About Me

Hello, I am Helen van Rijs, Humanist Funeral Celebrant

It was when my first husband, Harmen died that I discovered non-religious funerals were available. Speaking with the Celebrant and shaping a ceremony that celebrated Harmen’s life brought me unexpected comfort. Instead of being overwhelmed by sorrow for his illness and death, I found myself honouring the man he truly was.

A few years later, I began visiting a local nursing home with my Therapy Dog and there I met a lady with MS. We were the same age and quickly connected over our shared experiences and passion for rescue dogs. When she died it really hit me and I dreaded going to her funeral - but, I walked out totally enlightened. Her Humanist Ceremony revealed stories into her life before illness, of her compassion, her energy, and the joy she brought to others. This showed me the power of celebrating a life in full and inspired me to train as a Humanist Funeral Celebrant so that I could help others find the same comfort and meaning.

I feel it a great privilege to meet family and friends of someone who has died, and it is heart-warming to listen to their memories of that person. From this meeting I will gather material to craft a ceremony that is unique, with tributes, readings and music that capture the essence of the person and the life they lived. These enrich the memories for those left behind and people find that this type of ceremony provides much comfort at a very difficult time.

Helen