Mr Willox has been short-listed for Celebrant of the Year from hundreds of funeral celebrant nominees.
The winners will be announced at this year’s glittering Good Funeral Awards ceremony, at the Porchester Hall in London on September 7.
For those unfamiliar with Ian’s less conventional career path, a celebrant in the simplest of terms, is someone who celebrates something.
The awards are known to most people in the industry as ‘The Oscars of the UK Funeral Trade.’
Ian has been a celebrant in Oxfordshire since 2014, and in that time has conducted ceremonies in locations ranging from the Sculpture Gallery of the Ashmolean Museum, to a bronze age burial ground in the middle of a field – as well as the more conventional crematoria and cemeteries.
This profession came to Ian as he is “constantly fascinated and amazed at the inventiveness and creativity people put into their celebrations – even funerals. Especially funerals.”
The Good Funeral Awards are now in their sixth year and recognise excellence in the world of funerals, rewarding the best funeral directors and all associated services that are involved in creating memorable funerals. Wholly independent of the funeral industry the awards are supported by consumer advocates, the Good Funeral Guide and the Natural Death Centre.
Fran Hall, CEO of The Good Funeral Guide, joint organiser of the event, said: “The Good Funeral Awards recognise exceptional service to bereaved people from all aspects of the funeral industry and supporting services. By progressing this far, Ian Willox has already demonstrated outstanding professionalism, empathy and a willingness to go the extra mile.”
Brian Jenner, co-organiser, said: “The Good Funeral Awards recognise all those unsung heroes who work so hard for the bereaved and whose role can so easily be overlooked. Some of the nicest people in Britain work in the funeral business.”
For more information about the event, visit www.goodfuneralawards.co.uk