“Mom and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the service you did for my Pappa, Terry Emms on 9th November. We gave him the best send off possible and I know he would be smiling down on us for that. Your compassion and empathy from the moment you came to see us, the work we did to put the service together and finally the beautiful service you delivered is a testament to just why we chose you.”
Thank you again. Love and best wishes Lisa and Sheila xx

“Hi Jan, I just wanted to thank you again for being so warm and friendly and for capturing mom’s life so well, everyone loved the service, I think you’re a very special lady, I hope we meet again sometime. If ever you’re this way and would like a cuppa or a crochet buddy, you would be very welcome!”
Best wishes, Jane Jackman xx

“Good Morning Jan, Thank you so much for all your help and Support, the service was a perfect reflection of the man I loved, all our family & friends said how uplifting it was, a true celebration of life.”
Kind Regards, Linda Howard xxxx

“Hi Jan, Just to say thank you so much for everything you did to make Mum’s funeral so special. We’ve had so many comments as to well it went. Really hope everything went well with your eye examination. Have a wonderful Christmas and wishing you good health and happiness in the coming year.”
Take care. Kind regards. Keith and Lynn Carter

“Hi Jan, The family and I just wanted to send you our thanks and appreciation for Mom’s funeral service you conducted yesterday. Even though you weren’t feeling well yourself, you still managed to conduct the service for us which was greatly appreciated. The family commented afterwards what a nice service it was and a lovely send off for our Mommy. So, thank you and hope you’re feeling better real soon.”
Love from Beverley, June and Manderson family.

“Hi Jan, Paul and I would like to say a huge thank you for the wonderful 40th wedding anniversary vow renewal ceremony. From the moment we contacted you we were very good hands. The attention to detail and the right mixture of fun and sincerity made our ceremony so emotional. Everyone we spoke to after the ceremony said how amazing it was and it set the tone for the rest of the night. Once again thank you so much.”
Take care, Nina and Paul.

“Hi Jan, Thank you so much for the beautiful service you gave for my beautiful mum Joan Astle yesterday (4th August 2021). It was perfect and gave all who attended a chance to share memories, laugh and cry together. The uplifting theme of elebration certainly helped mine and Lesley’s girls say goodbye and feel involved, which makes the grieving process a less difficult and tumultuous time.”
Thanks again and best wishes, Lynn

“Good afternoon Jan, Hope you are well. Just a few lines to say how pleased we were with how things went with mum’s day . Although there were obviously so few of us, the day was filled with so much love, laughter, and memories. What a coincidence that you did the funeral of Gladys Lynes, my cousin Michael’s mum!! Further still, I spoke with a friend of Mum’s who lives in France, and you did her sisters celebration too ”
A heartfelt thank you from David, Toni and me and every good wish for the future.
Karen. xx

“Dear Jan, Just writing on behalf of David’s wife , Shelia and the rest of the family to say a BIG thank you for the lovely service on Thursday 4th February for Dad. I can’t thank you enough for the support you gave whilst preparing for his service. It was lovely to meet you on Thursday, despite it being such a sad occasion.”
Thank you again, Jackie Poyner

“Jan, A message to express my gratitude for your help with Eddie Greens funeral at Bushbury Crem. On 19.1.21 the structure of service as set out by you was just right.

Stephen appreciated the gentle and kind words you spoke to him when he finished speaking about his dad. He had been very nervous about speaking in front of people, and your words made him feel that he had coped well and made a good job of saying how much his father meant to him.

I know I didn’t speak to you at any length, but I was surprised how much the service affected me and found it very difficult to talk to anyone.

Again, many thanks for your help and should anyone bring up in conversation with me, how to set about arranging a non-church type funeral service, I will not hesitate to advise them to contact you.”
My many, many thanks to you. Lynda McNulty

“Hello Jan. Thank you so much for being you. You have taken the lead in quite a few services I have attended over the past few years. My partner Jayne, my mom, close relatives, and a number of friends. Each time you leave me with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. You get so close it always feels you are part of the family. You make it personal and bring us all together, you do it just right. Thank you, thank you, thank you on behalf of my family and friends families.”
Love and best wishes.

“Hello Jan, Just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful service you did for mom. It’s a shame you couldn’t come back for the further celebration I wanted to introduce you personally to other members of the family and people close to her. Again, on behalf of all of us thank you very much.”
You’re the best. Peter X

“Hi Jan, I would just like to thank you for the beautiful service you conducted yesterday. I had many nice comments in the pub later and people asking who you were and saying how good you were. I was really pleased with how it went, but you could do with polishing up your black country accent, it was nice to have a funny bit in it, Anne would have laughed.”
Again, many thanks, Steve Pugh.

“Hi Jan, My wife and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our wedding day special and personal. From the moment we had our first appointment with you through to the schedule, wording, and suggestions we felt it was perfect!  We would definitely recommend you to anyone who wants their day to be perfect and unique.”
Take care, Lisa and Karl

“Hi Jan, Hamza and I just want to say a massive, massive, massive, thank you to you for doing our wedding ceremony. We had the best day and a massive part of that was down to you as you were able to understand and give us everything we wanted and more! People have said they thought it was such beautiful ceremony (some reduced to tears) And We Agree it really was  – as not only was it a very special moment but thanks to you that we were able to reflect truly who we are as a couple whilst also be able to finally achieve a true and meaningful wedding in front of my family.”

So, thank you so, so, so much…. with all our hearts

“Hi Jan, I’ve just watched the funeral (that was recorded at the crem), as wanted to see if it was suitable for Mill’s to watch as she desperately wants to see it. It truly was such a beautiful ceremony ️ I know she would have been watching down thinking the same. Thank you for creating the perfect goodbye.”
Take Care, Susie xx 

“Hi Jan, I wanted to let you know how grateful the family are for your celebrating the life of Peter Pendrey. What you did and said was so perfect, and so appropriate for who Peter was. It couldn’t have been any better. Thanks so very much. We are truly grateful for you.”
Sincerely, Donna Pendrey

“Good morning Jan, Many thanks for the way in which you conducted Jack’s funeral yesterday. I did appreciate the effort you put into making it such a meaningful and appropriate celebration of his life. All of the persons that attended remarked on how well you presented the service and I was pleased that it was exactly how Jack would have wanted his funeral to be conducted.”
Kind regards, Colin

“Hi Jan, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for the service you conducted on Wednesday – you delivered it in the uplifting, celebratory tone that we felt was fitting for the occasion. Particular thanks from me also for delivering the eulogy, much appreciated given the mixed emotions of the occasion.”
Thanks again & best wishes, Dan Newby

“Dear Jan, I just wanted to say thank you for holding such a beautiful service for my Nana J, during such a crazy time for the whole world! You did her proud and as heart breaking as it was, it helped so much with the grieving process. Stay safe and keep doing what your amazing at!”
Hollie xoxo

“Hi Jan, We just wanted to send you a message and let you know that you did us proud today with the wonderful service. My Nana was very touched by the kind words and lovely music – we all were.”
Thanks so much for everything, Mark & Claire

“Jan, A big thank you for your time and care on Monday.  What you did was very much my Mom.  I sent the full service along with the order of service booklet to our relatives and friends not able to be there, and I have had several heartfelt thanks for such.  So, the healing your help gave us on Monday continues to work for us all. If anyone needs a celebrant, I know who I will be recommending.”
Our best regards, Martin, and Rose

“Hello Jan, Just like to say thank you so much for your care and the lovely service you gave, we could not have asked for anything better for the send of for my mom. It was very much appreciated.”
Best wishes Paul

“Hello Jan, Dawn and I just wanted to say a big thankyou to you for conducting Barb’s funeral service, and for the help and advice that you gave us. We both felt that it was beautiful, and very dignified, which was a fitting farewell tribute to her.”
Sending you our very best wishes and grateful thanks, Tracey, and Dawn

“Hi Jan, I just want to thank you for your service of my husband William Reynolds it was just as he wanted. And you put me at ease when I was doing my speech and my daughter Laura said to say thank you for reading hers it was just lovely.”
Once again thank you

“Hi Jan, Can I just say a big heart felt thank you for the beautiful service you did today and for your care and compassion.”
From all of us xxxx

“Dear Jan, Thank you so much for doing such a wonderful service for us all. At such a difficult time in our lives you made it a little easier to say goodbye. Joe said to me yesterday that although we had only just met you, we felt we were with a friend. So thank you once again.”
Love from Halina, Joe, and the rest of the family xx

“Dear Jan, I just wanted to say thank you for your part in my sister’s service last Friday. It was lovely to hear such personal recollections of a wonderful person who meant so much to her family and friends.  It made a terrible day bearable and gave some comfort.“
Kind regards, Sue

“Hello Jan, We would just like to say a big thank you for conducting Dad’s service on Friday 8 March.  Our memories of Dad were shared with our loved ones through your beautiful, soft voice with dignity and compassion, and hopefully, reminded us all of the good times and not so much the sad, bad times. As we had never been to a service of this nature prior to Dad’s, we were very pleasantly surprised.  However, we hope it is a long, long time before we are faced with having to arrange another funeral!”

Take care Jan, and thank you again, Mick and Sue Pountney

“Dear Jan, I wanted to say a belated thank you for the lovely service that you delivered for dad on 15th May 2019.  I think he would have liked his service and it was comforting to talk to friends and family afterwards and to share our memories of him. Thank you, too, for providing us with a written copy of dad’s service.  It was such a kind and compassionate gesture and I will always remember your thoughtfulness.”
With very best wishes, Jacqueline Day

“Hi Jan, I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful reading you gave on Friday at moms funeral, it was beautifully read and everyone said how lovely it was. I am happy that my son managed to finish his reading (I was so proud of him) but thank you for being ready to step in.”

Take care Jan, Christine xx

“Evening Jan, Would just like to say thank you so much for last Saturday. It was all we had hoped for, and your fun and friendly service was a key part of the day.”
Thanks again and kind regards, David, Sally and Katie

“Hi Jan, I just want to thank you so much from all of us for the amazing send off for my dad today everyone said what a beautiful service it was and thank you for a copy of the service notes as well I will cherish them. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.”
Kind regards, Tracey

“Hi Jan, Just thought l would say hello and thank you for the lovely service you gave for mom on Monday, we have received plenty of nice comments on the service. Which is with thanks to you and Mortons.”
Once again thank you, best wishes Terry xxx

“Hi Jan, I would just like to say a very big thank you from all three of us for conducting the service so well and all your help with the order of service. I think it went well under the circumstances.”
Best wishes Rita, Mark and Claire

“Hi Jan, On behalf of my family I just wanted to say a very BIG thank you for all your help with the arrangements for Alan’s funeral. Being the last link with ‘Stourbridge’ I found it really quite hard, but you led it so beautifully and it was lovely to have the sunshine. We were so grateful that it was able to take place in Stourbridge and we all came away saying it couldn’t have gone any better. THANK YOU”
Every blessing Trudix

“Hi Jan, My family and I would like to send heart warm thanks for service yesterday, I must tell you Pam and her family were gob smacked about all the work that had been put into the day for Billy. I would like to thank you for the service you gave us to bring a closure to our grieving and let us to go forward with all the happy memories. Thanks again for all your help and support you have given (you my not have realise the help it has been).”
All the very best to you, Mike xx

“Hello Jan, Sorry for the delay in sending this message but I, on behalf of our whole family, would like to thank you for officiating at our mom’s funeral last Friday (Brenda Marie Gordon). We all thought you did a great job. Your words and kindness really helped us cope with our loss. Thanks too for your support as I read out mom’s eulogy. I appreciated that very much. You do a difficult job and you do it well.”
Best regards, Andrew

“Hi Jan, I just wanted to thank you for everything you did for my family and me at the recent funeral of my mum. After the service I had so many comments on what a beautiful service it was and I think a large part of that was down to you and the way you presented the celebration of her life. I think that is testament to your professionalism and caring demeanor so I can only thank you for making what was an extremely difficult time for all of us a little easier to bear. The personal touch of the folder for Allan and I was so touching and it will go in the memory box we are creating.
I would have no hesitation in recommending you to anyone having to arrange anything of this nature in the future and have informed William from the funeral directors what a great job you did too.”
Love and best wishes, Carol X

“Dear Jan, Thank you for a beautiful service you did for Ted every said how lovely it was especially how you described a part of Ted’s life…
Jan had been recommended to me by a friend, so I asked Jan if she could come and visit me. When Jan came I felt at ease and comfortable about talking about my husband and when Jan performed the service it was lovely family and friends thought so too. Jan did the service with thought, care and dignity, and Jan made a sad day a lovely and comforting day. Thank you so much from myself and family.”
Love, Mal Jordan

“Hello Jan, We just wanted to thank you for the wonderful job you did while helping us say goodbye to our beautiful mom. As promised you were by our side the whole time and we know she would have loved her service. Not only did you guide us and support us you treated us like you knew us, for this again we thank you. We will always remember your kindness and care at a very difficult time in our lives. Again, thank you Jan take care.”
Annette, Lynda and Stuart

“Dear Jan, Jim, Dave and I want to thank you for the wonderful service and send off you gave Steven. All who spoke to us were so touched by it and some asked if you knew him because you captured everything about him and spoke with such feeling and they were amazed that you didn’t. We are all thankful that I was drawn to you when I looked online and so happy that It was definitely the right choice. We send our very best wishes and love and thank you once again.”
Elaine, Jim and David xxx

“Dear Jan, I am writing to thank you for conducting the service for my uncle Ron Jakeman earlier this year. The meeting with you prior to the funeral and the advice and guidance you were able to give us allowed us to fully understand what we as his family wanted from the funeral to both celebrate his life and mourn his departure. During the service you captured the essence of what we wanted perfectly; delivering his eulogy in a calm and compassionate way that allowed everyone attending to gain an insight into his life and how during it he impacted on so many people in different ways. You gave emphasis to the importance his friends played in his life and how much he valued them which was lovely as so many of them had come to say their goodbyes. Your timing during the service was impeccable, allowing the correct space for individual thoughts and mourning without painful prolongation. We would also like to thank you very much for attending the reception after the funeral and the kind words you gave to support his family and friends. With best wishes and again with apologies for the time it has taken to thank you.”
Ken and Kathleen Jakeman

“Hi Jan, On behalf of all the family I would like to say a huge thank you for the beautiful service you gave for my Dad last week. My Mom was really pleased and there have been endless comments from people how lovely it was. You captured just the right mood to celebrate his life. I’m so grateful that we were able to find you.”
Kind Regards, Jody Bates

“Dear Jan, I feel I have to write to thank you for the wonderful way you handled my father’s service. I’ve never met anyone that takes in every little detail and puts it into the service, you never left anything out even to his number plate on his first car. I just couldn’t believe it. It just made my dad’s funeral so personal and on such a sad time made us all smile and even laugh. I cannot thank you for everything you did for us – even giving me a copy of the service.
I have to say that I would recommend if that’s the word – to everyone that needs a very special lady, for their very sad time – that makes it a time of joy. I just can’t thank you enough for your kindness and being so very helpful to us all. I’d also like to pass your email on to people who need such a wonderful caring person in there hour of need.
Thank you once again Jan, please keep in touch with me and the family as you are more like part of the family than just a vicar who came to us in our time of sadness. I just want to thank you so much even though thanks, just doesn’t seem enough for such a wonderful person…”
Marilyn Heath xxx

“Hi Jan, I just wanted to thank you for looking after us all at my mother’s funeral last week. Everybody said how wonderful you were, and my father was so pleased with how it all went. I know my mum would have said it was just the way she wanted it.”
Kindest regards, Sandra Brindley

“Dear Jan, many thanks from myself Mom, Dad and family for the wonderful service for Richard. It was completely fitting to what we wanted and everyone said it was just right for Rich. Again thank you for your time and the warmth you have shown us at this difficult and emotional time take care.”
Michelle Woodward x

“Hi Jan, Hope you are well. We want to thank you again for helping us make Ffion and Matilda’s Naming Day so special. We had a wonderful day and the ceremony was very special.”
Many thanks ~ Lindsay, Bob, Harleigh, Ffion and Mattie

“Dear Jan, I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you from myself, my brother Alex and my mother Lorraine for the service you held for my departed father Kenneth Maczkowski yesterday at Rowley Crematorium. Your reading was sincere, graceful and warm and we couldn’t have wanted for a better celebrant, and not to mention the lovely person that you are.
We were very happy to meet you and will never forget how special you made our farewell to such a beloved and such an important man in our lives.”
Love and best wishes, Hannah Benson

“Hi Jan, I wanted to say thank you for being part of Dad’s day and making it a special memory for us. The service was lovely and so was the wake, having a jazz band on made it extra special plus the weather was kind to us too. Everyone has said what a lovely day (as far as funerals go) that it was.”
Thanks again, Jayne x

“Dear Jan, We would like to thank you so much for our mom’s service. Everyone has said how great it was to share the memories and laugh, and how you made us so relaxed. It wasn’t a day I was looking forward to, but you got us through it. Thanks again, you are a true professional and very dedicated.”
Kindest regards, Joanne Rollason

“Hi Jan, I’d just like to thank you for the way you presented the service for Andy last week. Everyone has commented how lovely it was. From the minute you stepped into our home I knew you were the right person to do it as you were just lovely and made us feel completely at ease at such an awful time.”
Thank you so much, Mandy Pagett

“Hi Jan, thank you for such a wonderful service it really captured Springy’s character, it was delivered with such passion that a couple of people asked us if you knew him or how you knew him. The service helped our family remember the happy times we enjoyed with him even though it was a sad day to say goodbye surrounded by Andrew’s carers, family and friends we felt he had the best possible send off. So once again I would like to thank you from us all for such a wonderful service. “
Love from Sue, Fred, Emma and Ethan x

“Hi Jan, Hope you well, just wanted to thank you from all Jeans family for the beautiful service. Many people commented how lovely it was and said it was fantastic. You composed it so well and it flowed perfectly. You made a tragic day a lot easier.”
Kind regards Mike

“Hi Jan, Would like to say a big Thank you from myself and my family for such a beautiful service for dad today, we had lots of lovely comments of how well it was put together.”
Take care Sue

“Dear Jan, This is just to say a big thank you for coordinating Mummy’s Funeral so superbly. You certainly summed up her character perfectly which in itself is amazing since we just had one meeting at home prior to the event. Everyone thought it was a brilliant send off – humorous (as indeed she was) but dignified as we intended it to be. And the greatest compliment of all and uttered by so many ‘Nancy would have loved it!’. For this we are indebted to you and your expertise. We knew what we wanted but you made it happen! You really are a gem and we were lucky to find you!”
With our thanks and love from Joanie Delingpole and Martyn Price

“Hello Jan, Thank you for your help for the Hyde family last Friday. You put together a very sensitive and beautiful service for our mother, I am sure she would have been pleased herself.”
With very best wishes, and on behalf of my sisters, David Hyde

“Dear Jan, I just wanted to email you to say thank you so much for doing Andrews service yesterday. You wrote a lovely and very fitting service and I think he would have been honored. You were always so calm and reassuring, and helped make such a difficult time easier. There seemed to be a lot of people there and it was so sad and difficult to say goodbye to him, especially when the curtains were drawn. It is now so final, and I have to start making a new life without him. Thank you again for everything.”
With best wishes from Dee xx

“Dear Jan, I would just like say a big thank you from my sister and I for the beautiful service that you carried out yesterday for our mom. Everyone has commented how lovely it was and how it touched them all in some way. You helped us bring all of the wonderful memories of mom together and for that we are so grateful it was so hard to put things down in writing but I think it helped us so much and gave us great comfort.”
Love Mandy x

“Dear Jan, I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to you for Tuesday’s service for my Dad.
Terry was not at all a religious man but we didn’t ever really discuss his funeral arrangements. I knew it would have not felt right to have a ‘traditional’ religious service but I wasn’t entirely sure what would have been appropriate instead. Thanks to your advice, suggestions, diligence and compassion, I really don’t think the funeral service could have been more perfect for him.
Thank you for the initial call, the subsequent conversations with me and my family, your early suggestions, your flexibility and your care and attention to detail on the day itself. At every stage I was well-informed, in control of decisions, and guided appropriately where necessary. I was never rushed into decisions – rather, given the time to come to my own conclusions. At what is clearly a difficult time, your approach was enormously supportive and reassuring.
You also gave me the opportunity to deliver the Eulogy, knowing that you could step in if I needed you to. I am so pleased that I took the opportunity to write and deliver it myself, so thank you also for giving me that opportunity and the confidence to do it.
Everyone who attended was very complimentary about the service too. It seemed much more personal, heartfelt and more of a celebration than a traditional funeral. Dignified too though. Just the right balance.
Thank you so much for all of your time and support, and for leading the service in the way that you did. You only have one attempt at getting a funeral service right for the deceased and for the bereaved. You helped me to get it right for my Dad, and I will always be grateful.”
With my very best wishes, and on behalf of all of my family, David x

“Hello Jan, I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart from me and my family. Dad would have been proud and it was beautiful. Thank you so much.”
Kind regards, Susan

“We asked Jan to be the celebrant for the naming ceremony for our daughter three years ago. We were lucky to have a second daughter and Jan has recently conducted her naming ceremony too! She had a relaxed yet thorough approach to the run up to the ceremony and ensured everything ran smoothly.
Jan is very professional and we would not hesitate to recommend her. She has great ideas which contribute to a perfect event, and has always received positive comments from our guests. Thank you Jan!”
Best wishes, Jen and Shim

“Hi Jan, Just wanted to express my sincere thanks for your support and assistance in planning the funeral for my beloved mum. My mum was so special to her family and we all wanted a service to reflect this. You delivered a perfect service which gave us all time to include all the family special memories, and poems which reflected the beautiful person my mum was.”
Thank you so much in making our farewell so special, from all the family

“Hello Jan, We would like to thank you for the kind words you said about Paul, all the people we spoke to said how the day and the service was great. We could not have asked for anything better and for that we thank you again.”

“Hi Jan, We just wanted to say a very massive thank you for a beautiful service for dad yesterday, it was just as we had hoped, personal and captured dad so beautifully, a testament to your listening when we described him to you, we were all so touched and moved. Also, all the visitors also commented to us how beautiful and well presented it was too.”
A very big and sincere thank you, from Mum, Stephen and I; Yvonne x

“Dear Jan, Cliff’s family and friends have asked me to convey their gratitude to you for a lovely service. They were very appreciative of the dementia poem and of the fact that there were no hymns, which they thought was different (but in a good way). The service conveyed the celebration of Cliff’s life and was uplifting and they were appreciative that it did not dwell on his passing.”
Thank you for all your assistance, Gill

“Dear Jan, Please accept my sincere thanks for the lovely service you took for my uncle. Such a peaceful service which was just right under the circumstances.”
Thank you for your held and support.

“Hi Jan, I would like to thank you for the professional and wonderful service you conducted for the recent funeral of my uncle. Everyone commented how nice it was and said they wished all were like that. It was the type of service they would wish for themselves.”
Again many thanks, regards Tony

“Good Morning Jan, On behalf of ‘Team Tighe’… We just wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for delivering just the perfect service for Dad… and for all of us too! Is it possible to be sad and glad at the same time? It’s the only way we can explain our sadness… though also how glad we were to be guided by your serene expertise. As we said earlier… we felt in safe hands from our first meeting Jan and you delivered with professional grace… which was just so fitting for our beloved Derrick James Tighe.”
Thank you x

“Dear Jan, I just want to say a big thank you for conducting my fathers service today at Yardley Crem. It was a lovely service and Dad would have been proud; it was moving and above all it summed Dad’s life up and the person he was. Once again a big thank you from all his family and friends.”
Jillian

“Hi Jan, We’d like to thank you very much for a wonderful service for Carl.
Everyone said it was very fitting and it bought people to smile about him; so thank you thank you very much.”
Amanda and family xx

“Dear Jan, We just wanted to drop you a quick email to express how wonderful the service was for Mum, it was simply just beautiful. The way you delivered the service was so lovely and it really expressed how loved and wonderful Mum was, she would have really liked the service and would have been proud of everything herself.
The family and friends who were there to celebrate the life of Mum were so impressed with the service, the kindness and respect shown during this time and also the location.
The service notes which you left with us are just such a lovely way in which we can read and absorb the service once again, obviously it is such an emotional day and not all of the information is absorbed at the time. We have also been able to show this to some of the friends and family who were not able to come to the service and wake.
There were many tears but also much laughter and memories spoken about when everyone went to the Lyttelton Arms for the wake.
Thank you once again for your calm and kind words spoken through out this time. Maybe we will meet again, don’t know where don’t know when….”
Kind regards, Harold, Dawn & Zoe x

“Dear Jan, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful service you gave mom, you spoke all the words I wanted to say about my beloved mother, but I would not have been able to speak, you turned a very sad occasion into a wonderful memory of mom everyone there thought it was an amazing tribute to her they were all very impressed.”
Many thanks and best wishes, Sue Harris

“Hi Jan, Just wanted to say a big big heart felt thank you from me and my family for everything you did during the planning of Nan’s service. You are so good at your job and it really does mean a lot at times like this. I know you probably get a lot of thank yous but I really cant put into words how thankful we are that we had you to speak at Nan’s service. Everyone thought it was the nicest most fitting funeral we could have had for Nan.”
Thank you again. Lots of love. Sam xxxxxxx

“Dear Jan, Please accept thanks on behalf of myself and all the family for an eloquent and compassionate delivery of the service we wanted for my late stepfather. It went just as my mother had wanted it and gave her some closure. May love and peace forever surround you.”
Many thanks again for you kindness and care. James Mills

“Dear Jan, Thank you so much for all you did to make Pat’s day on Saturday such a remarkable occasion. In spite of the cold wind all who were there said just how uplifting and moving it was and in an idyllic spot. The celebration and memorial to Pat at the school could not have been better. There just seem to be a lovely atmosphere in the room despite the sadness. When the dancing started at the end I was so happy – and Pat would have loved it! I felt that your words were most appropriate and delivery beautifully.”
With grateful thanks, Derek

“Dear Jan, I would like to thank you for delivering a memorable service for Dad. Everyone thought the tone and atmosphere you achieved was perfect for the occasion, and left feeling that Dad would have been happy with this celebration of his life by a family who loved him deeply.
Also many thanks for the copy of the ceremony which I think is a great idea. I will make copies for the immediate family as a memento.”
Wishing you well for the future and with very best wishes, Jane Keil

“Hello Jan. Just a quick message to say a big thank you again for the service last Monday it went off absolutely brilliantly and was all down to you.. You made everybody at ease and I would highly recommend you to other people.”
So Thank you again and take care, Andrew

“Dear Jan, I would like to take this opportunity to “Thank you” for the excellent Service you conducted for my Dad. You have a lovely calming voice (your Black Country dialect wasn’t too bad!) as you promised you looked after us from start to finish.
At the Wake afterwards you were the topic of conversation, every one said “what a lovely Service” I have never been to a. funeral with such a personal touch. On the few occasions Jane and I have been out, people who attended have come up to us and again said “what a lovely service” for this again we ‘Thank you'”
Kind regards, Carol

“Hi Jan, A million thanks for Monday – the day went so incredibly well – I’m sure Mum was there loving it too. Botanical Gardens was lovely and we collected £190 that I took over to Acorns who were thrilled to bits!!!”
Take care and loads of love, Vicky

“Dear Jan Holden. Please accept thanks on behalf of myself and all the family for an eloquent and compassionate delivery of the service we wanted for my late stepfather. It went just as my mother had wanted it and gave her some closure. May love and peace forever surround you. Many thanks again for you kindness and care.”
J.Mills

“We were introduced to Jan Holden through the untimely passing of our dad and the use of Stourbridge Co-operative Funeral Services. Being keen to use a celebrant who our dad would have approved of, whilst respecting his request for a Humanist funeral, we had been matched well to Jan’s services.
As the only next of kin, we were met with a daunting task of making all funeral arrangements whilst managing grief and all the practicalities that ensued. After our initial meeting with Jan, a huge weight had been lifted from our shoulders as we had been given a path to follow, with help and guidance along the way from a true professional.
From the onset, we knew we had to create a funeral that was a celebration of our dad’s life, rather than a sombre, upsetting occasion. With Jan’s guidance and positive attitude, together we wrote a beautiful, heartfelt, non-religious service that any dad would have been proud of. The process of researching and writing about our dad’s life, albeit very upsetting, was cathartic to all involved and was a great help and comfort in a time of grief.
Once the final draft service had been agreed via a few emails, Jan assured us that all would be taken care of on the day of the funeral and not to worry. She gave us much assurance beforehand, of an experience that neither of us had dealt with so far in our lives.
Her positive, caring nature, warmth and empathy prevailed throughout, and on the day of the funeral Jan was an amazing presence to have had by our side. The service was read with passion, without fault and directed from beginning to end with a calming, sensitive authority.
It was a delight for all, to hear a rapturous applause at the end of our dad’s service and he would have been so proud of everyone involved and who were able to attend on this very special day.
After the service and during the wake, we had many comments from friends, family and past colleagues who were so pleased that our dad’s day was a true celebration of his life! A non-religious service with our chosen words, music and tributes, where everyone had the opportunity to celebrate, remember and appreciate the good man he was.
So, thank you Jan! Our dad’s day will never be forgotten and your unique contribution will always be remembered and highly recommended.”
Chris and Jenny

“Jan Holden recently presided at my Dad’s funeral. It was the first funeral in which I had any direct involvement in the planning and organisation, so it was a tough experience. During the preparations, however, Jan allayed all my concerns, by combining professionalism and sensitivity. She was able to accommodate all our wishes whilst blending them perfectly with appropriate suggestions of her own. During the funeral itself Jan’s relaxed and informal but nevertheless dignified style meant that the service was very appropriate to my Dad and very memorable. I am proud that, with her help, we were able to give Dad the kind of send-off I believe he would have wanted. Moreover, I’m certain that it was the type of funeral he would have enjoyed himself. At the wake following the funeral more than one of our guests said, “… it was as if she knew your dad”. I would not disagree with that for a moment. It is a perfect summary of the contribution Jan made to the funeral, as well as being a reflection of the gifts that she undoubtedly has as a celebrant. Many thanks and best wishes.”
John and the other family and friends of Mick Durkin.

“Dear Jan, On behalf of my family I’d like to give a huge thank you for the excellent eulogy you gave my Mom. You managed to capture the spirit of Mom in a very unique way, and how you spoke about her was if you personally knew her.So many people complimented me on a wonderful service, some even saying it was the best one they’d ever attended. Many thanks for make what was a difficult occasion quite special and your choice of poems was spot on.”
Thanks again, Peter

“Hi Jan, On behalf of all the friends and family who attended the service on Friday for Joe and Sue, please accept our sincere gratitude at the beautifully delivered service, we thought the way in which you conducted yourself and the service was very professional it was such an honor to their memories.”
Thank you, Sandra and Family

“Dear Jan, I would like to thank you on behalf of my family for the sensitive service you performed for Mom yesterday. You hit just the right note of gentle humor and affection, that blunted the edge of the sadness of the occasion, and made the bidding of farewell to Ma easier to bear. Thank you for the time and effort you gave to me personally, and for a service that did Ma proud, she would have been so pleased.”
With many thanks, Pam and the Family

“During the worst time of my life, with the loss of my husband and my Dad, the funeral company introduced me to Jan. She explained to me about celebrant services and how they work. It was perfect for us. She gave me headings and timings to work to and guidance and support. Our funerals were so lovely, and personal to the family. I look back on them with pride, they both had the best, most appropriate send off possible. I have received so many positive comments from the funeral attendees on the beautiful services. This is all thanks to Jan’s help in composing the services and for conducting the services so warmly and professionally. I would not hesitate to recommend Jan to anyone, and thank her with all my heart.”
Julia Cooke

“Hi Jan, I would just like to thank you so much for the lovely service that you gave us for Fred. Your words were lovely and you gave it a nice personal touch with your warmth and care.”
From all my family a very big thank you. Take care, Sue

“Hi Jan, I would like to thank you for the wonderful service for our Nan Rita. It was a hard day but your conduct, professionalism, charm and personality was greatly appreciated.”
From the Phillip, Simon, Nadine and the family of Rita Gardner

“Dear Jan, we just wanted to say thank you for the beautiful service you conducted for Margaret’s funeral last week. Your help and suggestions on the content were perfect, and much appreciated, and we felt it was a very special and personal tribute to a much loved Mom, Nan and friend. We had lots of comments afterwards from family and friends all agreeing what a lovely service it had been.
Once again very many thanks.”
Kind regards ~ Marian, Geoff and Gray

“Dear Jan, Words are sometimes inadequate to express what we feel but I would like to try to thank you, so very much, for the way you conducted Clive’s funeral service.
We had hoped for a simple, rather informal, service reflecting his character and taste in music. Also to respect his lack of religious beliefs while, at the same time, keeping a spiritual element. The whole service was exactly what we had hoped for and more. The words you chose and the way you conducted the service saw to that. It was moving, sincere and uplifting. We are most grateful for all the thought and planning that went into it and for the trouble you went to to make sure that everything went so smoothly and just the way we wanted.
Other mourners were really impressed and said what a lovely service it had been. One friend says that he has decided to change his plans for his own funeral to make it more like Clive’s, and I am going to too! Those who knew him well all agreed that the service was exactly what he would have wanted. Some even asked if you had known him and were surprised to learn that you had never actually met him.
Finally I would like to express my appreciation for the care and kindness you showed towards myself and the family particularly at the most emotional moments. We will never forget it and will always be enormously grateful.
Very many thanks from Richardson family and especially from me.”
Many thanks Matt x

“Thank you so much for conducting the most beautiful service for our daughter’s naming ceremony. You were the perfect person to help make Phoebe’s special day one to remember  All of our family and friends thoroughly enjoyed the ceremony. You will be highly recommended!”
Thank you again. Helen, Ryan & Phoebe xxx

“I wanted to thank you again for all your help. When you first came out last Wednesday evening you were wonderful with my father-in-law, husband and brother in law, you were very gentle, kind and clear which was what was needed at that time. Everyone I spoke to said what a beautiful service it was, not just the content but also how the content was delivered, they said that they felt the emotion and sincerity in every word and that was down to you. Your input to the content was spot on and Brian mentioned numerous times how Sue would have been happy with the service.”
Thanks again and take care, Wendy

“Thank you so much for the warm and heart felt service for my Grandad; it was just what he would’ve wanted – stories of his life – none of the other stuff. He would’ve been proud… The kindness and dignity you showed my Nan and the family was amazing.”
Regards, Andrew

“Sincere thanks from us both for a really lovely service yesterday for Mom’s funeral. You managed to turn our rather disjointed jottings into a flowing story with all the right feelings but without emphasising the sadness. Our choice of a Humanist service had caused some concern within older members of the family but we have had nothing but positive responses after the service, and some friends and family have said it seemed strange that they were feeling happy at the end of such a sad occasion. Some people also expressed a sadness that their loved ones had not been celebrated as we had done with Mom yesterday. You achieved a feeling that she was still with us and that we were not leaving the crematorium without her. This set the tone for the wake with many people sharing happy memories of Mom and enjoying the occasion.”
Kind regards, John and Ilona

“We would like to thank you for the lovely service you gave at our late Fathers funeral, all the family and our friends commented how beautiful the service was; we couldn’t have of asked for a more heart-felt service. The memories you kindly gave us from the information you were provided with, were delivered as if you’d known him for many years. We are all truly grateful for your kind words not just of Dad but including Mum as well. We thank you.”
With regards from Stephen, Gary, David, Karen & the Grandchildren and all the Family

“I just wanted to say a huge ‘thank you’ for the lovely service you gave for Joan today. You brought warmth and compassion to what could have been a very dismal occasion. Jan, Simon and Peter all commented that they had learned something new about Joan and that’s largely due to your knack of turning the smallest scraps of information into a moving and personal tribute. Peter also really appreciated the way you acknowledged his mother’s recent death. Although he found it very moving, he thought the dementia poem was an incredibly good choice, being relevant to both sisters. On a side note, I thought you looked fabulous! I think male celebrants can appear very distant and formal in their suits and ties, whereas, you brought warmth and empathy to the occasion. Thank you so much for your help and understanding, and for making a difficult situation much more bearable.”
With very warmest regards, Jayne

“Thank you for an amazing ceremony today. It went really well and the day was perfect! Thoroughly enjoyed by everyone! Thanks you for making it so special.”
Love Jen, Shim & Malli x

“Once again I would like to thank you for the service you delivered at my Father’s funeral on Monday. I realise it was not an easy service to produce and deliver on what turned out to be a very difficult occasion and I will always remember the service and remain grateful to you. The service was sensitive, thoughtful, kind, delivered beautifully and very dignified and the care you showed to us as a family was very much appreciated and other attending family members commented on it being a lovely service. Thank you so much for the time and support you have given me at what is a very difficult time in my life, I will be eternally grateful.”
Take care, Love Jane x

“Jan put together a truly beautiful service for my Grandfather in January 2014. Funerals can be a sensitive subject, but Jan handled every fine detail with the utmost professionalism, she was personable and made a sad situation in to one that was memorable for the better. Jan was a great support to our family through this difficult time and we are really thankful for all her help.”
Laura

“Dear Jan, Thank you so much for our perfect service yesterday, everyone loved it and we went on to have a wake filled with love and fun!”
Best wishes….

“Hi Jan, Just had to send you a big thank you mail for all you did for us today at Normans funeral. We are so grateful to you for the service you provided to my family today, it was a truly beautiful, sensitive and a professional service and we are eternally grateful for all your help and support. We were all very impressed with the service and sincerely thank you. Your presence today made the whole day so much more bearable and we will never forget your kindness. Many thanks Jan”
Kind regards Lynda xxx

“Hello Jan, I’d like say thank you for the service for my mother. It was really apt and was just Mom – so recognisable and we all including her friends, felt part of her because there was something that made it personal to each of us . Again thank you, we have said farewell and are now trying to move on, and you have helped us in making that transition.”
Take care, Jan

“Dear Jan, I need to let you know what a wonderful service you gave John. Everyone came to me and wanted to know who and where I had you from and were incredibly moved by the way in which you gave the service. The feeling and compassion that was there with you, was heard by all and very moving too. I cannot Thank You enough for your kindness and caring ways”
Pam x

“Hi Jan, Just a few lines to thank you so much for the service, respect and sensitivity with which you conducted the service for Peter yesterday. You brought so much comfort to the family and especially myself and the children that we cannot thank you enough. You actually made Suzie believe that the angels, her Dad and Nan were walking him up into the clouds to collect his wings and be well and happy again. She has told everyone about it, it was such a comfort to an 8 year child who has had a lot of tragedy in her short life. Once again, thank you”
Best wishes, Jean x x

“Dear Jan, I just wanted to let you know how grateful we were that you were able to conduct Dad’s funeral. As you know, he was very clear that it was to be a celebration of his life and not a sombre occasion, and from the moment we met you, we knew you were going to be perfect. Mum, Catherine and I really appreciated the time you took to get to understand us and get to know what kind of a person Dad was. Your calmness, empathy and professionalism was welcomed at such an emotional time. You conducted the service as if you knew us, and it was the perfect light-hearted and upbeat celebration we all wanted. We cannot thank you enough. Best wishes”
Emma

“Just to say a massive ‘thank you’ for everything you did to make our Wedding Ceremony so special for us, from our first meeting, through the rehearsal, to the actual Day itself. Your endless patience and good humour when we kept changing the wording, the format, the delivery was very much appreciated. And your support and guidance on the Day itself was sublime. It all adds up to the fact that we had a wonderful Day and the fact that, without your help it wouldn’t have been as stress-free, enjoyable, moving and fun!
Thank you again, so much, for everything, with love and best wishes”
J and P x

“Jan was our celebrant on 6th November 2011 when we renewed our wedding vows on our ruby wedding anniversary. We found her on the internet and invited her to come and meet us before deciding whether to book her for our special day. From the moment we met her we found her to be friendly, down to earth and so easy to talk to and knew straight away we wanted her to conduct our renewal service. We wanted to design our own service but were a bit short on ideas and thats where Jan comes into her own, she talked us through lots of different things we could include in the service and then left us to decide just what we wanted. We also wanted to write our own vows but were a bit worried about how to word just what we wanted to say so Jan suggested we write down our feelings about each other and also what we thought marriage friendship and love meant to us individually and from all our words she wrote our vows for us. We have to say when we read them we knew she had a special talent as they were perfect and said exactly what we felt for each other. Jan sent us several drafts of the service and each time we made some small adjustments until we felt it was perfect. We then arranged a rehearsal which went very well and put us so at ease that things would be perfect on the day and they certainly were. Every single one of our guests commented on what a beautiful service it was and how emotional and unique it was. We invited Jan to join us at our reception after the service and she was inundated with compliments on how lovely the service had been. The Hotel where we held it also asked if they could meet up with her about recommending her to future clients who were thinking of renewing their vows and looking for a celebrant to officiate. We want to thank you Jan from the bottom of our hearts for making our day so perfect, we have so many wonderful memories of the day and the beautiful service you helped us design will always be the memory we hold dearest in our hearts. With many, many thanks.”
Joan and Mick Hatfield.

“Dear Jan, thank you so much for making the day so special. I had intended to ask you to join us afterwards, and I think more than a few people wanted to thank you themselves. No end of people asked about you, what a wonderful service you gave, and how you interpreted Moms life so well, thank you again. I hope you can continue to help other families as beautifully as you have ours. These sentiments are sincerely echoed by my sister and her husband too.”
Diane and Phil xx

“Dear Jan, Alan and I would like to thank you most sincerely for Betty’s cremation service last week. Being able to bridge Betty’s Church of England and our Catholic faiths. You put together a most appropriate service and led it with great empathy. You spoke the words with genuine feeling and we appreciated it very much. Thank you again, yours very sincerely”
Alan and Margaret

“Hi Jan, Just emailing our most heartiest, thanks for the service yesterday. It was a truly great day, you did our Mother proud, she would have loved it, as we all did. You captured her in a short moment with just the perfect mix humour, pathos, and love. It was a hard day for myself and Wendy but you got us through it. Many thanks, it was perfect. Yours sincerely” (Please use this for future reference for any other clients you will get a glowing report from us anytime needed)”
Troy and Wendy Barker xxxx

“Hi Jan, Thank you so much for making my Grandad’s service so special. You couldn’t have been any more thoughtful, my Nan was totally put at ease by you and she said the service was such a true reflection of him. And a huge thank you for sorting out the problem with the music CD at the last minute! I would recommend you to anyone who wanted beautiful and peaceful service. Thanks again”
Bec x

“To whom it may concern: It is difficult to know where to begin; the list of attributes that Jan brought is extensive and comprehensive. I truly cannot imagine that anybody – and I do mean ANYBODY – would have done a better job. She was asked to lead the service at very short notice, less than 3 days but despite that her input was simply phenomenal and ensured that the service was perfect. No, correction, it was beyond perfect and beyond all aspiration or expectation. Her patience was inexhaustible; her commitment, amazing; the level and nature of support and direction, remarkable; her attention to detail, absolute. Jan provided a massive amount of gentle but firm guidance without being intrusive or invasive. Her respect for all of the people involved and the clarity of thought that she brought to the situation was perfectly balanced. It was very clear to all involved at every stage that she genuinely cared deeply and sincerely, that she put her whole heart into delivering our wishes and aspirations, that she took the time to listen, understand and then suggest perfect options for us to consider. In addition to crafting a beautiful service, Jan also provided invaluable practical support in liaising with the Funeral Directors, the crematorium etc which helped remove time consuming and stressful issues as well as ensuring solutions to the inevitable last minute problems. Once again, I truly cannot imagine that ANYBODY would have done a better job and it is simply impossible to recommend Jan more highly – a unique and amazing person. If you would like to talk to me in more detail about this please do not hesitate to email me and I will call you within 24 hours to provide a more personal reference for Jan.”
chris.galea@tbwa.com.sg

“Dear Jan, Thank you once again for all your help, so many people commented on how beautifully you handled the service. Glad you liked the flowers, it was the least we could do. Thanks again”
Sarah

“Hi Jan, thank you so much, Both Mom and all the family were really happy and impressed with the service, it did Dad proud. Thank you again”
Anne

“Dear Jan, On behalf of the family, I would like to thank you very much indeed for the beautiful service which you conducted yesterday for Peter. I am sure that he would have loved every minute of it. Once again, very many thanks and all the very best for the future.”
David Tillotson

“Dear Jan, Thank you for your email, I will ensure my parents have the transcript to read and am sure they will find comfort in your words. Again thank you so much for what you did today, you truly conducted a beautiful and appropriate service in an empathetic and professional manner, it is much appreciated by my family. I wish you well. With my kindest regards”
Janice