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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| AM to become humanist celebrant | AM to become humanist celebrant |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Assembly Member Lorraine Barrett is to quit politics at the next election in 2011 to become a humanist celebrant. | Assembly Member Lorraine Barrett is to quit politics at the next election in 2011 to become a humanist celebrant. |
| Mrs Barrett, 58, has been the Labour AM for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1999 but said she now wants to spend the next decade "on herself". | |
| She plans to expand her growing role conducting non-religious funerals and civil partnerships. | She plans to expand her growing role conducting non-religious funerals and civil partnerships. |
| "I just feel the time is right. I have achieved quite a lot behind the scenes," said Mrs Barrett. | "I just feel the time is right. I have achieved quite a lot behind the scenes," said Mrs Barrett. |
| Before her election as an AM, the Rhondda-born coal miner's daughter was a nurse and a Vale of Glamorgan councillor. | Before her election as an AM, the Rhondda-born coal miner's daughter was a nurse and a Vale of Glamorgan councillor. |
| She also worked as an assistant to Cardiff South and Penarth MP Alun Michael for 12 years. My life has now taken a new path with my celebrant's work and I am looking forward to new challenges Lorraine Barrett AM | |
| Mrs Barrett, who informed her constituency party of her decision last week, said she would be committed to her constituency work until she retires from politics in 2011. | Mrs Barrett, who informed her constituency party of her decision last week, said she would be committed to her constituency work until she retires from politics in 2011. |
| She is a member of the health and sustainability committees at the assembly and also chairs the all-party animal welfare group and all party co-operative. | She is a member of the health and sustainability committees at the assembly and also chairs the all-party animal welfare group and all party co-operative. |
| She has also been an assembly commissioner since 2007. | She has also been an assembly commissioner since 2007. |
| "I have taken this decision because I trained last summer with the British Humanist Association as a humanist celebrant and I now conduct humanist or non-religious funeral ceremonies," she said. | "I have taken this decision because I trained last summer with the British Humanist Association as a humanist celebrant and I now conduct humanist or non-religious funeral ceremonies," she said. |
| She said she mainly conducted the funerals around her political commitments, on Mondays and Fridays and during recesses. | She said she mainly conducted the funerals around her political commitments, on Mondays and Fridays and during recesses. |
| "It's going very well and I get huge satisfaction in being able to do something so special for families at the most difficult time of their lives. | "It's going very well and I get huge satisfaction in being able to do something so special for families at the most difficult time of their lives. |
| New path | New path |
| "I want to develop my work as a celebrant to do baby-namings, weddings and civil partnerships. | "I want to develop my work as a celebrant to do baby-namings, weddings and civil partnerships. |
| "I also want to do more work with the British Humanist Association and the National Secular Society. It is for that reason that I have decided not to stand at the next election. | "I also want to do more work with the British Humanist Association and the National Secular Society. It is for that reason that I have decided not to stand at the next election. |
| "My life has now taken a new path with my celebrant's work and I am looking forward to new challenges." | "My life has now taken a new path with my celebrant's work and I am looking forward to new challenges." |
| She said that one of her plans was to do more with the Marie Curie Hospice in Penarth, where she is the patron. | She said that one of her plans was to do more with the Marie Curie Hospice in Penarth, where she is the patron. |
| Mrs Barrett's husband Paul is a rock and roll agent who used to manage Shakin' Stevens. | Mrs Barrett's husband Paul is a rock and roll agent who used to manage Shakin' Stevens. |
| They have two children, drum and bass DJ High Contrast (Lincoln Barrett) and Satellite City actress Shelley Barrett, and two grandchildren. The couple live in Penarth. | They have two children, drum and bass DJ High Contrast (Lincoln Barrett) and Satellite City actress Shelley Barrett, and two grandchildren. The couple live in Penarth. |
| Mrs Barrett is also an honorary associate of the National Secular Society. | Mrs Barrett is also an honorary associate of the National Secular Society. |