Journalist’s new lease of life as a funeral celebrant

FORMER East Yorkshire journalist Gina Hobbs has made a dramatic career change to become a funeral celebrant following the death of her mother.

The 62-year-old swapped the newsroom for a lectern in a lifechanging career move after suddenly losing her mum, Sheila, in February 2020.

“I was dreading the day of mum’s funeral and honestly didn’t know how I’d get through it,” said Gina, “but it was nothing like I had expected. In fact, it was a beautiful day, warm and full of love, largely due to the celebrant delivering the perfect sendoff we had chosen for mum.

“I was so impressed that it inspired me to re-train as a funeral celebrant and launch a new service in East Yorkshire helping people to create the funeral they want for their loved ones.”

Gina’s move follows more than 30 years working on local newspapers including The Hull Daily Mail, Swindon Advertiser and Holderness Gazette as well as a stint as Hull Truck Theatre’s press officer.

Gina is now a member of The Fellowship of Professional Celebrants as a civil funeral celebrant and works with local funeral directors to provide a bespoke service. “My job is to create the funeral each family wants for their loved one, from the opening words and the eulogy to the closing words and the music.”

Gina works directly with each family to create a non-religious service with words, music and poetry and if they wish visual tributes. As an independent celebrant she can deliver a non-religious service with or without a spiritual theme and prayers.

Ceremonies usually take place at a crematorium, a graveside, or at a woodland burial. Each is unique and carried out with dignity, following the deceased’s family’s wishes to reflect their loved one’s life in the manner they choose.

“I’ve even included a snippet of Only Fools and Horses which the family wanted in one service where we also had The Lord’s Prayer.

“I’ve worked under canvas in a marquee lit by a chandelier, conducted a memorial service in a village hall, and led a graveside service,” Gina explained.

“Meeting each family at such a vulnerable time in their lives when their core has been shattered and they are grieving their loved one is not easy. It’s very humbling and a great privilege and an honour to enter their lives for a short time to guide them through how they want to say goodbye to their loved one.

“I’m not a bereavement counsellor, that’s not my job, but you have to take time, be empathetic and sympathetic and listen to their story.

“It’s a celebrant’s job to recreate moments in that person’s life and to retell it truthfully with meaning, the way the family want their loved one’s story to be told and if you can raise a smile at a memory during the service that’s rewarding. It's also gratifying when family and friends tell you, you’ve done their relative proud.”

One family told Gina the funeral was very fitting for their mum; another said they couldn’t have chosen anyone better to lead the ceremony.

Now local Women’s Institutes have asked Gina to talk about her role as a civil celebrant. She’s also working on a collection of essays and poetry about bereavement, dedicated to her mum and says you’re never too old to try something new.

Gina can be contacted on: 07739 378 609 or Emailed on: ginavhobbscelebrant@outlook.com and you can find out more about celebrants at: www.professionalcelebrants.org.uk

CAREER CHANGE: Gina Hobbs has swapped working in local journalism to become a funeral celebrant

by Natasha Golley