About AG Derwen

I am a poet, pilgrim, storyweaver, companion of the dying and a voice for the Dead, a griefworker, a social entrepreneur, inspirational speaker and explainer of things.

I am being approached more and more to serve as an MC (I would say "servant" rather than Master of Ceremony) by festivals, conferences and large events... and I will always ask the same the questions: 

Who profits from your event? 
Are you divesting from unethical practice? 
What is your statement on the ongoing Genocides in the world today? 
Do you centre Grief in your work or is it a sideshow or add on? 
What practices and rituals are taking place at your event and are they rooted in lineage? Do the elders and teachers of those lineages get fair remuneration? 
Are you doing ceremony and ritual on colonised Land, what is your stance on reparation and land back? 

Do you know what your event is invoking in the Unseen? How are you responsible for that? How well tended are the Dead that have died on that Land? (if no one is asking these questions, then they should!)

I will not work for organisations and events that sell ceremony and ritual as commodities, that blend culturally appropriated rituals from around the world without consciousness or reverence of the Land and traditions the event is taking place on, I will not quietly run a grief tent in a corner while people rave on stolen land, I will not be quiet about genocide and our complicity in it. I will not lever my reputation to improve yours if you are not committed to systemic change and hospicing capitalism.

I will name Global Systemic Collapse as a lived reality, I will ask that Grief consciousness is woven into every detail of your event, I will work with all contributors to ensure the ritual and ceremony taking place is coherent and safe, I will broker if necessary better relations with the energies of land, place and space. I will bring poetry, lament, humour and joy to your space. I will scrutinise the integrity of your space and if you are the right people for me to work with, you will welcome me to do so. Your event will be significantly more meaningful and powerful for having me cast my spiritually diligent eye over the plans. 

I am a Servant of Ceremony and a Voice for the Dead.

I am a white, British, non-binary person from working class heritage, I am highly educated by both the System and the "University of Life", my mentors, teachers and guides have all been Black people or other people of culture and I honour their time, labour and grace in showing me the realities of the impacts of Empire, racism and the continued impact our colonial past has on the present today. I understand the world through the lens of the exile and the shadow-walker, I move between realms, I hear the Dead. And I am driven by a passion it is hard to explain or contain to lever collective and systemic healing of the Ancestral field. I am 30 years a psychopomp and healer but I am not fluffy, love'n'light is not for me; I can be formidable and I have forces Unseen at my back. I am a searing truth teller and no nonsense bad ass; while also being one of the softest most emotionally literate people you will ever meet. I cry openly when Grief moves in the field, I have mastered my emotions and they are part of my power. My presence alone can be disruptive to established orders and where trauma and grief is suppressed. Invite me in only if you want someone as fully human as possible to read you and your organisation with a Love that illuminates the darkest shadows while being the luminescent sacred Darkness itself.

EXPERIENCE

(Work and Training)

Nov/Dec 2025: Guest Facilitator on the Ecologies of the Imagination programme offering Griefwork and Lament 

Nov 2025: Poetic Intervention (Key Note / Poetry) for the Systems Innovation Learning Partnership, Climate KIC seminar

Nov 2025: Ceremonialist (MC) for the K Smrti Dobry (Good Death) Festival in Ostrava, Czechia

Oct/Nov 2025: Co-facilitator with Tuomas Rounakari on a bespoke retreat in Czechia, Alchemy of Lament

Sept 2025: Facilitator for Journey with Death, Doula Preparation retreats in Sweden and Pembrokeshire, co-facilitating with Jana Gorst from Slovakia

June - Sept 2025: Lead Facilitator on Community Death Educators course with Sacred Circle CIC

June 2025: Key Note Speaker at Conference "Funeral & Death Ritual for the Modern World", at Natural Endings, Todmorden

March 2025: Guest Speaker at the Sustainability ConFest, Ffarm Pandy, North Wales

March 2025: Co-facilitator with Tuomas Rounakari on the Bear Awakens Lament retreat at Trefacwn, Pembrokeshire

2024 - 2025: Co-Founder and Director of Earth Hospice / Hafan Ddaear Community Benefit Society  

Jan 2025: Guest Facilitator for the Companion Voices on Holding Space for Grief

2024: Guest Facilitator on Ecologies of the Imagination Programme

2023 and 2025: Guest Facilitator in Czechia leading Lament retreats

2024 and 2025: Co-Facilitator with Tuomas Rounakari on Bear Awakens Retreats

2024: Author of Lost Rites: Ancestral Landscape Book published by Wysewomen Publishing

2023 – 2014: Kincentric Leadership Programme A Global community leadership programme with Indigenous elders

2022 – present: Director of AG Derwen Ltd Books, Talks, Ceremonies, Counselling and Consultancy

2017 – present: Director and Lead Facilitator Sacred Circle Training Co CIC offering Death Doula courses

2016 – present: Lecturer in Spiritual Care  Bangor University

2011 – present: Celebrant  Funerals, Weddings, Baby Blessings

1994 – present: Death and Grief Doula Accompanying the dying and bereaved        

2022: Author of Lost Rites: Community of Grief Book published by Wysewomen Publishing

2021: Author of Lost Rites: Ceremony and Ritual for Death and Dying Book published by Wysewomen Publishing

2020 – 2021: Somatic Abolitionism Year long course in Anti-Racism practice with Resmaa Menakem

2016: Birth Doula Course Red Tent Doula Preparation

2015 – 2016: Bereavement Counselling Course and Voluntary work with Cruse Bereavement Care

 2013 – 2016: Training Mentor and Group Facilitator OneSpirit Interfaith Seminary

2014 – 2015: Manager and Director Greenhouse Project, Bangor

2011 – 2013: Interfaith Ministry and Spiritual Counselling OneSpirit Interfaith Seminary

2012 – 2013: Live in Carer Person with Dementia

2008 – present: Consultant specialising in Public Policy Self Employed

2009 – 2010: Community Engagement and Communications Manager Cheshire East Commissioning for Adult Social Care

2007 – 2008: MA in International Relations and Peace Studies University of Liverpool, Politics Dept

2005 – 2008: Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training Dru International School of Yoga

2007 – 2009: Community Engagement Manager Sefton Equalities Partnership

2005 – 2010: Youth Policy Development (Voluntary) Youth Charter for Sports, Arts and Culture

2005 – 2007: Road Safety Manager Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

2005: Project Manager Cheshire SureStart

2003 – 2005: PGDip in Management Warwick Business School

2003 – 2005: Graduate Management Trainee National Graduate Development Programme for Local Government

2003 - 2010: Committee Member and Chair of the Management Committee Dingle Community Learning Programme, Liverpool (an IPS)

1999 – 2003: Language Tutor (French and English)

1999 – 2003: BA (Hons) Degree in French (2:1) University of Liverpool

1998 – 1999: Sales and Marketing Assistant Zeta Communications Ltd

1998 – 2004: Youth Worker and Instructor Cheshire ACF and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme

1998 – 1999: Certificate in Business Administration Pershore College