The British Humanist Association (BHA) says goodbye to its Chief Executive Hanne Stinson


from the BHA website, 19 October 2009

Hanne Stinson is leaving the BHA in November, after eight years as Chief Executive. 

Hanne describes those eight years as challenging, exciting and incredibly busy, and she praised the BHA’s highly committed staff team, which she said had achieved an enormous amount over that time.  “Leaving the BHA is going to be a huge wrench” said Hanne, “but I think I am leaving it in pretty good shape.  When I took on the BHA in 2001, I felt it was an organisation with a lot of potential. That is just as true now as it was then, and I feel sure that a new Chief Executive will be able to build on what we have achieved in the last few years to create an even more influential organisation. I am sure that he or she will have the support of the Board, of a committed, professional and highly effective staff team and – equally important – our growing and increasingly active membership.”

Robert Ashby, Chair of the BHA, said, “The BHA Board of Trustees, on behalf of all British Humanists, recognises a great debt of gratitude to Hanne for the dedication she has shown to our cause over the past eight years - a dedication that even lead to her being tattooed with the BHA’s Happy Human logo in the cause of fundraising.   We all wish her well in the next challenges that she will no doubt take on.  I and my colleagues are confident that we can continue to gain momentum with our public awareness and key equality and human rights campaigns, at the same time developing inspiration and support for all humanists in Britain.”

Dorset Humanists meet in Moordown, Bournemouth


Dorset Humanists

Dorset Humanists hold a Saturday afternoon meeting and a Thursday evening meeting each month at Moordown Community Centre*, Coronation Avenue, Moordown, Bournemouth, Dorset, England, BH9 1TW (*We occasionally hold special events at other venues, so please check our Meetings & Calendar’ tab  and/or our programme for full details of our events and meetings).



Please note: SatNavs sometimes get it wrong - the Community Centre is actually on Kingsley House! (Phone 01202 511 552 if you get lost).




View Dorset Humanists meet monthly at Moordown Community Centre in a larger map (note: the red 'A' on the map above is in the wrong place!)


West Dorset Humanists

West Dorset Humanists meet once a month in Dorchester and also have many interesting talks and discussions. 






















Subscribe to Monthly Bulletin


Keep up to date with all Dorset Humanists'
News, Views and Events!

Simply enter your details below and every month Dorset Humanists will email you a link to download our
free PDF bulletin and newsletter.










James Fradgley "Grumpy old Man" - Unscientific Science - 10 October 2009

“Bad Science – a Rant from a Grumpy Old Man” James Fradgely, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and Chairman of the Wessex Astronomical Society talked about ignorance, objectivity, biased sampling, cherry-picking, forecasting, Ockham’s Razor, Darwin v Creationism, Martian canals, moon landings, conspiracy theories, alternative therapies, health and safety, politicians’ lies, bath water, luck, and much much more...!



 I thoroughly enjoyed the talk, it was a good balance between serious and amusing as well as very informative. James Fradgley kept me interested from begining to end. 
Crabsallover

 James was a grumpy yet humourus old man bemoaning scientific illiteracy, misuse of technical words, media disinformation and much more that's wrong with the world. Probably the best talk we've had at Dorset Humanists for a year! 

;more photos - see column on right

Richard Dawkins in Bournemouth


Photos: Crabsallover

BHA Vice President Professor Richard Dawkins spoke on 21 September at the joint British Humanist Association (BHA) and Humanist and Secularist Liberal Democrats’ (HSLD) fringe event at the Liberal Democrat annual conference in Bournemouth.

Richard Dawkins read excerpts from his book - 'The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution' then took 20 minutes of questions including one from Dorset Humanist Dennis Banister on the likely origin of life on earth. Life may have originated from a precursor of DNA:- RNA, that had both enzymic and replication properties.

A member of the audience asked Richard Dawkins to sign a petition about child education. Given a choice between children being taught Statistics or Philosophy he preferred they were taught Statistics.

BHA Review