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‘Totally Unexpected’: Oxfordshire Celebrant Fiona Mac Wins National Award

Updated: Mar 17

It’s been a busy week for Fiona Mac, starting Monday with attending the inaugural 2026 National Conference of the Celebration of Celebrants, held at The Abbey Hotel in Redditch.

 

Run by the Celebrant Circle Ltd, delegates were able to experience a full programme with lots of opportunities for learning in a creative, inclusive environment, and the last 5 minutes of the conference were transformative, at least for Fiona Mac!

 

Speaking to a packed audience, Jacqueline Cale, Co-Director of Celebrant Circle Ltd, announced that Fiona Mac was the fortunate recipient of the Jules Maxine Award. Fiona shared later, “You could have knocked me over with a feather”.

 

Jacqueline continued, “ Jules, an actor, comedienne, and writer, fiercely supported the LGBTQI+ community and defended her friends. When given a terminal diagnosis, she faced it with bravery, offering comfort to those around her. She cherished her time in the Celebrant Circle, encouraging her friends with, “You can do this, girls.” After Jules death, we wanted to honour and remember our friend in some meaningful way…and – with the permission of her delighted family - the annual Jules Maxine Ward came into being”.

 

 

What is the Award for?

 

“This award is made to a member of the Celebrant Circle who not only exemplifies all the qualities of an excellent professional celebrant but also demonstrates a level of care and compassion to their colleagues within the Circle.   So we asked that you tell us who this person might be?  Who goes the extra mile in supporting and nurturing the people in our community?

 

When we announced this year’s award, we again asked the membership to nominate someone (anonymously) who best deserves recognition for their services to celebrancy and to the people in our community.

 

Our Winner this year – Fiona Mac

 

This year, there was one clear ‘winner’ – with many people speaking to us of their own experience of this person’s care, kindness, confidentiality, and who DEFINITELY goes the extra mile in supporting this community as a whole, and the members individually.

 

So it gives us HUGE pleasure to tell you that the person is our own lovely FIONA MAC”.

 

As Fiona accepted the award from fellow Celebrant and winner of the award last year, Colleen Lloyd, Fiona was initially speechless, then thanked Colleen, Jacqueline, and Shelley, along with all her colleagues in the room, “Wow, this is totally unexpected. It is an honour to receive this award. Jules was a dear friend to many here, and so this award feels extra special, as it is in her name.

 

Shelley and Jacqueline have created a fabulous community to be part of, and to be here at the inaugural conference, with you all, makes this my perfect day. Thank you to everyone who nominated me.

 

I shall treasure this award and this moment at the Celebration of Celebrants 2026 National Conference and look forward to seeing you all again next year on 24th May 2027, when I shall be passing the baton on to another member of our incredible community.

 

 So again, thank you, it feels very humbling to be voted for this award by my fellow Celebrant colleagues, so in true Celebrant style - let’s celebrate!!!”.  

 

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References:


 

Celebrant Circle Ltd - is the Gold Standard in Celebrant Training across the UK and Overseas  https://www.celebrantcircle.com

 

The Celebration of Celebrants – national conference for Celebrants, held this week in Redditch. Next date is 24th May 2027

 

Fiona Mac is an award-winning, local, accredited independent Celebrant living in Abingdon, delivering ceremonies across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties.

 

Instagram : fionamac.celebrant

 

 

 


 
 
 

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