About me
Before putting your trust in me for a service, you might want to know a little more about how I got to where I am today…
After taking my degree, way back in pre-historic times, (well, the early 80s!) I spent many years as a theatre practitioner (limelight, not scalpels!) and worked all over the UK, having a ball being “young, free and single!” Well, that couldn’t last forever – it was all so exhausting! So, I decided to move over to being a director. I set up a theatre company with my partner – no, you will have never heard of us, this was well before social media! Of course, we lost our shirts and ended up in debt – but it was so worth it!
After a surprise birthday party and far too much fizz, we got engaged. What can I say, my memory of that night is rather hazy (blame the pop!), but the next morning I woke up and it dawned on me that I might have just committed myself to something. So I asked him if he had proposed when we got home; he just laughed and said, “well, the waiter cried!” He never did tell me whether I said yes!
Life moved on and we bought our first house and had our two children. Our daughter was born with a serious medical condition, so supporting her took precedence over career choices. We became well-known faces at Great Ormond Street for many years.
When we had time away from hospital we travelled as much as we could in our 1979 VW campervan, affectionately known as “The Desperate Lady.” (there’s a story attached to her naming!) We had regular trips around the UK, as well as adventures in France, Italy and Spain – always making sure that we broke down somewhere along the way! That’s what vintage campervans do with startling regularity!
It was in 2018 that I found myself at something of a crossroads. I’d had a number of enjoyable part-time jobs over the years, but I wasn’t feeling stimulated or challenged by them. The cry was, “I want something for me!” As anyone who is a carer knows, it is very easy to get engulfed in it and lose your identity. It was then that a serendipitous moment happened when three of my friends simultaneously suggested I should think about becoming a civil celebrant – “What’s that, and does it mean that I can’t swear ever again?” was my retort! Eureka!
Fast forward to completing my training for funerals to gain an NOCN Grade 3 qualification; I then went on to study with the wonderful Fellowship of Professional Celebrants for all other celebratory events.
I have been active as a Independent Celebrant in South London since my first job in 2019 when I was honoured to be asked to conduct the funeral of a dear local friend. It was a baptism by fire, with me knowing almost every one of the 180 people there on a sweltering June afternoon! But I didn’t embarrass myself and even managed to get everyone up and dancing and joining hands around the coffin of our lovely friend! I was off…
https://georginapiperphotography.co.uk