Relaxed, Story-led Funeral Ceremonies and Celebrations of Life in North Tyneside, Newcastle
and across Northumberland and the North East
'Grand Goodbyes' Ceremonies by Humanist Celebrant, Rachael Meyer, North Shields
Email: hello@northernstoryboard.com or call 07795 112009
If you're looking for a professional and experienced humanist celebrant to lead a funeral ceremony for a loved one, I am sorry for your loss. I appreciate how hard it is. I am here to make the planning and delivery of your collective goodbye ceremony as inclusive and as easy as possible. I can do as much or as little as you like.
I work with families and funeral directors in North Shields, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, Monkseaton, Jesmond, Gosforth, Newcastle, Gateshead, Hexham, Corbridge, across North Tyneside and Northumberland - basically within a 20 mile radius of Newcastle Upon Tyne.
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I believe that we only get one life that we know about (the humanist belief) and so it seems only right that a goodbye ceremony should focus on the life that was lived, with plenty of references to the person's character, values and milestones. Who doesn't love a good story? Stories are the things that fuel our imaginations, enable us to leap back in time and recall precious moments that stay in our hearts.
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My ceremonies are relaxed but professional and highly detailed. They're packed with love and care, respect, empathy, sincerity and beauty but they are also written and delivered with understanding and emotional intelligence. I'm a trained speaker, so I can read the room, vary the tone and pace of my delivery, seamlessly include contributions from others, poetry, music, readings, slideshows and videos - and add in element of lightness and humour where required. After all, people always enjoy remembering the good times on such a sad day.
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Whether you opt for a traditional funeral at a crematorium chapel or a celebration of life ceremony following a direct cremation, you're in the right place. I'm happy to chat through your options before you decide, if that helps.
Please do read some of my reviews to get a real feel for working with me. You can listen to me narrating a life story on a script I wrote and video I put together by following a link at the bottom of this page OR you can watch me in action, delivering a celebration of life ceremony here.
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We entrusted Rachael with giving our much-loved wife, mother and grandmother Doreen the best farewell possible - and she truly did justice to Doreen's memory. All her dealings with us as a family, from the first meeting at home to the funeral, were attentive, caring and respectful.
Before the funeral, she had skillfully woven together the story of Doreen's life with many of our happy memories, and at the ceremony she delivered her presentation with warmth, respect and good humour. Thank you Rachael, for helping us to smile between the tears and guide us through the saddest of days with kindness and sensitivity."
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Doreen's family
"Thank you so much for all you invested into making such a beautiful ceremony yesterday. I thought it was wonderful, and I have had lots of messages from friends and family watching online to say how moved they were.
You crafted all our memories into a narrative that was just right for Tom – gentle, easy, funny, meaningful. It felt almost as if you knew him. The whole day made us feel closer to Tom, and to each other, even those across the world, which was all we could ask for."
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Tom's wife
A little about me
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You're probably checking out a few celebrants' websites, and rightly so..... You need to be comfortable that you've chosen the right celebrant. So here's a little about me. I grew up in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, where I've spent most of my life. I've lived in London and Surrey, fell in love with Newcastle and the North East a few years ago, and moved to the Fish Quay at North Shields, in 2024.
With a 30 year career in professional writing, presenting, event management, commercial photography and video production, I am a holistic storyteller - a creative communicator and a people person. Wanting to work more closely on the human element of work with people in my community, in 2018, I trained to be a celebrant with Humanists UK and over the last 8 years, I have delivered over 300 humanist ceremonies across North Yorkshire and the North East. I'm a music lover, a dog and cat lover and I spend as much time with family and friends as possible. I'm also a mentor for new celebrants, and the coordinator of the North East Humanist Celebrant regional network.
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I've worked with families with a multitude of different life stories and I've worked with people of all ages and from many different cultures and backgrounds. I have no accent as such, although occasionally, there may be a small nod to my Yorkshire roots! I've delivered funerals and memorials in all kinds of environments from woodland burials and crematorium chapels to cosy gatherings in village halls and gardens to sparkling evening celebrations of life in favourite pubs and hotel gardens. I am extremely friendly and flexible. I have no rules. I'm easy to talk to, I'm a good storyteller, and I'm an experienced event manager. You're in good hands.
Like many other people, over the course of my life, I have suffered grief and experienced joys. I'm still learning. Still curious. I believe that every life story - whatever it entails - is fascinating, and should be shared and celebrated. We learn so much from others and it's always a privilege to meet families and hear different life stories. My aim is to tell a positive story and to weave in as much detail as possible so that when remembering a life, there is space for sadness, but also reflections on the good times. My scripts do not include any AI. They are written from the heart, following an extensive meeting with you, and perhaps other family members and friends.
Whether we meet online or in person for a couple of hours, I listen well, scribble down notes, and set aside time to write. I weave what I have learned into a comprehensive script packed with the language and tone you use, and plenty of human emotion. I have no rules. Your ceremony will be story led and full of character, but it could also include music and song, readings, photos, candle lightings, whisky or champagne toasts, and anything else that marks and celebrates a life.
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I can guide you through the whole process of your ceremony with incredible attention to detail, and I can work with your venue manager or I can liaise with you or your funeral director on logistics.
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"The tapestry of life, joy and pain is ours to live but once, and not again.
When I look back upon my richly varied years, I crave no more, thankful that I have lived...... so shed no tears." Leslie Scrase
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Ceremony planning
The planning of the ceremony usually takes at least a couple of hours. We can do this face-to-face, or if you prefer (or if distance or logistics dictate) we can meet and plan the content on Zoom. This is a good idea if you want a few people to contribute and you don't all live in the same town.
What's the difference between a funeral and a celebration of life ceremony?
At a traditional humanist funeral, there is no religious content so the ceremony is usually held at a crematorium chapel or burial ground - or split between the two. The coffin is present and often there are usually funeral cars, flowers and a time limit. Sometimes a single slot can be 20 minutes long. Often, crematoria offer a double slot to allow for extra time. Newer crematoria offer longer slots - up to 40 minutes. With a traditional funeral ceremony, it is usual for the funeral ceremony to take place in a crematorium or burial ground or to be split between the two. But there are also options to hold a funeral ceremony at a different venue, as long as logistics and space allow for the coffin.
A celebration of life ceremony usually happens after a cremation - from days to months afterwards. There are no rules. It can be held at any time of day, in any venue - and without time restrictions - giving families and friends a little breathing space to organise it, and the freedom to have a much less formal goodbye ceremony in a venue that usually provides food and drink on site. Whatever you like. ​
Audio Visual Help
As well as writing and delivering a comprehensive funeral or celebration of life ceremony script loaded with detail and warmth, I bring to the table my Northern Storyboard skills and experience with visual storytelling, I am tech-savvy so can put together a slideshow of images, add audio recordings to a series of photos, include audio visual tributes, and organise filming of the ceremony if you need it. I also have a PA and mic. The video below is a life story documentary that I wrote and put together using video tributes from friends and family and photos and video clips supplied by family.
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Pre Planned Ceremonies
More and more people are asking me to write their funeral ceremonies on receiving a terminal diagnosis - taking control over their own goodbye ceremonies to save their families from emotional stress. (Please see my reviews for an example of this.)​ I'm very happy to sit with you for a while, ask your questions and hear your story, I will then go away and write a script, and run in past you for sign-off.
You know your story will be told exactly as it happened, and it will be interwoven with your style, your music, your language and your humour; but you'll also get to see some of the impact your life has had on others; as I will ask those close to you to talk about you too. It all gets written into the script and delivered as and when the time comes.
You could even be present at your own funeral if you like (a living funeral).
Life Story Documentaries
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If you like, in a very relaxed meeting, I can film or audio record you telling your own story. This could be used to keep for prosperity, to slot into a ceremony, to play at a lifetime achievement awards ceremony, or to send to family and friends overseas.
There is nothing like video to help you or their children remember how you look, smile, talk, laugh and move. If you would like us to film and document your own life story or preserve the stories and heritage of an era in which you've worked, please have a look at our video of John Ellis at the bottom of our life stories page . Or check out one of our awards recognition videos. If you'd like to share your story on film, please email me at hello@northernstoryboard.com or call 07795 112009,
Funeral filming
As well as writing and presenting ceremonies, as part of The Northern Storyboard, we offer a combined or stand alone service to film funerals, celebration of life ceremonies and memorial ceremonies. We work at all venues throughout Newcastle, Northumberland, the North East and North Yorkshire on request. Please take a look at our dedicated funeral filming page for more information..
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As an experienced humanist celebrant, I will be there to support and encourage you, and guide you every step of the way. We work together to plan the ceremony, and once I have written the script, you have total editorial control of your loved one's story, readings, music and anything else you would like me to include.
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Readings​
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For those looking for inspiration for readings, I have included on my website a range of non-religious readings and poems for a humanist funeral Please do have a browse through. I'm constantly updating it, so keep checking for new additions.
"If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together… there is something you must always remember.
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You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
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But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart… I’ll always be with you." - Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne