That is such a huge question and not one any of us can answer in a sentence. I once heard Marian Keyes speaking and, when asked about why her books didn’t always have a happy ending she replied “we all have happy endings, they just happen more often than we realise and they are almost always temporary.” That stuck with me and so I now describe myself as An Optimist, Creating My Own Happy Endings and Helping Others to Celebrate Their Own Endings. So that is me in. sentence. Now for the longer version……..
I love people. I love to people watch, I enjoy talking to strangers, I like to listen to stories, I am fascinated by current day culture of celebrity and influencers, I am intrigued by what makes people tick. I will always remember my first day at work when a girl named Sue asked me about 50 questions without taking a breath. She ended by saying “I am not nosey, I am just interested!” That really made me laugh and I adopted the saying myself. She didn’t work with me for long but whenever I repeat that I can see her laughing and hear her voice. It is true about never knowing how you might impact somebody’s day. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is listening to people recount stories like this about their loved ones and being able to weave that into a celebration of their life, bringing back those moments for those left behind and reminding others of stories they may have long forgotten.
Dogs. It has been said that Dog is God spelled backwards. I truly believe that Dogs are Angels sent to us to teach us lessons, support us in times of need and to encourage us to play, feel joy and remember to have fun. They bring out the best in people and I am never happier than when I am in the company of a dog, except if it’s a whole pack of dogs and then I am ecstatic. I have had the honour of helping to celebrate the lives of several dogs by creating special memorial walks and celebrations when a beloved companion has died. Having lost many dogs myself throughout my life I know how difficult it is to get through that grief. With this in mind I have trained as a Pet Bereavement Support person and that has really helped me when working with owners to create really special memorials.
I completed my degree in Irish Studies in 2024 with a major focus on Literature. My love of people and the lives they lead was always going to mean that my dissertation would be an autobiography. I chose to write about Norah Hoult, a brilliant but mostly forgotten Anglo Irish author of the 20th Century and she helped me to win the George Huxley Prize for the best dissertation. I have often been called a geek (often as an insult but I take it as a compliment). I love to delving into research. Be that reading, searching through archives, listening to stories about people, finding poetry, music lyrics, film scripts and literature quotes that help me to tell the right story.
Books and Storytelling are my passion. As part of that story telling and, together with my clients, I love to design bespoke symbolic elements that reflect the people and places that are important to them I aim to include everybody attending the ceremony in some way. This makes for a truly inclusive celebration and leaves lasting memories for all.
My background lies in a long career in Civil and Public service where I honed my skills in public speaking, presentation, negotiation and event planning. I have designed and managed events from local village hall gatherings to the Presiding Officers Tour of Wales. I have worked with unemployed groups of people aiming to improve their lives, Chief Executives of all sized companies, Members of Parliament to Royal Equerries. A true indication of how I am able to work with really unique individuals requiring many different outcomes.
When I am not working you will probably find me walking me dog. I love being out in nature and the energy that it brings to me. I also love going on solo adventures be that travelling across the UK, going to gigs, or jumping out of aeroplanes if it smells of an adventure then I am up for it.
Please feel free to ask me any questions either via the Contact Us page or book a free consultation call to learn more about me.
Cheri Kelly Celebrant 