Hello, my name is Lynsey Shields and I am a Family and Funeral Celebrant. Originally from York, I have spent three years in Portugal before settling with my husband in North Leeds and now reside near Wakefield. I have experienced a variety of different employment sectors, from hospitality, to staff training, software testing to online university admissions, and sales. I have found that regardless
of industry, the same key point was always brought to the front. This point is that it is important to always put people first. I believe a key factor in being a great celebrant, is having the ability to draw on others and our own experiences. I have seen the lows, such as back in my twenties, when our first child was born sleeping. I have also thankfully seen the amazing highs, with my wedding back in 2010 followed by the arrival of our second child. With her arrival, my husband and I agreed that I would be a stay at home mum to focus on our daughter and her younger brother who arrived the following year. As if I am not busy enough, to complete our family, we also have two crazy cats and a very loving Labrador. In my spare time, I like to dabble in Christmas crafts and can often be found at several of the local Christmas markets. Now in my thirty somethings’, our youngest child is about to embark on his full-time schooling, so I felt it was time to put me first and I wanted to find something which both excited me and would give me a sense of fulfilment. Becoming a celebrant was something that I felt could achieve these goals and what better way to put people first, especially when you get to experience spending some of the most loving and emotional times with others. Having thought hard over my previous careers, there was always something very fundamental running throughout. I love to hear the stories of their experiences. I believe that it is especially important for any celebrant, to be able to engage with people, know how to draw out the details required whilst still showing support and interest in the stories they wish to tell. Being a Celebrant gives me the opportunity to work with people to provide something incredibly special. Whether that be a naming ceremony for the latest addition to a family, or a wedding / vow renewal ceremony to show the love between two people, I will endeavour to provide a ceremony that you cherish and love. With those even more deeply emotional occasions such as holding a memorial or funeral ceremony, I want to ensure that I give both yourself and the memory of a loved one, a ceremony to bring the best of a difficult time. For all these occasions, whether you would like poems or music, readings or special elements, be it pleasant and joyful, energising and motivating, or simply relaxed and thoughtful. I will work with you to ensure your ceremony is meaningful and most importantly, uniquely personal to you. Finally, I also offer personal ceremonies, for a variety of occasions, above and beyond those detailed above. Please do not hesitate to ask!
