MICHELLE’S INSPIRING FUNERAL

a snowy morning in February 2021,
clandon wood natural burial ground, surrey

Michelle worked with Clare from Poetic Endings to think about what she wanted for her funeral before she died. She wanted her funeral to honour all the things she’d loved and to provide a space for her beloved family and friends to come together to celebrate her life.

Michelle’s funeral took place on a snowy morning in February 2021 at Clandon Natural Burial Ground in Surrey. Her beautiful white willow coffin, adorned with white flowers and spring foliage, arrived in a silver hearse. Her friends and family carried her coffin into the pavilion, where the log burner kept everyone warm, as they waited for the ceremony to begin.

Michelle had chosen the person she wanted to lead her funeral before she died, humanist celebrant Jo Beddington. The attendees listened to Michelle’s favourite music, heard about her extraordinary life, reflected on her achievements and wrote personal messages of goodbye on wooden hearts.

As one of the final songs played, Eddie the horse and his cart appeared on the horizon. At the end of the ceremony, Michelle was carried out of the pavilion and placed on the cart. Eddie then led everyone through the snowy meadow to the graveside for the committal.

After Michelle’s coffin had been lowered, her family and friends gathered to throw white roses and wooden hearts into the grave. Glasses of champagne and hot chocolate with Cointreau were served to help everyone warm up as memories of Michelle’s life were shared.

Watch the film of Michelle’s inspiring funeral

Funeral streaming by UK Funeral Video Services

There was something so special about Michelle’s funeral - how she had been involved in making decisions about what she wanted and how all of her family and friends came together (both physically and virtually) to celebrate her life as the snow fell over Clandon Wood. The power of her funeral will stay with us for a long time.

With thanks to Michelle’s husband Paul for kindly giving permission for the film to be shared, in the hope that other people will be inspired to put together beautiful and meaningful funerals.

Funeral arranged by Clare Harriott, funeral director at Poetic Endings
Ceremony by Jo Beddington, Humanist Celebrant
Flowers by Jennifer at Into the Wild
Funeral livestream and film by Shaun Foulds, UK Funeral Video Services
Clandon Wood is a natural burial ground near Guildford in Surrey