Here are just some of the lovely ‘thank yous’ I’ve received over the years:

‘Carly, what can we say? I was so glad you were there with us during this difficult time. You really made it a celebration of my Dad’s life. You are amazing at your job! Everyone commented what a great service it was and many thought you actually knew my Dad. We really felt like you cared. You summed him up beautifully and I am so happy you were there with us! What a wonderful gift you have to give people.’

‘It was like you had met our little boy. We knew when we met you that you would do him proud, but we were blown away by the picture you painted. All of our family and friends commented on your warmth and integrity. Beautiful.’

‘We did not know what celebrant meant. We do now. A special person.’

‘Thank you for your lovely words, expressing our love for Dad. Words we will cherish forever, spoken, as all have said, in your beautiful voice.’

‘We could not have picked a nicer person than you for my father’s funeral. The amount of people asking where we had got you from and expressing a wish to have their funeral just like ours was unreal!! No one came away from the day feeling sad and that’s what we as a family wanted.’

‘Thanks for everything you did for Dad and us. You were a tremendous comfort. I can’t think of many more worthwhile jobs than yours and you’re very, very good at softening the blow of grief.’

‘We’re really glad we got you. Your warmth was comforting to us all and the way you spoke of her without having met her was truly beautiful. I can’t imagine it would have been the same with anyone else. Don’t ever change. Your positivity, warmth and care will help anyone through the darkest of times.’

‘When we first met you, we knew how perfect you were for the day. The boys agreed Dad would have loved you- funny, eloquent, concise, broad-minded and warm.  You came into our lives just when we needed you and carried out an amazing and important role which made the day the most wonderful celebration of my husband’s life and told his story exactly as we wanted it.’

‘You understood immediately what we wanted. We have been to so many funerals that left us feeling bereft and empty afterwards, not even recognising the person the priest was talking about. But I left the chapel feeling so uplifted.’

‘So many people sang your praises. It gave everyone who knew him the feeling that his life had been validated. I will relive that day over and over in my head for the rest of my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making it so meaningful and special.’

‘From the moment we met you we knew you were the right person for my husband’s funeral. He would have loved you!! You listened and cared and it shone through in your eulogy. Our family and friends were convinced you knew him. One said “I shut my eyes and Carly’s words brought him to life- and the bonus was she sounded like Gina McKee!” Thank you for giving him the honour and respect he deserves.’

‘Thank you for the service you did for our little girl. You really did capture her spirit and personality and brought everyone there to tears, but also brought smiles which is exactly what we wished for. It was like you knew her with what you said and with how perfect the service was. Everyone said it was beautiful.’

‘Thank you for a ceremony you managed to make both vibrant and sensitive and which offered real comfort to us all. We are in awe of your ability to get the details just right and then articulate them with such elegance.’

‘Just wanted to say the feedback I’ve had from today has been incredible. Everyone could relate to what you said about Dad and we were bowled over by your approach to the funeral. Friendly, respectful, knowledgeable, kind and at times light-hearted. They all felt welcomed and enjoyed the flow. Basically you nailed it Carly! As we walked out my husband said, ‘book that woman for my funeral, she’s great.’ So thank you. You couldn’t have done more. I’m so glad we got you to do it.’

‘Thank you so much for your beautifully crafted tribute for my lovely husband. You captured the spirit of the man down to the ‘T’. We felt lifted by the service- a true reflection of what his life was all about. You certainly have a gift to treasure.’

‘Your words made what could have been a very sombre and upsetting day one of remembrance and joy.’

‘I lost count of how many people said it was the best service they had ever been to.’

‘You delivered the eulogy and, amazingly I was able to hear every word! Many people commented that they were really impressed by the balance of informality and solemnity in the service- not an easy thing to achieve.’

‘Although this is a very difficult time for us your words and service have given us great comfort. You were able to convey just how special our little boy was and how much love we have for him. Thank you for helping to make the day so special.’

‘The time you spent talking with us was joyful and uplifting, at a time of great grief. At the funeral itself, even as we first walked in and saw you, your presence brought great comfort. You spoke so well and gave a brief glimpse of our Dad as we all remembered him. Just for a moment he was alive again. Thank you for celebrating his life with us and enabling us to feel his spirit with us one more time.’

‘We would like to thank you so much for the very lovely service you gave for my son. You were very easy to talk to and put us all at ease. In the service you got him down to a tee and said everything we wanted and more.’

‘We couldn’t have asked for more. Continue doing such an amazing job helping comfort people at a time of such pain. So many lovely comments about the service.’

‘Awesome’ is the only word that can sum up yesterday. Thankyou for being a part of it.’

‘We were extremely impressed with the way you led the ceremony- it seemed as though you really knew the man you were talking about which gave us all such comfort. You’re doing a really grand job in offering such an uplifting and fitting ceremony for families. We would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone in the future.’

‘Every single person there said how wonderful it was. Your words will stay with us forever.’

‘I loved everything you said and so would my Dad have, it couldn’t have gone any better. Every single person who came back to the club for drinks commented too. Thanks a million, you’re an absolute star!’

‘Your words were kind, sensitive, comforting and appropriate. Friends and family were really impressed by your clear delivery and manner throughout. You are a credit to your profession’.

‘You are first class in the job you do and I hope you continue to bring to other people the comfort you conveyed to myself, my family and my friends. I won’t ever forget you XX’

‘Your compassion and ‘upbeat’ delivery made the service special and a memory that although tinged with sadness we will always treasure.’

‘You listened to us with such dedication and certainly captured the essence of Jack’s life. You helped to make a very difficult day a little easier with your wonderful portrayal of his life.’

‘Thank you so much Carly for making our sad day a happy one.’

‘You captured Mum so well and she would have laughed and cried along with us! Although it’s hard to say goodbye you helped us put into words exactly how we felt- we will always remember her and you made us able to say goodbye in a respectful way. Thank you.’

‘All who were at the funeral loved your expression of warmth, humour and joy. Mam would have been delighted. Your professional yet caring manner was exceptional.’

‘Thank you for the celebration of Beryl’s life today. It was spot on and a fantastic tribute. We were touched by your skill and your thoughtful words- we can’t thank you enough.’

‘You made us feel so proud the way you held Mam’s service. Everyone said ‘it was lovely’ and the words were so ‘true to my Mam’.’

‘You delivered a very poignant service and have shown us great compassion throughout our most sad and upsetting time.’

‘Your delivery of my father’s life was perfect and no one could have done it better.’

‘The way you honoured my husband will live on in my heart forever and help me through the tough times.’

‘Thank you for your lovely service for my Dad. You captured his soul. Your kind and gentle words brought great comfort to me.’

‘Normally a service becomes a blur after a certain point but you managed to hold my attention all the way through.’

‘My family and I were so pleased with how you conducted the service. What a gem you are. I felt like getting up and holding your hand. You are one nice person. All our love to you.’

‘We have been approached many times by friends and family who were “blown away” by the professional and above all compassionate way in which My Mam’s service was delivered. We were uplifted by your personal touch and beautiful presentation.’

‘You did our Mam proud and I know she would have chuckled when we did. Don’t ever stop what you’re doing!’

‘Your attention to detail was remarkable, making a dark day very bright.’

‘We would like to thank you for listening and understanding and managing to pick the bones out of a big, noisy family! Your very human and down to earth approach was so appreciated by us.’

‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart Carly. You have a wonderful gift of being able to tell the life story of a person as if you are a family member or friend. I have never heard such praise from people like I did after today’s service with people saying how beautiful they found it.’

‘My son was so special. I’m honoured you did him so proud and will never forget your beautiful voice reading my poem’.

‘Just wanted to thank you sooooooo much for the service, you did a fantastic job. You only get one chance at a funeral and you want to be the best it can. Thank you for making my mother’s service exactly that.’

‘Carly, you are a special person and I know that you will have brought so much comfort to all the bereaved families you have worked with, like you did with ours.’