The Joyful Blog

A pile of Triple Chocolate Brownies on a plate Not wishing to blow my own trumpet, but if there's one thing I'm 'known for' (aside from my irritating habit of bringing death and dying into every conversation!) it's my Chocolate Brownies. Before I became an Independent Celebrant, I worked in food and ran various businesses, including during covid, a postal bakes business where I was regularly baking and sending 100's of boxes of chocolate brownies each month. (fun fact: for a

(AKA ‘Bish Bash Bosh’ cake 'Freezer Fruit Cake' or 'Yoghurt Cake') In our house this cake has various names. But it’s my go-to recipe when I need a comforting slice of deliciousness with minimal effort and washing up, or something very transportable to take to a friend’s house or picnic! I've realised recently I could also call it the 'Grief Cake' - as it has become the cake I make to leave on the doorstep of someone recently bereaved or going through a tough patch - becaus

Back on a sunny Saturday in March I was invited to help with a slightly unusual funeral. Unusual simply because as an Independent Celebrant I don’t usually get involved in ‘church’ funerals (people tend to choose a celebrant-led funeral when they don’t have close personal links with a faith organisation, and churches are historically not keen to host secular ceremonies). But D’s daughters were adamant that as a lifelong atheist, their dad should have a secular, celebrant-

There’s always a story behind why we do the work we do. Especially those of us who work in vocational roles that feel more like a ‘calling’ than a ‘job’. So this is my story…….. Joy Neal, holding a print which says 'choose joy' Back in 2016 I met a wild woman. She was my first and only Instagram friend who became an IRL friend. She’d just moved to Kent and messaged me to say “I don’t know anyone here – do you want to hang out?” We bonded over a love of beaches and VW camper v

"Should I bring my children to the funeral?" is a question that I get asked a lot when I meet with people to plan funerals. As a funeral celebrant I spend a lot of time talking about death and dying. But I am well aware that in our modern secular British culture many people have become very disconnected from death. Over the last century, we have ‘outsourced’ most aspects of death, dying and care of the dead to industry professionals. As adults many of us lack the language an

‘Döstädning’ is the Swedish art of ‘Death Cleaning’….. And it’s not as morbid as it sounds, according to the author Margareta Magnusson...

Often after a cremation, people aren’t quite sure what to ‘do’ with the ashes.

We finally realised as parents that our mission was simple - 'to keep the light in their eyes ablaze.'

It it a peculiarly British phenomenon, this need for multiple euphemisms for death?

Did you know it is legal to be buried in your back garden or any land you own? Did you know that you don’t have to hold a funeral in a...

Womens Circles, Sister Circles, Sacred Circles.....what are they?!

People often wonder what a funeral celebrant actually does....so here's what I do!

Why do we avoid talking about death? Here's why I think we need to talk about the D word more!

Belonging. And how Rites of Passage ceremonies can support our sense of belonging in the world.

Sharing your love in unique and personal ways with a commitment ceremony!

An article from our lovely local magazine all about my work!

A new foray into blogging.....thanks for joining me here!