SICA member Diane McLeish

Diane McLeish‘s biography

Hello, I’m Diane and I live in Perthshire close to Dunkeld. I love it here, the mountains, the rivers, the hills and the forests bring a sense of being guarded by nature. I’ve also lived in Cities and love the buzz whenever I return. I’m also a mum, nana and happily committed partner to Graham and an incurable optimist.

But above all, I love people. That’s what makes it so special to be a Celebrant in our community. As the name suggests, my ceremonies are usually celebrations, honouring a life lost, welcoming a new life or identity or marking an important rite of passage. In addition to my own life experiences and professional background in the NHS, Public Health, Communities and Education I have an open-minded and culturally sensitive approach to life, death and everything in between.

Being happy and bringing happiness to others is key to my existence. I’m eternally grateful for everyone who’s entered my life, lent a hand or shared emotional space, love, kindness, compassion, wisdom, or simply friendship.

As your celebrant, I understandably want to know about you. After all, to celebrate important times in your life, I must truly understand why they’re important. Your stories will help shape your ceremony that I will create with you. The essential ingredients that will give it context and makes it truly meaningful.

Through your stories, I can support and offer personal advice and guidance, and provide a memorable, ceremony that perfectly reflects all your wishes.

I’m happy to travel anywhere in Scotland to undertake your ceremony!

Please feel free to get in touch if you would like to find out more or ask any questions either through this page or call me on 07427668145

Funerals, Interments and Memorials

There are countless words and ways to celebrate a life lived and to say ‘goodbye’ to someone we love. I have had the joy and privilege of being an integral part of people’s rites of passage; special days of saying farewell to loved ones at funerals and memorials.

As a humanist, I accept death as part of the natural order. No matter that we rely on the wonders of science and medicine to delay it, we are all still bound by the cycle of life, growth and death. However, that doesn’t mean that loss is not sad and painful. I have experienced the loss of close family and friends and whether unexpected and sudden, after a prolonged illness, or a long life, death is hard to deal with.

Planning a funeral can be very difficult, usually with little time to organise. Choosing the ideal funeral celebrant to guide your ceremony is very important, as you want the funeral service to not only to be fitting and meaningful but truly reflect the life of your loved one and tell their story perfectly.

Perhaps we might value – and use – our lives to better effect if we could fully embrace the notion that death is inevitable.  Death is around us all the time as we live our lives, and whatever else does or doesn’t happen to you in your life, you will experience death sooner or later. Your death, obviously, but also – more than likely – the death of someone close to you.

Funerals and memorials bring people together to express sadness at the loss but also to celebrate the life lived. They focus sincerely and affectionately on the person who has died, paying tribute to the connections they made and left behind and the way they lived their life.

I like to offer a very personal service from start to finish.  I will meet with you, listen to your stories and write a script and tribute that celebrates the life of your loved one whilst expressing exactly what you want to say, in the way you want to say it.

Every funeral or memorial ceremony I write is unique.  My inspiration is the story of your loved one’s life and time amongst you, the events and special people in their lives and all the things they loved. I will then weave these together to tell the story in just the right way, as a celebration of your loved one’s life. I will focus on honouring, remembering and celebrating the life of your loved one by capturing the essence of who they were and how you want to remember them.

Funerals and memorials are quite diverse and you can organise a ceremony that is bespoke for you. You will find I am equally happy in my wellies in a field at a natural burial ground, on a mountain top, at sea or in a cemetery, as I am in a crematorium or venue such as your home, garden or hall.

My funeral and memorial ceremonies range from the small and intimate to the large and formal; traditional or quirky; relaxed or energetic. Your loved one was unique, and the celebration and tribute of their life should be one that reflects who they were, true to their personality and character.

If you would like a chat to see if I am the person to help, please do contact me.

Naming or Welcoming Ceremonies are fabulous, fun and happy events! They create the perfect opportunity to bring family and friends together to celebrate and welcome as one your baby, child or children into the family. They are a time to not only celebrate but share hopes, wishes and dreams with a nod to the future.

Naming ceremonies are for literally everybody. They can mark a rite of passage; a new beginning; the adoption of a child, children or the blending of families; a personal transition; a life-changing moment of choosing your own name.

They are as unique as those being celebrated. There are no limits to making your ceremony meaningful and memorable. It can be serious, fun, frivolous, light-hearted, musical, themed or a whole combination. It’s your choice.

It’s about being creative. As part of your ceremony, you can include readings; poetry; music; plantings; handprints; time capsules or memory boxes… the possibilities are as infinite as imaginations. It’s your day, your ceremony and you are free to do it your way to create the kind of ceremony you’re dreaming of.

You can involve whoever you like, grandparents, siblings, friends or the entire guest list! You’re free to choose how many guide parents you’d like. You can be as bold as your imagination allows, traditional or untraditional.

The ceremony can take place pretty much anywhere, at any time, if it’s special to you, it’s your choice and doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. Indoors, outdoors, a hall, hotel, park, beach or Forrest, but quite often in the family home or garden.

I’m here to guide, advise and suggest. Tell me what to include, how you want it to look. The most important thing is that it’s unique to you. Whether it’s a small family gathering at your home or a full-on blow-out in a large venue, let’s work together to make it truly wonderful.

It’s your job to relax, enjoy and above all, cherish for a lifetime.