My Profile

My name is Bob McKean  and I was born in the year 1954 in a small mining village not far from where I stay now. My family were miners and worked really hard to eke a living from coal to provide for their family.

Being of an age where I attend a lot of funerals, both cremations and burials I was intrigued that most of the time, the person conducting the service, seemed to be describing a different person to the one I came to say my final goodbyes to.

They were mostly impersonal and very often the celebrant or minister/priest, made mistakes with names, dates and other pertinent information.

I decided that after 40 plus years of gathering information and presenting this information to large gatherings, that my experience would assist me in preparing an personalised service to someone who had passed.

I decided to learn more and studied with the Fellowship of Professional Celebrants and obtained my certificate in Funeral Celebrancy and I am now a member of the fellowship.

I relish finding out as much as I possibly can from the family and friends of the person who's service I am preparing to ensure that, whilst it is a very sad time for those left behind, the celebration of the life that person had when they were alive would be something that was memorable.

I don't see being a Celebrant  as a job, more of a vocation. I  believe I have the empathy and sympathy required to meet families who have lost someone dear to them, as I have and no doubt at my age, will lose many more dear family members and good friends.

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