HASTINGS, UK. October 21st, 2026 – Celebrant training organisation Match & Dispatch is reporting high numbers of women over 50 attending its training programmes, as many seek a left-field career change in a challenging job market.
Women account for approximately 88% of the company’s trainees, while the founders estimate that as many as 8 in 10 are over 50.
Those trainees have come from a wide range of working backgrounds, including teaching, the NHS, counsellors, corporate HR, training and marketing, care and support work, self-employment and business ownership, hospice and end-of-life roles, lecturing and even music.
Reasons given for career changes include redundancy, burnout, career stagnation or seeking a more meaningful profession.
Research from the Centre for Ageing Better found that 36% of people aged 50 to 69 saying they feel at a disadvantage applying for jobs because of their age.
Match & Dispatch has been operating since April 2025, founded by Kate Tym and Kate Dyer. Since 2022, they have provided training to around 350 aspiring and practising celebrants, initially through their funeral education platform Coffin Club and now Match & Dispatch.
The founders, who both came into celebrancy in their late 40s, claim that age and experience can become real assets in the industry.
Kate Dyer, co-founder of Match & Dispatch, said: “We’re seeing significant numbers of people coming to us in their 40s, 50s and 60s who have huge amounts of professional and life experience, but who may feel overlooked or undervalued in the workplace.
“Many have been made redundant, are burnt out or dissatisfied, or simply want the next stage of their working life to feel more meaningful.
“What is so interesting about celebrancy is that the things which can sometimes work against you elsewhere, your age, a long employment history and decades of experience, can become enormous assets.
“People skills, confidence, resilience, judgement, writing and communication skills and life experience all matter enormously. Having a few years under your belt can actually work in your favour.”
Co-founder Kate Tym said: “Celebrancy is a fulfilling and deeply meaningful job. It’s been a joy to me to discover that all those years of life experience were actually my greatest qualification, and I get as much joy helping other women discover the same thing.”
Jacquie Knox, 54, had spent 25 years working in IT within oil and gas when redundancy forced her to reassess her career options. She enrolled onto a Match & Dispatch training course and is now working part-time as a celebrant.
Jacquie said: “Celebrant training surprised me in the best way. It brought out my creative side, a part of me that had been quietly sitting in the background while I focused on systems, delivery, and operations. I loved the writing, the storytelling, the human connection, the craft of shaping something meaningful for people.
“Being over 50 isn’t a barrier; it’s an advantage. I bring life experience, emotional intelligence, and a level of calm that only comes from having navigated real challenges. Redundancy didn’t end my career, it redirected it. And the celebrant training with Match & Dispatch has become one of the most joyful, unexpected parts of that new direction.”
Match & Dispatch runs regular free online Discovery Meet-ups every week for people who are curious about celebrancy. For more information, visit matchanddispatch.com/webinars.
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