Secular Ceremonies
To quote Wikipedia "A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion". It may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of in particular birth, social adulthood,marriage and death.
Traditionally these rites of passage have been marked with religious ceremonies. However with the rapid increase in the proportion of the population having no affiliation with any religion there has been substantial growth in the number of ceremonies provided by Humanist Ceremonies.
Humanists UK celebrants create, write and conduct a range of ceremonies to mark the big moments in life, mostly (but not exclusively) baby naming ceremonies, weddings and funerals.
Training for Officiants
The Humanists UK provides courses for secular officiants in England and Wales, and there are now over 300 qualified people throughout the country.
Here are links to pages on the Humanists UK website:
Weddings/Affirmations
Funerals
Training as an Officiant.
For Scotland, see — The Humanist Society of Scotland.
Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths
Leicestershire County Council.
Page updated 6 January 2019 JRC