Creative Ceremonies
Tiu de Haan - Celebrant & Creative Facilitator
Tiu is a celebrant, creative facilitator, writer and singer. She is passionately devoted to the creation of unique and profound experiences where people connect to the heart as well as to each other. As well as designing bespoke ceremonies for people of all values and beliefs, she facilitates experiential adventures that connect us to our creativity, playfulness and sense of wonder. She is also the ‘creative angel, sage, oracle and advisor in residence’ (their words, not hers) at the Centre for Quantum Photonics, where she teaches quantum physicists how to think the unthinkable.
Watch her TED talk on why we still need ritual here.
Emma Curtis - Minister 'without religion'
Emma is a Minister ‘without religion’ and the founder of Extraordinary Ceremonies. She creates highly personalised funerals and memorial ceremonies based on the personalities and beliefs of those she serves. As a certified thanatologist and grief specialist, as well as a celebrant, she helps the bereaved to feel fully supported through and beyond the funeral ceremony. Emma believes that the traditional stiff upper lip is not serving us well in our grief and facilities gentle, supportive ways to mourn with dignity. She was a finalist for the Good Funeral Guide’s ‘Celebrant of the Year’ Award in both 2015 and 2016.
Emma is also an international opera singer, sound healer, creative arts therapist, breathwork facilitator, body worker and responsible rebel.
Isabel Russo - Head of Ceremonies, British Humanist Association
Isabel worked as an actress in theatre, film and television for 20 years before becoming a humanist celebrant in 2009. Isabel then worked as a funeral, wedding and naming celebrant for four years, before becoming Head of Ceremonies at the BHA in May 2013. The role of ritual and storytelling in shaping and influencing community has been a central thread throughout her working life.
The Revd Canon Dr Sandra Millar
The Revd Dr Sandra Millar heads up national work for the Church of England around life events, including funerals. Her work helps churches to be part of the conversation about death and dying, help people plan good funerals and offer support through remembering, grief and bereavement.
She was ordained in July 2000 after a career in retail marketing and has worked as a vicar in Barnet and in Oxfordshire before moving to Gloucester in 2007 where she worked as the Diocesan Adviser for work with Children and families...
She travels extensively for work, lives in Gloucester and helps with local services as much as possible. Sandra is also the author of severalbooks on families and worship, and helped develop GraveTalk. She likes watching TV and reads a lot of books.