Mitchell, Leslie

My background and experience I've enjoyed celebrating marriages from Islands on the East Coast to Gardens on the West. from Castles to cottages. Better still has been the experience of working with couples to make a ceremony which reflects their wishes, their dreams and their realities.

What humanism means to me     
It’s the freedom to make my own mind up on a whole range of issues and the liberty to try to give something of that to those around me. I want others to feel the freedom of belief and action that I enjoy.

It's good for families and friends to gather to say thanks for a new child and to welcome him or her into the community. It's also a helpful time to reflect on the delights and demands not only of parenthood, but what it means to be part of a wider family and a network of friends and neighbours.

One of my most memorable was working with a family to devise a welcoming ceremony for a little girl, who after months of waiting and form filling was finally legally adopted. She was a delightful seven year old who knew exactly what the ceremony was all about. Of course she already had a first name, so  she chose an extra, middle name to celebrate the occasion!