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The Funeral Celebrant Training Programme

To apply for training, please call us for an initial discussion. We can then put you in touch with other Celebrants we have trained and give you details of the application process. This consists of an application form and a writing exercise. As long as your application meets the required standards, you will be offered the opportunity to begin the training programme.

Training is in two stages; distance learning, followed by the residential course. The training programme can be started at any time, allowing for the distance learning to be completed before the residential course.  Your training is completed at the end of the residential course.

Stage 1: Distance Learning Training

This element of the course is contained in a 250-page hard copy workbook. It provides a great deal of background knowledge including an overview of grief theory, bereavement awareness, funerals in the UK, communicating with bereaved families, business skills and much other essential information.

Allow time to complete this stage of the training at home and for assessment to take place before Stage 2. You will of course be working at your own pace and people vary a lot in the amount of time required (but we will advise you). We suggest you start the distance learning a minimum of 8 – 11 weeks before the residential course.  This is generally the recommended time frame to complete this stage if you have other work commitments. If you are able to spend more time, you can complete it more quickly. Please note that your final distance learning module needs to be handed in 3 weeks before your residential course.

Stage 2: Residential Training

The residential training is challenging and immensely practical. You will visit a local crematorium where you will deliver a tribute. You will also role play conducting burials. You will practice interviewing techniques and writing funeral scripts. Reference resources are also available throughout the week and you hear from a funeral director about working alongside them. We will also advise you how to promote your services locally.

The course includes different teaching methods including: classroom style information sessions, own study, demonstrations, presentations, role play and other practical sessions. The style is informal and participative throughout and during the week you will receive constructive feedback to help you progress. Everyone is apprehensive at the start, but you will find that you become fully involved and enjoy the sessions. The residential training has a reputation for being hard work, intensive but thoroughly enjoyable and extremely rewarding!

Tutors and assessors

Your course tutors and assessors will include some of the following people:

Anne Barber, Jill Maguire, Janice Thomson, Barbara Pearce, Nicki Hallett, Ann Adlem, Olivia Burren, Sarah Bertram, James Amos and Lorraine Inglis.

By the end of the training programme you will have learnt:

  • What constitutes a good funeral and be aware of potential pitfalls.
  • How to sensitively interview bereaved clients to obtain relevant information and effectively translate the information into a well written, accurate funeral ceremony script.
  • How to put together the essential structure of a funeral for a burial or a cremation, including the appropriate inclusion of both secular and religious content and appropriate symbolic actions, music and poetry.
  • How to deliver the funeral ceremony with confidence and sensitivity.
  • How to present families with a professionally presented script to keep.
  • How to create appropriate scattering of ashes and memorial ceremonies.
  • To explain the funerals that you conduct to others and understand the wider funeral industry.
  • How to set up a self-employed business as a Funeral Celebrant, and how to promote and administer your business.
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    Call us on 01480 276080

    or email ku.oc.seinomereclivic@ofni

      Checking Celebrant Availability

      If you would like one of our Celebrants to conduct your ceremony, please send us the following details so that we can check availability:






      * Required

      Call us on 01480 276080

      or email ku.oc.seinomereclivic@ofni

        Training Enquiries

        Please provide your details and we will respond to you as soon as possible








        Please note the Level 4 course is for practising celebrants only.

        * Required

        Call us on 01480 276080

        or email ku.oc.seinomereclivic@ofni

        IT Skills you will need both during your training and working as a celebrant

        Do you have the following skills:

        1. Ability in creating, naming, using, saving and retrieving files and folders.
        2. Familiarity with using your version of Word (or similar software).
        3. Understanding of toolbars and icons.
        4. Ability to copy and paste sections of text.
        5. An understanding of ‘track changes’ and how to use this function.
        6. Ability to bold, underline and italicise text.
        7. Be able to change font type, size and colour.
        8. Ability to centre text in the middle of a page and right and left justify it.
        9. Be able to alter line spacing in a document and insert a page break.
        10. Be able to use the undo and redo functions.
        11. Understand how the tab key works.
        12. Ability to use headers and footers, bullet points and numbering
        13. Understanding of the difference between ‘Save’ and ‘Save As’.

        If you said ‘yes’ to all of the above then you have good basic skills.

        If you have answered ‘no’ to any of the above then you will need to improve your basic skills before starting the course. This can be done in a few hours by using one or more of the free online tutorials available on the internet.