This month’s Faces of the Foundation introduces Lucy Haden, whose own wedding inspired her to become a Humanist celebrant five years ago.

Nearly 200 ceremonies later, her love of human connection remains at the heart of everything she does.

Based in Biggar with her rescue greyhound, Lizzie Longlegs, Lucy shares a little of her wonderfully creative life, from pottery and campervan adventures to celebrating love across Scotland.

Hi, I’m Lucy Haden, and I’ve been a celebrant with the Fuze Foundation for five years now. Having got married myself a few years back, and been very involved in the planning of my own ceremony, it seemed an obvious step to train as a celebrant myself. And five years and nearly 200 ceremonies later, I’m so glad I did. Every single ceremony has been different. I’ve travelled the length and breadth of Scotland. I’ve seen the most wonderful places and met the most wonderful people. And I’ve made almost 400 people very happy!

I’ve had quite a chequered career, working as an agony aunt, handling media accounts at an advertising agency, managing a wedding dress salon, running my own data entry business, managing the archive of a well known artist, and for the last ten years working at a drug and alcohol rehab centre. But for sheer job satisfaction and pleasure, being a celebrant beats all of those hands down.

I live in Biggar, in Lanarkshire, with my rescue greyhound, Lizzie Longlegs, and when I’m not out and about as a celebrant, my life just gets busier and busier.

I’ve converted my own campervan (an ideal travelling bedroom for me and Lizzie for those further away weddings). I’ve become obsessed with pottery and my house and garden is full of my creations, including sculptures of Lizzie. I’ve completely landscaped and redesigned my garden, which is now Scotland’s smallest sculpture park. That goes very well with my conservatory, of which I’m very proud, and which is now Scotland’s smallest wedding venue, having proudly hosted two weddings in the last eight months.

I grow lemons, limes, avocados, passionfruit, grapes and coffee amongst other things. I’m a Trustee for our local arts festival, Biggar Little Festival, and am heavily involved in sourcing amazing acts and funding. I’ve become what my friends fondly (I hope) call a witch, and love foraging and creating recipes, preserves, wines, soaps etc with the results. Pink elderflower champagne is my latest success …

And when I do have some spare time I regularly go to New Zealand, where my eldest daughter lives.

When I see her, it always makes me realise the importance of human connection. Nurture it, create it, love it – whether it’s your own family, friends, or couples making their own way in life.

And that’s what I do with Fuze!