5 Minutes With

Michelle Harvey

Michelle Harvey has been a well-known figure of the community for a number of years. In her day job she’s a Life Celebrant and in her spare time she’s a big believer in giving back to the community. We caught up with Michelle to find out more about her job and ongoing community involvement…

Hi Michelle! Many people will be wondering what a Life Celebrant does. Can you describe the services you offer?

A Celebrant will offer to write, read and deliver a service, whether that be a wedding, funeral, vow renewal or naming ceremony. They will also ensure the service is bespoke, unique and reflects the personality and character of the person/people they are writing about.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I work mainly for funerals and every day I will take details of at least one new service. I contact families to book in visits or arrange online meetings, and then prepare my bag for the services that I have to take that day. Once home, I update my files, make sure that music and running orders are sent to the Funeral Arrangers, and start writing. I always aim to create unique ceremonies and usually carry a notebook to jot down ideas and words that come to mind. It’s not a 9-5 job at all.

What's the best part of your job?

Without a doubt, helping families. I get to meet so many people, many of whom are probably going through one of the worst times of their lives. They may never have organised a funeral before and it is a great privilege to help them.

And what, if anything, would you change?

People’s perceptions of what a funeral has to be like. Slowly, people are coming around to understanding that it can be a celebration of life, and basically, that anything goes. But we are still led by what the majority of society expects.

We can imagine that you're surrounded by high emotions daily. How do you cope with this?

Yes, it can be and often is very emotional, and I am not one to follow the belief, that it is ‘not my grief’. When you sit with a family, and they tell you about their loved one and how they died, it is sad. I am lucky that I have the most amazing friends and family and I also work in an industry where colleagues fully understand what it can be like. We are all there for each other if any of us are having a bad day.

What has been one of your most memorable services?

I do enjoy stepping outside of my comfort zone though. I will learn a phrase in a different language and I’ve been known to take a service wearing Minnie Mouse ears (at the family’s request), but all of them, in their own way, are unique, and memorable.

You're a big believer in supporting the community. What projects are you involved in?

I value the community and believe wholeheartedly, in giving back. The Bereavement Cafe was started in 2017 as a source of help for those families who had lost loved ones and needed to talk to someone, a counsellor, that didn’t have a waiting list or cost an arm and a leg. Since then, and also due to the pandemic, we have grown, and I am forever indebted to our amazing volunteers. I am also a supporter of small businesses, running a network group which is now expanding into other boroughs. We are currently organising a Speed Networking event to help raise money for The Chartwell Cancer Trust and The MumMum Foundation.

What does community mean to you?

Community is the lifeblood of our town – Orpington has always been a great place to live, work and socialise. We have amazing businesses there and using them puts back into the pockets of the community, rather than lining those of large companies that have no interest in our town. Lately, we have seen some fantastic events put on in Orpington and we are looking forward to celebrating our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this year too. Community is everything, and we are so lucky to have a great one.