Scottish Celebrant – Neil Dorward
(Director of Studies at the International College of Celebrancy - UK Division)

Address
Lendrick House, Kirkhill, Pool of Muckhart, Clackmannanshire, SCOTLAND FK14 7JN

Phone
+44 7752 212 067

Skype
neilclaredorward - (You can also Twitter and Facebook me!)

Email
neil@bespokecivilceremonies.co.uk
Links to other websites
www.neildorward.com
www.thelegacyman.com
www.independentcelebrants.com or www.aoic.org.uk

Preferred places
Celebrancy work offered in most major cities and town within Central Scotland and celebrancy training offered throughout the whole of the United Kingdom

Qualifications and Experience
I have Diploma in Funeral Celebrancy from the International College of Celebrancy. I have an MA, a BD and a Masters Level Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. I have professional training qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Experience
I was the first full time Civil Funeral Celebrant in Scotland and have personally trained most of the Funeral Celebrants in Scotland.
I have recently teamed up with the President of Association on Independent Celebrants (www.aoic.org.uk) here in the UK, Terri Shanks and we train students all over the UK through a foundation level course in Funeral Celebrants and together we coach and facilitate the Diploma in Funeral Celebrancy.
I have been a full time Civil Funeral Celebrant for over four years and have conducted over 1500 funerals. I am privileged also to lead Renewal of Marriage Vows and Baby Naming Ceremonies.
At the present time, Civil Celebrants here in the UK have not been granted a license to legally conduct weddings and we are in negotiations with the government at this moment to get this changed.

Associations
(Scottish) President of the Association of Independent Celebrants
Full member of the prestigious Professional Speakers Association

I Provide the Following Ceremonies:
Funerals
Renewal of Vows
Baby Naming

About Me
In conjunction with the Principal of the International College of Celebrancy, my job is to promote the Diploma in Funeral Celebrancy in the UK, advertise and promote the world’s most coveted celebrancy qualifications and mentor and tutor students here in the UK.
I have just written a book about how to speak effectively at a funeral called ‘Aspire to Inspire before you Expire’
I have been asked to write for publications in the UK and the USA and received invitations from the business and corporate world to deliver my keynote address ‘How would you like to live forever’ (www.neildorward.com or www.thelegacyman.com). The keynote, in a light hearted yet thought provoking way asks people to analyse their lives and inner passions and invites them to remain motivated in their professional and personal life by helping them reflect on how to create a lasting legacy based on what is going to be said about you at your funeral.

My Attitude To Ceremony
My attitude to ceremony is simple. To give all families the best funeral experience ever and to speak so well of the deceased that people will feel I have been a member of the family for years. I believe everyone deserves the best funeral possible, that the funeral day is probably the most important day of your life and that it should be delivered by properly trained and accredited celebrants who are passionate and professional speakers. My job is to speak to the family’s heart and soul on the day of the funeral and make them feel proud of the legacy that their loved one has left behind. I also never fail to deliver the best.
I also believe that the Australian celebrants and Dally Messenger III in particular are the leading lights and authority within the profession and that all celebrants throughout the world should adhere by the standards of excellence that have been set by Australia and the International College of Celebrancy.
Scotland is socially, culturally and legally different to Australia and I would argue that the starting point for Civil Funerals here in the UK is neither (strict) secularism nor humanism but the beliefs, values and needs of the bereaved family. It is not uncommon for Civil Funerals and Civil Ceremonies in general to make references to hymns, prayers, blessings and the after life.

Fees and Value:
I know a funeral director who tells his families that Neil Dorward is the best £125 you can spend on your funeral. For eight to ten hours work this is not an exorbitant fee. I agree with the current discussions within celebrancy in Australia that you get what you pay for and that if all celebrants are working by the highest professional standards and maintain their on going professional development then a labourer deserves his or her keep. I am a great believer in high standards and we tell our students once they have passed the Foundational Level course that this is only the beginning of their professional career and they should be aiming to complete their diploma and feed back their time and talents into the profession to maintain the highest standards.

Do you consider yourself (or intend to be) a professional who does the job well.
I absolutely consider myself to be a professional and unashamedly say that myself and other celebrants like Terri Shanks are leading the way for the profession within the UK. It is our intentions to set the highest of standards for celebrancy for the sake of bereaved families and for the sake of the profession in general.

I was delighted to complete the Diploma in Funeral Celebrancy with High Distinction and personally strive to see that all future students add value to the world of celebrancy and enhance the world wide good name of the International College of Celebrancy.

I would at this point also wish to extend my thanks to many people within the College of Celebrancy who have shown great kindness to me, for example, with the sharing of resources and ideas and I particularly wish to acknowledge the generosity of Jane Gray.

What ceremonies do you consider you do really well?
Without a shadow of a doubt my greatest work and skill lies within funerals. Sometimes in life you just know where you are meant to be and what feeds and nourishes you as an individual. I am privilege to serve and see my work as my job, my vocation and my crowing achievement.