farnham HUMANISTS

contact 01252 794021: Little Craigy Barns, 37 Frensham Vale, Farnham GU10 3HS David.savage44@btinternet.com

We have added two rambles (Sunday May 10th and Sunday September 27^th) and a garden party (Sunday June 28^th) to our programme for 2009 (see at the bottom of the newsletter). For the first ramble we will be meeting 10.30 at The Good Intent in Puttenham for a walk over Puttenham Common with 12.30 lunch at the Good Intent. Please contact Jim Herrick for more information by e-mail Jim1herrick@aol.com or phone 01483 811707.

• Local Development –The BHA are concerned about a lack of representation at local level for non-religious people which means that, unlike religious people who can be consulted through recognised methods of communication, non-religious people’s needs and views are at risk of being excluded from decision making bodies.
  
• Farnham Humanists are now part of a Surrey County Council Equality & Diversity Group. David Savage attended a second meeting of the group on 19th February.
  
• David has also written to Waverley Borough Council in response to their consultation on the Borough’s equality and diversity policy and requested that Farnham Humanists is included as a member of a Critical Partner Group. He highlights that we are a group with non-religious beliefs who support human rights and within this want to help reflect and respect the diversity in our community. We also want to support the council in ensuring there is no discrimination based on religion or belief (as well as disability etc) in governance, employment and provision of services.
  
• At the South East England Faiths Forum (SEEFF) event in November it appeared that a Government objective is to use interfaith groups to encourage local authorities to cooperate with faith groups to provide 'welfare services'. David pointed out that the role of the non-religious to provide such services should be fully recognised. SEEFF is carrying out a consultation project in order to establish its work for the next three years. David has contributed to this through a questionnaire and will be attending a final regional conference in Reading on 28th April when the project will be discussed and agreed.
  
  

• Humanist Chaplaincy support - David has responded to Mike Penning, Shadow Secretary for Health on the all party consultation on the provision of chaplaincy and spiritual care within the NHS. His key points are that ‘pastoral and spiritual care’ should be for all in the NHS irrespective of their religion or belief and should be provided by all, irrespective of their religion or belief. At present this care is often seen as for the religious by the religious.
  
• Ceremonies – Alec Leggatt and Barbara Burfoot continue to provide officiant support for Funerals, Weddings and Baby Namings. Recently this has included a victim of a murder and an Air Vice Marshall with full military honours. They will be talking about their experiences at our Sunday September 13^th meeting.

• Contact with other Humanist Groups –Alec and David are meeting with Guildford Humanists in April to discuss the work of the Farnham group and mutual cooperation.
  
• Website – the website has been completely revamped with more information added. Any comments for improvements would be very welcome – please contact Jennie Johnson by e-mail: jennie.johnson@virgin.net
  
• Further Education Talks – Following a request from a tutor at Farnborough College of Technology, Farnham Humanists are hoping to supply speakers to talk about Humanism to students taking a counselling course. Specific topics will include where counselling fits in with belief and religion, death and bereavement, ethics and morality, freedom of choice.
  
• AGM – At our AGM on February 22^nd we elected David Savage as Chairman, Sue Shaw as Secretary, Mike Adams as Treasurer and Membership Secretary, Jennie Johnson as Vice Chairman and Meg Howson, Jim Herrick, Alec Leggatt and Alan Montgomery as other members of the committee. We also decided to keep the membership at £10 per year with a voluntary £5 donation. Any membership fees/donations can be sent to Mike Adams at 10 New House Farm Lane Wood Street Village Guildford GU3 3DD, cheques to be made payable to Farnham Humanists.