about evelyn temple
Evelyn Temple is a qualified civil funeral celebrant. She is passionate about helping people recognise that
they have the freedom to choose the ceremony they want. She spends time with the family to prepare
and lead an independent bespoke ceremony which is tailored exactly to what they feel their loved one would have wanted.
She weaves together the
words and memories of family and friends with their chosen music and
readings to carefully and individually frame a fitting tribute and
contemporary funeral ceremony. An independent,
or civil funeral can include as many popular cultural elements and as
much or as little religion as desired. Evelyn works with bereaved
families to arrange funerals that are not tied to any church nor any
particular secular group - so you can go your own way - totally non-religious, or including some spiritual elements as you choose.
Evelyn conducts funerals in Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey. She works closely with fellow celebrant Belinda Forbes to help ensure that you can always choose to have a local celebrant. Evelyn and Belinda both live in Sandhurst, Berkshire and work mainly at Easthampstead Park Crematorium - Bracknell, Park Crematorium - Aldershot, and St John's Crematorium in Woking.
People generally
think it must be a 'hard' job. Sometimes it can be quite pressured,
but I really enjoy meeting the families and friends and listening to their
memories and ideas. It is also a very satisfying job - knowing that we've
successfully created a personal, meaningful ceremony and got it just
right. The feedback I receive is so rewarding and makes me feel that
what I do really 'makes a difference' every time. Someone described me as being 'a bit like a midwife - but at the other end of life', like a good friend helping you walk through the massive transition that a death can bring.
I found out about Civil Funerals whilst researching alternative and non-religious funerals when studying for a postgraduate diploma - The Rhetoric and Rituals of Death at Winchester University.
The course was a fascinating insight into funeral practices throughout history and around the world. I decided I really wanted to be involved in something practical and creative to help people at this difficult and vulnerable time in their lives. I'd like to help people to break some of the taboos associated with funerals and to go their own way, and not be driven only by tradition, or the fear that they maybe aren't 'allowed' to do something they'd really like to. I like to offer people the opportunity to say goodbye to a loved one in whichever way is most appropriate and meaningful to them.