia shared a heartfelt reflection on YouTube about the two funerals she’s been to this year, and how—despite how sad they were to be saying goodbye to someone so important —she came away feeling uplifted.
I often say that the hardest day is the day you lose someone you love. A funeral doesn’t have to be only sad or formal. There’s space for both tears and lighter moments, for remembering the person as they were.
It’s always a privilege to be part of that.

15/03/2026

You know you’ve reached a certain life milestone when you’re genuinely thrilled with the anticipation of your new Mother’s Day present.
Also, missing my very special mum today and thinking of all those who are feeling sad for whatever reason today. Lastly, a picture of my puppy… just because x

14/03/2026

Recently I had the enormous privilege of leading the funeral ceremony for a true legend of a leading London newspaper.
His wife — who also spent much of her career at the same paper — asked if we could invite everyone present to join in “banging out.” I had never heard of this tradition before (there’s a description in the photos), and when I asked a journalist friend about it she explained that it still happens in newsrooms today, but it’s reserved for the old guard — those who have given donkeys’ years to the paper.
B worked there for more than three decades, rising through the ranks to become chief sub and news editor before eventually retiring. Sadly, his retirement fell during lockdown, so he never received his newsroom “banging out.”
So at the moment of B’s committal, as his coffin was lowered, we finally gave him that send-off. The noise was almost deafening, but the atmosphere was something truly indescribable.
A powerful, unforgettable moment — and one I feel incredibly grateful to have been part of.