Month: February 2021

Humanist groups from across the West Midlands region came together to put on four Zoom events every Tuesday evening during February 2021.

The organizing committee comprised Sarah Robbins (Chair), Bob Jelley, Mark Taylor, Jim Brooks and Simon Nightingale.

Here is the fourth and final installment. Sarah Robbins, Chair of Birmingham Humanists, takes us through a review of West Midlands Humanists Month and then introduces the main speaker, Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK.

Andrew’s talk on The Future of Humanism begins around 4.45 with a Q&A session beginning around 20 minutes in.

Recordings of all the sessions are posted on our website for people to view at their convenience. Here are links to the preceding three events:

February 2^nd – Humanism – where are we now?
February 9^th – Climate change
February 16^th – Humanism in action

In November last year Joyce wrote an article for the Ludlow Humanists, Life in a Time of Lockdown. She was excited to do it and it stimulated her to new thoughts. Joyce’s physical health had been slowly declining for at least the last two years. But mentally it was another story…

Joyce was born in Brixton, in London, but with family connections to this area which she came to know well. She was an only child, she earned a place at Oxford University to study English, but turned it down for love. She married young, lived abroad and had three children in quick succession. As the children grew up, she began to train as a social worker and had a number of senior positions in local authorities and at the Maudsley hospital. She moved to this area in the 1990’s and had several child-related posts – for Hereford diocese, and chaired the local the Foster Care panel.

In Ludlow, Joyce’s energy drew her to be involved in so many activities and campaigns (she was one of the founding members of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Defend our NHS), and she supported so many individuals in the issues of life.

In 2002 she published her Common Place book – a collection of prose and poetry which she had been drawn to over the years. It is of course a direct reflection of how she was: feisty, wickedly humorous, determined and independent, wise and enthusiastic and a fighter for others, full of warmth and humanity.

Her article for Ludlow humanists shows her intelligence, still looking to the future, willing to change in order to bring a better world for all. She had those values and marks of character that made her a much loved, and now much missed, friend to many.

Joyce was 86 years old when she died on Thursday 18^th February. She was in Hereford County Hospital, where she had been for several weeks and had contracted Covid-19.

Read Joyce’s article: Life in a Time of Lockdown

Sylvia Turner
23^rd February 2021

Here’s the third Zoom meeting organised by Humanist groups from across the West Midlands region for the month of February.

At the February 16^th event, humanist practitioners shared their insights and experiences of working in different areas of humanism in action. Here’s how the session breaks down:

Event Chair	Sarah Robbins
Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs)	Jane Sault	2:35
School speakers	Brian Goredema-Braid	10:30
Dialogue	Simon Nightingale	19:05
Pastoral care/chaplaincy	Pete Bispham	25:40
Celebrants	Mark Taylor	35:10
Question and answer session		44:15

Please see the events section of our website for details of the other events in the West Midlands Humanism in Action Month and how to sign up.

“The Psychology of Climate Deniers” and “Climate Change and Environmental Ethics”

Here’s the second virtual discussion organised by Humanist groups from across the West Midlands region for the month of February.

Dr Simon Nightingale, who has a background in neuroscience and psychology, and is also Chair of Shropshire Humanists, discusses the “Psychology of Climate Change Deniers”. Just prior to his talk, Dr Nightingale also provides a brief introduction on Humanist Climate Action, which is soon to be launched by Humanists UK.

Next, Professor Richard Norman, eminent philosopher and Vice-President of Humanists UK, will talk on the subject of “Climate Change and Environmental Ethics”.

Dr Nightingale’s presentation begins around the 1:45 mark. Professor Norman’s talk begins around 27:25 with a Q&A session beginning around 48:10.

Please see the events section of our website for details of the other events in the West Midlands Humanism in Action Month and how to sign up.

A talk by Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK

In case you missed it, here’s the first part of a series of virtual discussions organised by Humanist groups from across the West Midlands region for the month of February.

In this first Zoom session from February 2^nd, guest speaker Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, discusses Humanism – where are we now? Andrew’s talk begins around the 7-minute mark and the Q&A session begins about 26 ½ minutes in.

Please see the events section of our website for details of the other events in the West Midlands Humanism in Action Month and how to sign up.