Testimonials

You made the whole event, especially the letter from Palace, so thoughtful and kind at every step. Lots of people commented on how well it went.

Rose.  Croydon Crematorium  19^th Aug2026

I was given all the time I needed to go through everything and tell her all about mum. Sally also brought along a variety of poems to look through and discuss, we listened to and discussed appropriate music. She is a great listener and made a lot of notes along the way.  From this discussion Sally started the first draft of my mum’s Eulogy.

All comments and wishes were listened to and discussed. Initially I was unsure as to exactly what I wanted but Sally had lots of thoughts and ideas that she shared with me.   I was unsure about having a visual tribute but after talking it through I decided to have one and was really pleased I did,

I was very happy with the service Sally provided.  We communicated regularly, by email, texts and phone.  There were several drafts of the Eulogy and it was easy to communicate with Sally to make any necessary changes.  Sally has great attention to detail.  I felt Sally was always there for me, which was a great comfort.

A very professional person, immaculate presentation and conduct throughout. Clear and precise throughout and could be heard by everyone. 

Thanks again for all your help, I definitely couldn’t have done it without you!

Karen

Sally gave me plenty of time to talk through everything and I never felt rushed. She listened carefully to everything I wanted and understood how important it was to make the ceremony personal and a true reflection of my mum and her life.

Sally was warm, approachable and supportive throughout. Communication was excellent and I felt reassured that everything was in safe hands at what was a very difficult and emotional time.

She was professional, respectful and appropriately presented, while also being warm and personable.

Sally spoke clearly and at an appropriate pace, and the service was delivered beautifully.

I would be very happy to recommend Sally to anyone looking for a compassionate, professional and genuinely caring celebrant.

Sally, thank you for helping us give Mum such a lovely and fitting farewell. You took the time to understand who she was and what was important to us as a family, and you brought everything together beautifully.

The service felt personal, warm and genuine rather than overly formal, which was exactly what we wanted. At such an emotional time, it made a real difference knowing that we could trust you to guide us through the ceremony with sensitivity and kindness.

We received some lovely comments afterwards about the service, and I am very grateful for the part you played in making a very difficult day feel so special and a true celebration of Mum’s life.

Thank you again for your kindness, care and professionalism.

Debra

Sally was friendly, compassionate and very professional. She listened to our requirements and made great suggestions for the music etc. An excellent Celebrant.

Ian

Dear Sally

I just wanted to thank you so very much for speaking at Steve’s funeral yesterday, everyone at his wake commented how good you were and what a lovely service it was and your own personal touches such as the red scarf, the letter from Liverpool football club and the sapling made it even more special and unique for me and I certainly wasn’t expecting that so it was a lovely surprise. Once again, a huge thank you.

Jill

We were given plenty of time to discuss the ceremony and never felt rushed.

We were very happy with all of the pre-ceremony service, including the initial meeting, emails, and phone calls. Everything was handled smoothly and professionally.

We would highly recommend your services to other people. The service you provided for Mum was amazing and very much appreciated by all the family.

Thank you again for all your care, kindness, and professionalism during such a difficult time for our family.

Kind regards

Sandra and Linda

Sally was very accommodating to me having to Video Link when the family met her.

All our thoughts were listened to and helpful suggestions from Sally to guide us through the day. Sally was very empathetic to our feelings. 

All the pre ceremony communication went well, and good follow up and support on emails, again guiding us through timings etc

Sally was very appropriately dressed on the day, she made everyone feel welcome, also great on managing the time.

I would recommend Sally , if I lived in the area of Surrey.

E.D

Thank you very much for the beautiful service you conducted for Adrian. Your kind words and thoughtful delivery provided immense comfort to our family during such a difficult time.

We truly appreciate how you captured Adrians life so perfectly.

With gratitude
Lynne, Yui and Brenda

On behalf of my family and myself, I would like to thank you for your kindness, consideration and professionalism in conducting the funeral service for my beloved husband Rob. You gave us your time and guidance when we needed it most. All my guest/relatives remarked on what a lovely service it was. Thank you again.

Ann

We were extremely happy with the way the service was conducted and you were perfect again.

Iris. I

Surrey and Sussex Crematorium 9th Sept 2025

You were incredibly generous with your time, and I never once felt rushed. You created a calm and open space where I felt completely supported in discussing the details of the ceremony.

You truly listened with both compassion and care, and it was clear that every element of the service reflected not only my wishes but also the spirit of who my mum was. It was deeply personal and heartfelt.

From the very first meeting to every follow-up email and phone call, you were consistently professional, warm, and reassuring. Your communication was clear and thoughtful, and I always felt in safe hands.

You were well presented, respectful, and carried yourself with such grace. Your demeanour struck the perfect balance of warmth and professionalism, which brought a great sense of comfort to everyone present.

Your voice was clear, steady, and carried beautifully. Several guests commented on how comforting and engaging your tone was throughout the service.

I would recommend you without hesitation. Everyone who attended commented on how beautiful and moving the service was — many said it was the most thoughtful and well-delivered funeral they had ever been to. Your ability to create such a meaningful tribute was truly exceptional.

More people deserve to know about the amazing work you do. Thank you again for helping to give my mum the most beautiful send-off we could have hoped for.

Rob

Sally contacted me soon after I had engaged the funeral directors, which gave ample time to discuss the ceremony. 

I am very happy with the pre-service communication and service provided. As I don’t live locally a meeting was arranged especially to suit my availability. Regular communication was very re-assuring. 

Sally I am so pleased you were our celebrant. You just know what to say and the words you spoke in the service were perfect. Some of my guests asked me where I’d found you, so having their approval meant a lot. 

Thank You.   

Judith

Jacks funeral was absolutely what we wanted, thank you so much, you did a fantastic job, it was lovely.

Karen

Location: Worthing Crematorium

Sally, you were friendly, kind and compassionate in arranging the funeral for my mother.

It was a stress-free experience given the difficult circumstances.

Gary

Date of Ceremony:   Thursday 22nd May 2025
Type of Ceremony:   Funeral
Location:                    Surrey and Sussex Crematorium (St Richard’s Chapel)

We were given plenty of time. You were consistently patient, professional and knowledgeable when asked about alternative hymns and songs.  You had the technology at your fingertips to show us, and you were helpful in a positive way and we did not feel hurried.

We enjoyed meeting you at our home to go through our ideas for the funeral.  We felt relaxed and you put us at ease. We appreciated how you got back to us quickly with emails and calls.

You conducted yourself with a pleasant demeanour, your clothes were just right for the occasion, and your presentation was clear and well-paced.

We are grateful to Stoneman Funeral Services for recommending you for my mother’s funeral.

You were prompt arriving at our home and you spent time at the Chapel making sure everything was in place for the service.  That was much appreciated by us.

Everything you did was professional and just right for the occasion.  You have a very pleasant manner and one that is reassuring to those who have just lost a loved one. 

We would be more than happy to recommend your services as Celebrant.

Andrew and Loraine

Right from the start your genuine compassion was very obvious and not put on.   You listened and took account of all our wishes.  I had many comments about how well the service was conducted and how personal you made it feel and that you had taken so much notice of the details given to you.

I have used your services before and again the service was made very personal and I would certainly recommend your services.

Christine Saunders

I just wanted to say thank you so much for all you have done for us over the last few weeks, your care and support has been amazing and Tony’s service yesterday was just beautiful and exactly what I was hoping it would be, a wonderful celebration of Tony’s life. I will be forever grateful for that and you made such a heartbreaking day so much easier. So I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything, we really appreciate all you did and Tony absolutely would have too. 

Kind Regards
Sarah

Sally was professional but at the same time very approachable and efficient. We could contact her at any time and her attention to detail was excellent and her suggestions were valued. She turned what could have been a worrying day into a very smooth run ceremony. Sally read the eulogy on our behalf and really understood how we wanted it to come across. She managed to guide us through a very difficult time.

Phil and Jill

Dear Sally,

Thank you for all your help with Marilyn’s funeral service.

Your guidance and reassurance throughout the whole process was much appreciated.

The whole service went beautifully and afterwards everyone said how befitting it was for Marilyn.

Many thanks again.

With kindest regards,
Rowena and Rob

Sally was perfect in every way as Celebrant at the recent funeral of my brother Richard Boreham.  She was kind, thoughtful, and very well organised before during and after the ceremony, which was most comforting. Sally has the grateful thanks of me and my family. I am sure that we are not alone in this and she deserves to be highly recommended.   

Betty and Mike R

Thank you ever so much for your role – it really was great. Also thank you for reading out the speeches and poem written by my brother and me, they were delivered just as we wanted and we could not have done it ourselves.

Kindest Regards,
Ross

2^nd Jan 2025

Surrey and Sussex Crematorium

Sally gave us plenty of time to discuss firstly in the initial meeting and then again via email and follow up phone calls.

Sally listened plus, suggestions were made about things I would not even have considered such as coloured ties in my mother in law’s favourite colour and her dogs at the service.

Everything was carried out in a sensitive, caring yet professional manner.

Everything was very respectful and dignified but personal.

I would recommend Sally’s services to other people  100%

I would like to thank Sally for the sensitivity  showed when we met for the first time and discussed Sheila. You allowed me time to talk about Sheila, and in doing so discovered things about her that meant we could personalise the service.  I could not have asked for better service.

Julie

I was very satisfied with our chats and your ideas and suggestions following my comments and descriptions of my father’s character and very happy with the whole service offered by yourself and the timings etc.

Thank you for your time and effort in finding appropriate poems and songs that were especially close to my father’s lifestyle and his hobbies etc.  Everybody said what a lovely service it was.

I did tell Pamela at Ebbutt that you were brilliant and I would certainly not hesitate to use you again.

Best wishes and a very Happy New Year

Julie x

It was nice to have the face to face meeting. We felt you took the time to ‘get to know’ our mum through our descriptions of her and by looking at photos.

There was ample opportunity to communicate and make decisions. There was good flexibility in how and when to communicate which made it easy for us alongside work.

Thank you for your kindness and compassion. We felt supported and valued. At a difficult time, we felt in safe hands and appreciated the respect and understanding we received.

 Kate and Jo

Sally provided an excellent service to us and Zsuzsa’s friends at a difficult time – thank you so much. 

We have had lots of positive feedback since – with her name mentioned. She read the room beautifully and provided comfort. 

Sally officiated at the memorial of our stepmother. She was kind, organised and listened to what we wanted and delivered an exceptional service, that both honoured our step- mother, capturing  both her essence and mood of those present.

Sally provided direction, leadership and sensitivity at a difficult time.

We would whole heartedly recommend her services.

Michelle H

Thank you to the Funeral Director for recommending Sally Farrell at Oakleaf Ceremonies for the funeral of Sarah, our sister. She was a great choice and delivered everything we asked for. It was a great comfort to have her diligence and care at the event. She made the event which was so difficult for us, easier.

Good call.

Mark

Funeral for Norman at Bluebell Cemetery

I would recommend Sally without hesitation or reservation. It made such a huge difference to me to have her caring help, advice and support throughout the whole process. There were some very last minute changes to the service and Sally’s calm and accepting manner in incorporating them was incredible. She made a difficult process so much easier to deal with and I am only sorry I hadn’t known about Sally’s services for previous bereavements.

Deanna

Date of service 10-09-24

Sally was kindness itself at this most difficult time.

She was supportive to me and my sons, listening to us as we described my husband to her.

She spoke as if she had known Rod all his life – a fact that was commented on by many of our guest at the funeral.

The ceremony could not have been better! Thank you.

Jane

We were given ample time to discuss the ceremony, in fact I was surprised as to how long it took to cover every detail and felt that I was never rushed, and care was made to all details of the ceremony.

All our comments and wishes were listened to so, every aspect of what we wanted was attended to.

All the pre ceremony service was exemplary, we made so many subtle changes leading up to the ceremony yet every detail was carefully reflected in the final service. Emails were attended to at all hours of the day.

Sally dressed so smartly and appropriately on the day, her performance was probably longer than initially anticipated, but all carried out expertly.

Sally’s voice was very clear, I have subsequently watched the video made at the time and every word can be heard on that as well.

I would whole heartedly recommend Sally. In fact my late wife who the service was for insisted Sally be her own celebrant as she conducted such a perfect service for her own father a year earlier.

Sally also gave me an oak sapling, which is a lovely reminder of her expertise and something I’ll enjoy watch grow in the future. A very fitting present.

Derek

We were given plenty of time to discuss the ceremony and all are wishes were listened to.

We were very happy, you followed our requested dress code of something Chelsea Blue.

Sally was recommended to me by Ebbutt Funeral Directors due to the size of my late husband’s funeral. Sally was extremely professional and captured my husband’s personality through the readings to a tee.  Her attention to detail in everything we wanted was second to none. 

Thank you Sally for helping us with such a super send off.  All his friends and family are very much appreciative of your efforts. I would highly recommend Sally to anyone.

Sarah C

Sally came out to the house to discuss a couple of weeks before. Spending a good couple of hours talking to family. And then several emails and phone calls before the ceremony.

The constant contact from beginning to end was seamless and nothing seemed too much trouble.

Everyone that attended commented on how well it was conducted by you and how lovely you made it.

We would recommend your services to other people, 100% you made everyone feel at ease and listened to from beginning to end.

We as a family would like to thank you so very much for making a very a difficult and sad process so much easier to go through with your professionalism and kindness. Keeping us updated and listening to all of our wishes to make a lovely service for our husband/dad.

Becky and Family

Sally was always available and willing to chat over everything that provided comfort and certainty

Sally was incredible in a time of confusion, loss and grief. She was kind, considerate, compassionate, professional and personable. No detail was left uncovered, every part was clarified and explained. She was so keen to understand the person that had passed to make sure her service was for them and celebrated everything about them – wonderful.

L.M.

Thank you so very mush for conducting mums funeral last week. We were very happy with the service. Thank you for all your efforts and comforting words.

Thank you for assisting me with the service. It has been a very difficult time and you helped to make this one less thing to worry about.

Joyce

Dear Sally,

Thanks for all your help in relation to the funeral of my husband, Mark, on 12 July 2024. I thought it all went very well apart from being a little rushed at the end which meant we were unable to complete Mark’s wishes for the music he had chosen for his family to be played at his funeral. This was unfortunate due to the very tight restrictions on the time allowed for the service and I know you did everything you could to avoid this from happening.

Given the short notice I was happy with how the ceremony was conducted.

With best wishes

Susan

We appreciated the face to face meeting at our late friends flat. We got to know you and you us. We were given much direction and help but never felt rushed. Sometimes gently steered to where we needed to be.

Thank you for all your help and guidance. Everything went very smoothly on the day, Joan was given a lovely send off.

The words you put together from our meeting summed up Joan and made it very personal. Well done and thank you.

From Theresa
Cremation at Randalls park Crematorium, Leatherhead.

Sally was caring, calm, thoughtful, thorough, patient, understanding and kind.

Service at Otford Cemetery.

Nadine

Sally was very helpful throughout and conducted the ceremony in a very professional manner. I would not hesitate to recommend her services.

Gaye

I want to thank you for all the kind assistance you gave us at this sad time, your visits, the phone call, emails, all wonderful, and your lovely green dress, I love the colour and so would my late husband.

The poem by Kelly Roper at the end was much appreciated, I know my husband would have approved and several people asked me where I found it, thank you.

You made everything seem effortless, it was all truly first class and I would recommend your services.

With many thanks

The Cox Family

I want to say a belated thank you for the way in which you handled Dad’s service. I think it went very well and I think the service which we ended up with, which you guided us to, definitely represented my Dad and who he was.

I also appreciate the Leicester City well wishes. That was a nice touch on your part.

Initially everything was overwhelming, we had not done anything like this before. You walked us through our options and gave us plenty of time to decide what to do.

The service went very well. It was a very moving tribute to my Dad. I think his personality and his life story came across just as he would have liked it.  

J.W

Sally is very empathetic and is able to use this skill to write up her comments in the service in a very meaningful and effective way, in line with the client’s own thoughts and feeling.

I thoroughtly and unreservedly recommend her as a celebrant. 

P Daukes

Thank you so much for helping with the celebration on 10^th May. The service was a celebration of Dad’s life. We had many comments from family and friends saying what a lovely and heartfelt service it was. It was a great send off for Dad. Thank you for guiding us through the process of creating the tribute and for delivering it in such a sympathetic manner.

A. Jones

I would definitely recommend Sally to take your service. She made a harrowing experience memorable. One felt that she really cared about the loved ones and ensured every detail was covered. Her planning was first class and very involving. She struck just the right balance.

If anyone would like to talk to me about our service and Sally, I would be delighted to do so. Thank you Sally.

N. Thomas

Sally was exceptionally helpful throughout the entire process, and listened with interest to our comments regarding our loved one. She presented the final farewell in a very  professional manor, and had explained to us, prior to the service, how this would be done.

We have not experienced a funeral officiated by a Celebrant before, however, with Sally’s kindness and thoughtfulness, this turned a sad occasion into a true celebration of life.

We would not hesitate to recommend Sally’s services to other people, and would most certainly request the use of her expertise again, if and when it may be needed. 

From the Howard Family

Dear Sally

Thank you so much for such a lovely, fitting service for Mum and all the work you put into to make it so special. 

Thank you

Dawn

Sally was a pleasure to deal with from the initial enquiry right up until the final contact. She was professional, caring and offered some great ideas and advice. Funerals are never a nice experience personally, but Sally made Doug’s ceremony a happy stress free occasion. We can’t recommend her enough to others.

Thank you Vicky & Robin xx

Dear Sally,

Thank you for being the Celebrant at my Cousin Elsie’s funeral. I think everyone there felt the same as me, that  it seemed just right and that you were the right person. I spoke to Helena at Ebbetts Funeral Services and told her how pleased I was that it had all happened so smoothly and you were the Celebrant. I believe this ‘Goodbye to Elsie’ was the one she would have chosen.

We may never meet you again, but thank you for all that you did especially putting the Eulogy together,

Kind Regards

Lionel

Funeral at Beckenham Crematorium

She was always available to discuss issues and was very proactive in her approach.

Sally also liased very well with Ebbutts our funeral Directors.  Highly recommended.

Simon

I just want to say thank you again on behalf of the family for conducting the funeral and giving Dad a great send off. We were really happy how the service went and it was so gratifying that it was well attended by family and friends, we were amazed at the turnout and I know mum was particularly touched.

Stephen Shillito

You were a great guide/resource/organizer for an emotionally tough time for our family. Thank you so much.

Clive

We were given plenty of time to arrange the service, but I would have like to have met Sally before the service but it was through no fault of her own that we could not do this.

It must be very difficult to talk about someone you did not know but Sally did this well, we asked for colourful clothing and that is what we got.

Thank you, Sally, for your calm reassuring manner during the arrangements for the service and the actual service. 

It is a very difficult time to navigate all the things you have to do and you helped us immensely during this time.

Thank you for the Oak sapling, a very kind gesture!

Lisa

Dear Sally

I wanted to send you a quick, and belated, thank you for your help with the service for my Mum.

I thought it passed off very well, and that the day itself was a nice send off in the style she would have wanted.  Thank you for your work in pulling it together.

When you have a moment could you send me the electronic copies of the 6 reflection speeches?  There are people who were unable to attend who would like copies.

Kind regards

Alastair

We were given loads of time to arrange the funeral as the service was a few weeks after meeting we were in the middle of our world falling apart but you gave us a guiding arm.

You kept us informed at all times as to the progress of things.

You looked very professional as did the presentation of the service. Your voice was clear, and heard by all guests and thank you for putting the volume at the service slightly higher for those like my wife who were deaf

Only to say thank you, it’s the worst of times for us that we met you in and we constantly felt you were gently guiding us through it all with compassion. It made it all so much easier for us.

Stuart

At all times I was aware and confident of your support and professionalism at this difficult time. Contacting you regarding the smallest detail was always met with patience and understanding. It was both a personal and apt tribute to a special person.

Sue Spence

Sally is a very lovely, caring person.

She listens to what you are saying and comes up with suggestions.

Sally certainly helped our family and friends remember the happy life of my husband John.

Chris Reynolds

You were extremely helpful at such a sad time and explained everything very clearly. We were very grateful for you agreeing to do the service at such short notice, especially working around your holiday, and for your liaison with Stonemans.

Tracy

Clients Name:                  Kerry Ricketts-Cole & Leslie Ricketts
Date Of Ceremony:         10/8/2023
Type Of Ceremony:        Farewell Ceremony
Location of Ceremony:  Hookhouse Farm, Outwood

We Were you given plenty of time to discuss the ceremony and our wishes were listened to communications were excellent.

You looked well groomed at all times and your conduct was professional but friendly/approachable. She has vast amounts of empathy and really was there to support us. For that we will be forever grateful.

We would recommend your services to other people, Sally will perform at 110%.

In all our communications Sally was clear and concise and had an eye for detail. She carefully wove my mother’s life into her special service and allowed us, family and friends through that, to celebration my mums life’s journey with her.  We would recommend Sally for all types of service as we know she takes her role very seriously and will do her utmost to assist. The gift of an Oak tree sapling was also genuinely thought provoking and kind.

Kerry Ricketts-Cole

We were delighted with how the service went, mostly down to yourself and Ebbutts.  Thank you for making the day as easy as it could have been in the circumstances.  You handled it with great care and respect for Les and us.

Sue Green

Sally you listened to our wishes and gave us suggestions which we wouldn’t have thought of. I felt you wouldn’t be happy until I was happy.

When we’d meet I found you to be calming and I always felt relaxed, never rushed, which helped a lot whilst we sat planning mums ceremony,  and I knew you meant it when you’d say to contact you whenever I needed to (and contact you I did!). Planning a funeral is an emotional and stressful time, you really helped me to breathe and focus when I would be feeling overwhelmed! I’m really grateful for your kindness and empathy. I feel you went above and beyond, even helping with caterers when I was let down. I will definitely recommend you to people in the future. Thank you Sally for all your help and kind words…….. I hope you get to be a much loved donkey in your next life xx

Tanya Daniels

Many thanks for everything. The service was perfect and we ensured that my father was well remembered. Under the circumstances, it was a very good day. You played a very large part in that.

Sally, I am very pleased with the service that you provided from your patience at our initial meeting to your professionalism and compassion during the service. I commented afterwards that I couldn’t think of any way that the service could be improved upon. I also received many compliments from friends and family regarding the service, including some who can be very critical of poor service. Everybody was very impressed. You made everything so easy. Thanks.

Paul Bellamy

I wasn’t present at the initial meeting so can’t comment on that, as far as I’m aware it was very satisfactory.

I found you very easy to communicate with.  At all stages I felt it was our wishes that were paramount. The only time you stated your opinion was when we were struggling to decide whether or not to close the curtains around the coffin, even so we felt completely free to decide either way (I’m glad we took your advice – it was nice to have a final personal moment to say goodbye). 

You were supportive, patient and understanding throughout.

Thank you!

Judy

We were feeling quite anxious before meeting Sally for the first time, as having the right celebrant for our much-loved father was so important.  However, our funeral directors, Ebbutts of Limpsfield, told us not to worry.  They assured us that we were in extremely good hands and they were absolutely right.  From meeting Sally to the day of the service, she was available at any time to talk through things as much as we wanted and she kept in touch whilst also giving us the space to deal with all the emotions and practicalities. 

On the day, Sally looked professional, approachable and elegant.  She officiated beautifully for our dad and, in addition to well-paced and clear speaking, she struck the absolute perfect balance of respect and feeling.  Although Sally did not know our father, the way in which she spoke and relayed stories about him was so lovely.  It never crossed the line into being ‘overly sincere’, with almost pretence of knowing someone, and her addressing of the committal was beautiful and so respectful.  It was such a difficult day but Sally was of huge comfort and we are sure that our dad would have been happy with everything too.  That was our intention with all; to conduct matters as he wanted and Sally was a huge part of that.

Beverley and Nicola

We thought Sally was very well presented and her outfit and jewellery was perfectly considered. Sally was kind, gentle and understanding. She supported us with sound advice and ideas, was very generous with her time and communicated with us carefully and meticulously. Her delivery of our Father’s service was extremely professional, her timing and the way she emphasised the texts we had decided on was warm, friendly and welcoming. Everyone said that the service for Dad was brilliant! I couldn’t recommend Sally highly enough, she is a very special person, and an excellent Celebrant. 

Annie Risbridger Hind

You were very thorough in your desire to find out as much as possible about Susan and, despite not having much to work with, produced a very professional, thoughtful and empathic service. Thank you.

Lisa

Sorry for the late reply, but I would now like to thank you for your advice and assistance with the preparation of the ceremony, and your very professional service on the actual day. Many of my family and other attendees on the day commented that that was the most relaxed and friendly ceremony they had attended, and was taken in great respect for my Dad. Many Thanks again.

J. Cann

It was very helpful having a written copy of your input so we could edit it.

We were really pleased to be able have the sort of ceremony my mother would have liked, rather quirky, upbeat and cheerful to celebrate a long life.

All those who attended said what a refreshing change for a cremation service.

Sally. Thank you.

Susie

An excellent service – having never seen a celebrant at a funeral before I would very much recommend both using a celebrant in general and Sally in particular.  Very good early engagement and in particular impressed with receiving an early draft of the complete service narrative to comment upon in detail.

Simon

Sally, Just wanted to say a big thank you for everything you did you made an emotional day a little easier.

Organising a Funeral service was a hard task at first but with your help my Husband had a great send off.

Susan

Clients Name:                   Suzanne Statter
Date Of Ceremony:          14/4/2023
Type Of Ceremony:         Funeral
Location of Ceremony:  Surrey and Sussex Crematorium

Sally we were very happy with everything, initial meeting was so informative and helpful and further communication was excellent.  Thank you.

Thank you for wearing the Crystal Palace scarf! Haha!  And thank you for taking the initiative and kindly contacting Crystal Palace – that was such a nice surprise and the letter much appreciated.  Thank you.

Thank you so much Sally.  You really went out of your way to make such a difficult time run as smoothly as possible.  We are all very grateful. Thank you.

Trying to coordinate all of the activities linked to a funeral was really eye-opening to me, so having someone with experience who could talk me through the pros and cons of different ways the service could go was a huge plus. It was less about the major parts like the eulogy and more about the logistical pieces; an Order of Service; who needed to be where and when; things like keeping the coffin in full view and doing a photo montage (one of the most important pieces of the ceremony). The expertise and warmth that you brought to proceedings were invaluable.    

It is difficult for me to really offer any advice on changing things because everything went so smoothly I could not really imagine a better outcome!

Dale Fleet

Your contribution was extremely helpful and everything was carried out very efficiently.

Your conduct was impeccable, your clothing was  absolutely fine and smart, and presentation very good

We were very satisfied with all aspects of the service with which you had input or carried out.   We felt you made the whole ceremony very peaceful and uplifting and everything you did was greatly appreciated.

The two reps from the Nursing Home also commented on how well the service/ceremony was conducted.

Christine

Clients Name:                   Gabriela Turley
Date Of Ceremony:          9/2/23
Type Of Ceremony:         Funeral
Location of Ceremony:  Botley Hill

We were incredibly impressed by what Sally put together after having our initial chat and meeting.

Everything was ideal, we appreciated that Sally sat down with us initially and was always available to discuss extras.

Everything was perfect!! Thank you for also joining in with the polka dot dress code.

Thank you for conducting the ceremony beautifully, thank you for guiding us when deciding the order of service and what to include.

Thank you for providing the beautiful poems to choose from we are so happy with our final choices from your selection.

Thank you for ensuring the ceremony was touching yet funny.

We really thought initially that the funeral would just be a formality that we wanted to be over with. Looking back it was a beautiful day that celebrated our mums life perfectly and we are so glad we had your guidance to make it as special as it was. It would have been nowhere near as wonderful as it was without you.

Thank you for your patience with our crazy family! Thank you for everything.

Sally

Thank you very much for the service you conducted for my grandfather Thomas’s funeral. Your kindness and compassion immediately from our initial meeting put us all at ease at a difficult time, and your support prior and during the service was very much appreciate.

Sally was very prompt with her appointment meeting us, which gave us plenty of time to prepare.

We were very happy with the pre-ceremony service. The initial meeting was organised very promptly, and follow up emails were very efficient and courteous regarding the situation we were dealing with.

Sally’s conduct was very professional, and she was very good at putting you at ease both discussing the ceremony prior and also when attending. Sally also put extra thought into her Clothing by donning an item of clothing in the colour of my grandfather’s favourite football team on the day of the ceremony. A small but thoughtful gesture, and not the only one she did.

Sally’s demeanour, conduct and thoughtfulness did make talking about and going through the ceremony for a loved a slightly easier task to undertake. Right from the first meeting we were put at ease, and extra gestures that she did throughout our interactions with her meant a lot, as they showed a passion towards going the extra mile towards the family members who were grieving to show that she cared for who she would be talking about as if she knew them personally.

Robert

Sally gave us plenty of time even though we were up against some deadlines because of the Christmas period the one thing I didn’t feel any pressure or rush on was the content of the ceremony.

Sally, from the moment we met you were kind, patient and supportive.  I always felt you were flexible and available. You really listened to what we wanted but were also able to give us suggestions.  The knitters prayer was very thoughtful.  Also liked that you gave me the folder of potential readings to look at in my own time.  I was able to then look through at my own pace and got some good ideas.

You had already come with some thoughts and ideas to the first meeting which was very impressive. I knew straight away we were in good hands.

Your voice was clear and all the guest could hear you,  I received some nice comments afterwards about this.

Thank you Sally for looking after me during such a difficult time.  The ceremony was a beautiful tribute to mum and I felt in very capable hands.  The team work between you and Ebbuts was apparent and the whole process was professional and well thought through.

On the day, I didn’t have to worry about anything and felt well looked after.

I received comments from several people that they had been impressed with the ceremony and how fitting it had been for mum, with personal tributes and stories.  I also received comments that it was clear how much thought and care had gone into the ceremony.  Also that it was clear you had a good sense of who mum was when describing her and reading the eulogy.

Sarah

Dear Sally,

It’s taken me a couple of days to send this email – I wasn’t prepared for the utter exhaustion post funeral!

Thank you so much for showing such grace, gravitas and compassion with mum’s funeral. It was so comforting to see you holding the space for us all and knowing that you were there managing the whole process.

You looked wonderful in your blue scarf and having met you beforehand you created a level of safety that was really reassuring to me personally.

You are an amazing woman – thank you.

Warmest wishes and good luck in your career xx

Nikki Owen

We were extremely happy with the service we received from Sally and the communications between us Sally and Stoneman Funeral Directors throughout the procedure from our first meeting up to and including the service at the crematorium.   

Mike Clarke

Just wanted to thank you so very much for supporting and guiding us before Mum’s farewell and speaking so beautifully and eloquently on the day.   It was always going to be a tricky day but your kind and sincere nature showed through and was appreciated by all.

We’ve received so many lovely comments so hopefully you might find yourself at The Barn in the future.   Personally, I can honestly say that having mum’s farewell in such a personal and beautiful place has really helped me to feel more at peace, to me it was a wonderful day to remember my wonderful mum.

Many thanks, again.

Kindest regards

Katy ….. and family too

Clients Name:                          Rhind family – for Janet Rhind
Date Of Ceremony:                19^th January 2023
Type Of Ceremony:                Funeral – non religious
Location of Ceremony:          Bluebell Cemetery

Sally gave us time to discuss the type of ceremony we wanted and listened to our wishes. We particularly liked the fact that she wore a pink scarf on the day.

We have watched the recording of the service before giving our feedback.  Whilst she seemed a little more nervous than we expected , we feel her words on the day were sincere and compassionate, unhurried and heartfelt.  The family would like to thank Sally for a lovely service.

Katy

Douglas Fagon Gillam
04/11/2022
Cremation
Surrey & Sussex Crematorium

You gave us more than enough time to have the service we wanted.100% of our comments were listened to. Your pre ceremony service was excellent.

Sally your conduct and presentation could not be faulted. Your clothing was tasteful and respectful. Your voice was clear and concise.

Definitely we would recommend your service. As you know we specifically requested you to do dad’s service after you did mum’s service last year.

We personally would like to thank you for all the support and the offer of help with the food for the wake. Every person that attended dad’s funeral commented on how lovely the service was.

Julian and Brian

Hi Sally

I thought you were excellent from beginning to end.

I would recommend you but hope I never have to.

Many thanks

Jason

Sally, just wanted to say a big thank you for all your support and advice pre and during my daughter’s wedding celebrations. You went out of your way to make their day very special and you had a huge calming influence on the bridal party which was very much appreciated. The ceremony was just beautiful, Thank you.

Wendy

Thank you, Sally for being part of our special wedding day and all the extra help in the days leading up to it. It was great to have you on-hand to help ensure our vows were aligned in tone and length and also provide an experienced eye to ceremony preparations.

Your words were poignant and very applicable to us as a couple and made the ceremony feel very personal to us. You also gave us the idea of having additional readings which made the ceremony even more lovely.

Thank you again for all your hard work and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Drew and Katie

Sally was extremely accessible to discuss our wants and needs and listened to our comments and wishes.

I would definitely recommend her.

Sally helped us during a very difficult time and enabled us to provide Miles with the send off that he deserved. We couldn’t have done it without her!

Routledge Family

Dear Sally

I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for all you did to make our farewell to Miles so special.

I have had many lovely messages from people who attended saying what a beautiful service it was … many mentioning you in particular.

Organising a funeral service seemed such a daunting task a few weeks ago but with your help and guidance I feel we gave Miles the best send-off we could.

We will forever be grateful to you.

Sending you much love

Amber and Melvyn

Hi Sally

Just wanted to drop you a heartfelt thank you message for the wonderful work you did yesterday for Rebecca. Everyone thought you summed up Bekki perfectly. It was wonderful to see so many of her work colleagues, friends and family attend. as you said yesterday, lots more stories were recounted afterwards in the pub.

Thank you so much for being there for Bekki’s final journey and making it special for all the people attending and those that logged in around the world. People that worked with Bekki had more of an insight into her life away from work and we were able to see what an impact she made at the hospital. Afterwards people came up to us to say how lovely the ceremony was so thank you again, So once again, many thanks for all the work and amazing presentation you did yesterday.

Much Love Paul and Rebecca’s’ family

I was given plenty of time to discuss what I wanted at the ceremony and all my wishes were listened to. Sally Farrell was a lovely lady getting in touch with me via email and phone calls she was so easy to speak too.

The whole ceremony was very professional and Sally really made me feel at ease And couldn’t do enough for me even ringing me in the evening to see if I was alright. I would highly recommend Oak leaf ceremonies.

Mrs J Moore

Thank you Sally – your assistance much appreciated and you had a very friendly approach and helpful suggestions for the service in unusual circumstances.

Sent from my iPad

Plenty of time was given to arrange the burial of my dad.

I was Happy with the whole process. Plenty of emails and phone calls. No meeting as I was away for a few days before the funeral. Sally looked great, very smart. She was very clear and heard by all. We would definitely recommend her. My family thought she were very caring and respectful.

We all thought your words Sally were sincere and well put together mentioning everything about Dad he would have liked it too. You also took your time to go and check the grave the next day ! You were not distant and made me feel at ease and relaxed. I thank you most sincerely for that.

Anette

Sally you provided a great send off for my Mum. You were very kind and considerate, gave us plenty of room to have the service that we wanted. You helped with the web cast service, and made mention to those who were listening in which was really inclusive for those who couldn’t make it.

Throughout the process you listened, guided, and generally offered great advice to us which was very much appreciated.

Overall Sally I would not hesitate to recommend you, you helped to make the day what we wanted it to be, and it felt as if nothing was too much trouble!

Many thanks Sally and best wishes!

Bob

I would also like to thank you very much for the service you delivered commemorating my Dads life. My family and I were very pleased as were the guests that attended the ceremony. It was very emotional day made a little easier with the help of you. Thank you very much.

Many thanks

Michael

Sally gave us plenty of time to discuss the ceremony, she also contacted us regularly to help us with details and to reassure us that we had time to think and to consider what we would like for Mum’s ceremony.  At no time did we feel rushed or pressured into making any decisions, but she also ensured that we knew timings needed to ensure that we did not miss anything from the service but included everything that we wanted.

From the first time we met Sally, she showed compassion and empathy and listened to our needs, wants and concerns whilst helping us to come to some decisions which were not easy for us.

We met Sally the same day we were given her contact by the Funeral Home.  She rearranged her schedule to come and see us at home and met with myself and my brother.  She came armed with all information we would need and explained the process in a simple and easy way providing us with options for the ceremony.  We were in constant touch with Sally, and she was always ready to take our calls or read and reply to our emails. She provided updates to the script that she was going to use, constantly getting our approval.  Contact was challenging at times for her as three siblings were having an input and one lived in USA, so timing was an issue.  At no time did Sally give us the impression that this was a problem.

Sally presented to the Ceremony perfectly and with respect and had taken on board the information that my Mum liked bright colours and it was my intention to wear something bright.  Although appropriately dressed she had added a bright scarf which was a comfort to me and much appreciated.

Sally’s voice was clear and heard by all and the timings and empathy were perfect.

Absolutely I would be prepared to speak to people to reiterate my comments should she so wish and provide testimonials if needed for Sally. 

Myself and my brothers were so happy that Sally agreed to officiate at our Mums, Celebration of Life and we cannot thank her enough for the love and care that she obviously gave to the organisation of this Ceremony and to looking after us, especially myself, who found the process difficult.

Sally was always at the end of the phone or on email if we had any questions or queries and reassured us that the choices, we made were okay, giving advice and suggestions where necessary.

I cannot emphasise how much her ‘wearing of a bright scarf’ meant to me as I was determined that Mum’s personality would shine, and Sally knew that I was going to wear something bright. This was something we had not discussed specifically, and she had obviously taken note of what I was feeling.

We also appreciated Sally providing us with a copy of your script after the service and we have been able to revisit both that and the webcast again.

We had so many people contact us after the Ceremony saying what a beautiful tribute it was and how it captured Mum to a tee!  We could not have done that without Sally’s love, help and guidance.

Sally should be very proud of the service she provides.  She probably doesn’t know what a difference it makes to a family to have someone who is so in tune with them at such a time. 

Melanie

Date of Ceremony:           25th January 2022
Type of Ceremony:          Cremation
Location of Ceremony:   Surrey and Sussex Crematorium

1) Were you given enough time to discuss the ceremony?
Yes, you spent a long time with us to find out about John and what we wanted from the ceremony

2) Do you feel your comments and wishes were listened to?
You did everything we asked and more

3) Were you happy with the pre-ceremony service? Initial meeting? Emails? Calls?
We were happy with everything – we couldn’t have asked for more

4) Were you happy with my conduct? Clothing? Presentation?
Yes, again your conduct, clothing and presentation was excellent

5) Was my voice clear and heard by all guests?
You were very clear and didn’t rush at all

6) Would you recommend my services to other people?
Certainly, and so many of our guests commented on how good yoyu were and it was as if you actually knew John

7) Would you allow me to use your comments on my website?
Yes of course

Miriam

I just wanted to say a huge thank you so much for conducting mum’s funeral service on Tuesday 4th January. You were so lovely, kind and supportive at what was a very difficult and emotional time. Your help and advice is very much appreciated!!!

Take care and stay safe and well lot’s of love, 

Cheryl

I’m somewhat lost for words in trying to explain what an absolutely wonderful service Sally put together for us. The pressure we felt in wanting to get this last goodbye right, was immense. 

In her calm and reassuring way, Sally talked us through every detail. In particular she really wanted to get to know our Mum and listened to stories about her and photos of her life to get a feel for the amazing woman she was. 

On the day, Sally was a comforting presence. We felt in safe hands and the whole thing was beautiful and exactly what we had hoped and planned for. I wanted to share some personal memories with everyone. I’m genuinely not sure I’d have been able to get through this without her beside me.

Thank you so much Sally. 

Sharon

I would like to highly recommend Sally and Oak Leaf Ceremonies. Sally recently acted as celebrant at my much loved Mother in law’s funeral.

She spent time meeting with our family to really get a true sense of who Mum was and what she meant to us all. Very sensitively conducting the service in a kind and caring way.

Chris

I could not fault Sally and would definitely would recommend her. 

The funeral of my husband was commented on by many saying the ceremony was carried out well and so personal. One guest who had not known my husband felt at the end of the ceremony she really knew him.

Margaret

When planning the celebration of life ceremony that we had at the Bluebell Crematorium, I felt relaxed and that Sally had time for me to explain and guide me through the process. I felt that Sally put my mind at ease. Sally was appropriately dressed for the ceremony and her voice carried well so that everyone could hear clearly. I would be happy to recommend Sally and am happy for my comments to be published on her website.

Jane

Sally was very kind and sensitive during the arrangement for my mother’s funeral. I felt relaxed and comfortable that I could speak to Sally before the ceremony. At the ceremony Sally helped me to relax and I felt I was in safe hands when I arrived. I would definitely recommend Sally to other friends and family.

Tina

From the time that I contacted her to ask to be celebrant at my Fathers’ funeral, to the funeral itself, Sally was kind, caring, thoughtful and supportive. She took time to find out what sort of a person my Dad was. She listened to our requests and ideas and made sensible suggestions of her own. At the service she lead the proceedings with sensitively and wit, ensuring that it ran smoothly and helped us through a very difficult time.

In short Sally relieved us of the stress and burden of the funeral arrangements and I cannot praise her highly enough. I would not hesitate in recommending her services to for any ceremony.

Paul

Dear Sally,

Very many thanks for your help and guidance in preparing our mother’s funeral service. The compassionate way you dealt with our questions and guided us through the format of the service put us all at ease.

On the day of the funeral you again put us at ease and the way that you conducted the service was appreciated by all present and those watching on the video link.

A Funeral is always a difficult time for all concerned and you gave us the confidence that all would be fine on the day and I am pleased to say that it was.

Again on behalf of Anneliese and I, and I am sure all those present, very many thanks for making a difficult day easy.

Sincerely

George and Anneliese

From the moment we chose Sally to be our celebrant we knew we’d made the right decision.

Meeting up on various occasions prior to the wedding, Sally helped us combine our ideas with her expertise to come up with the perfect ceremony. This included poems read by family members and the beautiful release of 100 butterflies. At the end of the ceremony Sally presented us with an oak tree sapling to plant as a reminder of our special day.

Our guests commented on how personal it felt and that it was the best wedding they had been to. We would highly recommend Sally if you are looking for a wedding that is tailor made and personal to you.

Paul and Jenifer