Last modified on Mon 14 Dec 2020 06.12 EST
When Cleo Binnsâ father died in June 2018, she and her mother, Ann, wanted a humanist service to honour his life. âI got in touch with a celebrant who wasnât available, but recommend that I contact Will Tillotson,â she remembers. Shortly after she called him, he went round to meet Cleo and Ann in the Lake District, near to where he lived at the time. âAs a humanist celebrant, you meet every family, so that you can discuss their loved oneâs life and write a tribute,â he says.
During their meeting, it didnât cross his mind that it would be anything more than a professional relationship. âIt would have been unthinkable that something would happen â and totally unethical,â he says. Cleo, who was grieving along with her mum, felt comforted by Willâs presence. âAt the time, I wasnât thinking about dating or anything like that. But I know that, when he left, Mum and I felt much