
Tomos James, Funeral Celebrant
Helping you say farewell
I am passionate about creating ceremonies that bring comfort, honour life, and beautifully reflect the essence of the person who has died.


Hi – I’m Tom. A funeral celebrant based in Portsmouth. I’ve lived in the area for over 20 years, and most of my career has been dedicated to end-of-life.
6 years:
funeral arranger
1 year:
funeral trainer
3 years:
crematorium operative
1 year & counting:
funeral celebrant
Ceremonies that bid farewell
A funeral (or memorial) ceremony is a gathering of two halves:
In honour of the deceased –
To celebrate their life and legacy and bid them farewell.
In support of those left behind –
To offer them comfort and love.
And exactly how we balance these halves is as broad in scope as we’re all unique.

After all, there are no limitations on what makes a character and makes the memories. So, there are no limitations on how you can say farewell.
You might:
- Fill the time with their favourite music
- Have family and friends share memories and stories
- Keep it traditional
- Include a little religion
- Do whatever feels right for you
The only limitations are our imaginations and the time available at the venue.
Support & guidance

Guide
Working with me
What to expect
With enough already on your plate, you don’t need the uncertainty of not knowing what happens next.
This guide might prove helpful…

This time can be challenging, and with everything that’s going on, it can be difficult to navigate and know what to do.
I am here to support you.

Guide
Meeting with me, your funeral celebrant
Discussing and planning a ceremony to bid farewell to someone close can feel overwhelming and, quite frankly, exhausting.
You might wonder how to prepare…
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The type of funeral celebrant I am
Read more: The type of funeral celebrant I amBalancing tradition, compassion, and a touch of wit…
Kind words

My fee
I match the Church of England parochial fee for funerals within 10 miles of home in Portsmouth.
For 2025, this is:
£ 234
For funerals further afield, I charge:
£ 0.50 per additional mile
Get in touch
Office & appointment hours
- Sunday
- Closed
- Monday
- 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Thursday
- 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Friday
- 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Saturday
- 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Send me a message…

My diary is online
You can schedule the date and time of your ceremony or arrange a meet-up directly in my diary.
Once received, I’ll call you back to confirm (usually within the hour).
Latest posts
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The type of funeral celebrant I am
Read more: The type of funeral celebrant I amBalancing tradition, compassion, and a touch of wit…
Posted in Being a celebrant -
They’ve been waiting at the door for you
Read more: They’ve been waiting at the door for youAn end of life poem for dog lovers.
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Grief: A personal journey of knotted emotions
Read more: Grief: A personal journey of knotted emotionsAppreciating our unique experience of loss…
Posted in Grief