Rachel Parkin, Birmingham Celebrant
Hello! I'm Rachel, an Independent Civil Celebrant.
I live in South Birmingham, UK with my two rescue cats, Buffy and Spike.
I've lived in Birmingham for over 25 years and I'm proud to be an adopted Brummie! I love being part of the fun, creative community of Moseley and Kings Heath.
I'm a big music fan - I sing in a local community choir, Skylarks, and I love going to gigs and festivals.
I qualified as a civil celebrant in August 2023. I love helping people celebrate in their own unique style!
Photo: Phil Hayes
Meet Spuffy!
Here are my two rescue cats, Spike and Buffy, collectively known as Spuffy. They are both adorable (and yes, I'm biased!)
As a result of having cat 'flu when he was rescued, Spike developed a 'blep' where he has his tongue out pretty much all the time. He's an absolute charmer and has a devoted following!
Buffy is my little fluffy shadow. She's a typical tortie - very vocal with plenty of tortie-tude!
My 15 minutes of fame!
You might recognise me as 'that woman who won Joe Lycett's car.'
Yes I did, and yes it was his car! It was a beautiful red Lexus which I named Judy-Lee Lycett. The whole story of how I came to win it is utterly bonkers and I'll save that for another day.
I've sold Judy-Lee and am now the proud owner of Belinda Biscuits Berlingo, which I use as a mini campervan to take me on all sorts of adventures!
Photo credit: Joe Lycett
Funny Business
I'm a primary school teacher by profession, so I have a lot of experience of planning and delivering to meet individual needs.
I also dabble in stand-up comedy, so I'm used to working a crowd! I host a comedy night called Brew Haha! at Attic Brewery in Stirchley, Birmimgham. I like to see the lighter side of life and l can offer a fun, humorous touch to your ceremony if that's what you want.
'Puzzling' on Channel 5
I'm a keen quizzer - as well as taking part in and hosting pub quizzes, I've appeared on 'Only Connect' on BBC 4, and on Channel 5's 'Puzzling'. That was a tough game!
Photo credit: Channel 5