'Colder than Here' Play - Assisted Dying

 “Colder Than Here” A play by Laura Wade

Dorset Humanists has invited the Taboo Theatre Company to perform "Colder Than Here" at the Moordown Centre at 2.30pm on Saturday 20th March.

This play has been touring the South West and London, as part of the Trust's 'The Art of Dying (and Living) - What Makes a Good Death' project. It has played in hospices, a prison, to young adults and to the general public as part of the educational programme.

It.s particularly relevant at present with controversy surrounding assisted dying  in the media spotlight. The play deals with a mother dying of cancer and how she helps her dysfunctional family to cope with their forthcoming loss, and separation by the choices and responsibility she takes - which include looking for a green burial.

'Laura Wade's play is a 90-minute masterpiece, a jewel, dark but translucent. It is a play of love, death and grief that is hardest to bear, because it begins before the loved one dies... this moving, funny, brave and beautiful play. Sunday Times'

Tickets are £5 and will available at our AGM on 13th March, or from Jane B (phone 01202 428506) or on the door on 20th March or by Paypal below:



Number of People


BHA Humanist Manifesto 2010 General Election - Let’s get humanist voices heard in the run-up to the election!

The British Humanist Association (BHA), to whom Dorset Humanists are affiliated, have both local and national humanist manifestos for the 2010 general election.

The BHA national manifesto, which includes 10 Doorstep Questions, talks about:

  • Human Rights
    • ... We want a government that will help to make human rights a tool in protecting people from oppression and discrimination...
  • Faith schools
    • ... We believe that the interests of neither society nor children are best served by state-sponsored sectarian education...
  • Equality
    • ... We want a government that does not privilege the demands of religious people over the needs and rights of others...
  • Local Issues
    • ... We want local authorities not to champion exclusive ‘interfaith’ work ...
  • Ethical Issues
    • ... We want a government that uses scientific evidence when debating changes to laws regarding abortion and human tissues and uses reason when deciding policy on controversial issues...
  • Religion and Education
    • ... We want RE to be radically reformed so that it teaches objectively about both religious and non-religious perspectives, such as Humanism...
  • Constitutional Reform
    • ... We want a secular state. By this we mean a state where public institutions are separate from religious institutions and treat all citizens impartially regardless of their religious or nonreligious beliefs...
  • Public Services
    • ... We want a government that will guarantee that all contracted organisations that deliver a service are banned from proselytising...

The BHA local manifesto includes 7 Doorstep Questions and says Humanists want:
    • Councils that will give equal recognition to religious beliefs and non-religious beliefs (such as Humanism) as defined in the Human Rights Act and Equality Act 2006.
    • Councils that will end privileges for ‘religion or belief.’
    • Councils that will uphold freedom of conscience and religion and oppose bullying by religious groups.
    • Councils that will support local community schools and stop the expansion of faith-based and sectarian schools.
    • Councils that will keep religious privilege and discrimination out of delivery of statutory public services.
    • Councils that will remove the pro-religious bias in schools and the education system more generally.
    BHA say "Many members and supporters have been asking us recently what questions they should ask their candidates in the upcoming local and national elections. So, we thought it would be an excellent idea to publish manifestos for the upcoming local and general elections, which you can use to ask candidates the kind of questions we need answering. What do they think the government's policy should be on faith schools? What do they think about exemptions for religious organisations from aspects of equality legislation? Would they vote to retain or remove bishops from the House of Lords? Are they in favour of councils contracting with faith groups to deliver public services? View all 17 Doorstep questions in the national and local BHA manifestos.

    We all know how vocal the religious lobby is - and that politicians often feel pressured to support and accommodate those views on matters such as faith schools or public ethical issues, even if that religious perspective is largely unshared by the rest of the constituency. We also know that non-religious voices and concerns are often not heard, but that if they were we could see real changes to policies that affect us all. Support for democracy and political participation at local and national levels is core to humanist thinking and we have a lot of issues where we need to make our voices heard!"

    What local and national issues do you think are important to discuss in Dorset?

    BHA supports new Guardian pamphlet on ‘Citizen Ethics’

    British Humanist Association, to whom Dorset Humanists is affiliated, reports..


    The BHA is pleased to support the publication of a pamphlet published by The Guardian newspaper entitled ‘Citizen Ethics in a time of crisis.’ The pamphlet, which is available to download online, includes articles by BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson, BHA President Polly Toynbee as well as BHA Distinguished Supporters Richard Reeves and Philip Pullman. There are also interviews with BHA Distinguished Supporters Martin Rowson and BHA Vice President Claire Rayner OBE. 


    The publication explores key questions about ethics today including values, economics and politics from a range of different perspectives and was organised by the Citizen Ethics Network which is an organisation which aims to promote debate and to renew the ethical underpinnings of economic, political and daily life.


    Andrew’s article in the publication argues that, ‘Not believing in any post-mortem existence where all wrongs will be righted, humanists think of politics as incredibly important. It is more than just a necessity arising from the fact that we’re social animals: it is an opportunity to promote the opportunity of a good life for all...’


    The pamphlet can be downloaded here.
    You can participate in the debate via The Guardian’s online discussion pages here.

    The curious case of Sex, Faith and Government Denial

    BHA report...
    British Humanist Association (BHA), to whom Dorset Humanists are affiliated, have been working hard on the Children, Schools and Families Bill, especially on PSHE, which includes Sex and Relationships Education (SRE). Ken Purchase MP, member of the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, had already tabled amendments to the Bill to make it even stronger and that sought to promote children’s rights, to stop parents being able to withdraw their children from SRE, and to ensure that all schools must teach PSHE in ways that promote equality and diversity. Although they didn’t pass, there was a lot of support from MPs for our position.


    So we were aghast last week when we noticed that the Government had tried to slip through a last minute amendment of its own. This amendment effectively exempts “faith schools” from having to teaching SRE accurately, in ways that are balanced, promote equality and respect for diversity, and reflect different views. This was a u-turn from the original commitment in the Bill.


    Together with the Accord Coalition and the Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE), the BHA broke the story to the press, with a fantastic response in the broadsheets, online and broadcast media. Andrew’s article on the Guardian’s Comment is Free site remained in the top most-viewed articles for days!


    Within hours, the Government had “tweeted” its denial that it was making such disgraceful concessions to religious groups (the Catholic Education Service had taken the credit for this amendment being tabled). It then made formal responses to our condemnation of its proposals in the papers and on Radio 4’s Today. None of their excuses held up to the reality that their amendment did not just “clarify” the law but significantly changed it in favour of faith schools and against the rights of children and parents to have full SRE taught.


    It wasn’t just us, or even our allies in Accord and CRAE, that made the difference. Well over 1000 (over 700 in the first 24 hours!) of you responded to our special e-bulletin asking you to use our facility, set-up exclusively to allow you to email your MPs and ask them to oppose the Government’s move. That is the kind of joint-working that forced the Government to make a statement in the House of Commons about the subject, and although their amendment has gone through we will continue to fight for its removal, and the huge public support and media coverage our actions precipitated have been a powerful statement in themselves.


    A dozen or more Dorset Humanists emailed their Dorset MPs on Monday 22nd February asking them to vote against Amendment 70. Thanks for making a difference!