Non-religious Alternatives

•  Humanist organisations exist world wide to serve the needs of the non-religious, evolving as those needs change.  The British Humanist Association (BHA) developed from the Ethical Union in 1967. 
  
• Humanists are non-religious people who live by moral principles based on reason and respect for others, not obedience to dogmatic rules.  They promote happiness and fulfilment in this life because they believe it is the only one we have. 
  
• Humanist non-religious funeral ceremonies acknowledge loss and celebrate a life without employing religious rituals. They offer a dignified alternative to the traditional funeral service and are made memorable by being personally tailored to each individual situation, with the wishes of the family taken fully into account.

• Favourite or appropriate music (of any kind)   
  
• A welcome and a brief explanation of the ceremony
  
• Poetry or prose readings
  
• A 'tribute' to the deceased, mainly biographical, often with short contributions from family, friends and colleagues
  
• A time of reflection for silent meditation or private prayer    
  
• The Committal or words of farewell
  
• A brief close, which can include thanks and announcements
  
• Prior to the funeral, a Humanist officiant will normally visit a family to map-out the ceremony and to form a rounded picture of the subject. At this stage it may also be important for families to freely discuss various options in relation to procedure during the ceremony.
  
• Detailed preparation prevents reliance on a standard text or format, and in the days leading up to the ceremony time and care is devoted to writing and compiling a tribute both factually accurate and with the appropriate tone. By this process, each ceremony can be developed afresh with families who welcome the opportunity for choice and personal input. A printed copy of the ceremony is always provided for the family, to send to absent relatives or friends and kept as a memento.
  
• Humanist funeral ceremonies may be conducted at crematoria, cemeteries, woodland burial grounds, and other burial grounds (subject to restriction).
  
• Memorial ceremonies are more usually conducted elsewhere and after some time has elapsed following the funeral. However in some circumstances, for example where there is no body or a body has been accepted for medical research, a memorial ceremony may take the place of a funeral.
  
• All Humanist officiants are non-judgemental, empathic and have wide life-experience; many have professional backgrounds.