David Warden Participates in Bournemouth Remembrance Service

We are pleased to report that David Warden, Chair of Dorset Humanists, took an active part in the Bournemouth Remembrance Service at the Bournemouth War Memorial on 9th November 2014. Lyn Glass, Vice Chair of Dorset Humanists, accompanied David at the occasion. This is the second year that Dorset Humanists have been allowed to make a contribution to what was previously an exclusively religious service.
David was representing the Defence Humanists, a section of the British Humanist Association, and augmented religious leaders’ contributions with a secular reading about peace. The Defence Humanists is a growing body of servicemen and women, their families, veterans and civilian members of the Ministry of Defence. Their mission is to seek to represent the interests of all those who subscribe to non-religious beliefs. 
David read the following words:

Peace begins with respect. If we cannot accept a world of human difference we will never enjoy a world of peace.
Peace needs humility. If we are willing to see our own faults then the bridges of trust can be rebuilt.
Peace needs co-operation. If we realise that most of what we desire cannot be secured by ourselves alone we will cultivate friendship.
Peace needs compromise. It needs a willingness to tolerate a world that is less than perfect.
Peace requires justice. We must be willing to share the world's resources fairly.
Peace is hard work. There are no laws of history that will guarantee its arrival.
So let our tribute to those of all beliefs who have suffered and died in conflict be our resolve to work for peace.
Adapted from Sherwin Wine 'Celebration: A Ceremonial and Philosophical Guide for Humanists and Humanistic Jews' (2003)

For more details of the Remembrance service, please view Bournemouth Echo’s report here:
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/11590148.UPDATED__Thousands_pay_tribute_at_Remembrance_Sunday_events/

Dorset Humanists to participate in Bournemouth Remembrance Service again

For the second year running, Dorset Humanists will once again be one of only a handful of non-religious groups nationwide that are allowed to actively participate in local Remembrance Ceremonies.

Bournemouth’s Remembrance Day Service will be held at the War Memorial in Bournemouth’s Central Gardens on Sunday 9th November and begins at 10:57am. A two minute silence will be held at 11am. which will be indicated by the firing of a field gun provided by the Royal School of Artillery.

The Service is led by representatives of local Churches, the Jewish Community and Dorset Humanists but all are invited to take part – a Public Address system will broadcast the Service and Orders of Service will be distributed amongst members of the public.

We hope you will be able to attend and support our continued representation at these important civic services. For more details of the ceremony, please visit: http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/CouncilDemocracy/MayorofBournemouth/Remembrance-Day/Remembrance-Day.aspx

Humanists included in Remembrance Service

The thousands of people who attended this year’s Remembrance Service at the Bournemouth War Memorial may have been surprised to see Humanists included in the Order of Service alongside representatives of the Christian and Jewish communities. This is the very first year that Humanists have been included. David Warden, Chair of Dorset Humanists, took part in the service to represent the UK Armed Forces Humanist Association and the thousands of service men and women who do not subscribe to any religious faith. He said he was ‘delighted and privileged to have taken part this year’ and that ‘Bournemouth has shown national leadership by including people of no religion in this service’. 

The 2011 Census showed that 30 per cent of people in Bournemouth do not subscribe to any religion. Humanists are atheists and agnostics who base their ethics and values on reason and our common humanity. Dorset Humanists is a Partner of the British Humanist Association.

These are the words read by David:

Peace begins with respect. If we cannot accept a world of human difference we will never enjoy a world of peace.

Peace needs humility. If we are willing to see our own faults then the bridges of trust can be rebuilt.

Peace needs co-operation. If we realise that most of what we desire cannot be secured by ourselves alone we will cultivate friendship.

Peace needs compromise. It needs a willingness to tolerate a world that is less than perfect.

Peace requires justice.  We must be willing to share the world's resources fairly.

Peace is hard work. There are no laws of history that will guarantee its arrival.

So let our tribute to those of all beliefs who have suffered and died in conflict be our resolve to work for peace. 

Adapted from Celebration: A Ceremonial and Philosophical Guide for Humanists and Humanistic Jews (2003) by Sherwin Wine.

Dorset Humanists Expected to Take Part in Bournemouth Remembrance Day Service November 2013

It all began when the fledgling United Kingdom Armed Forces Humanist Association (UKAFHA) asked the British Humanist Association (BHA), though its local groups, to campaign for those of no religion to be included in Remembrance Day Services across the country and to lay wreaths on its behalf. Dorset Humanists  decided to approach the organisers of the Bournemouth service and having worked for about two and a half years for inclusion, it has been agreed by the Council and participants in the service (and parade) that Dorset Humanists will make a contribution as do local religious leaders.

The service is led by a Church of England clergyman along national guidelines formulated by Churches Together in England and Ireland and the Royal British Legion. The guidelines are flexible according to local preferences. In Bournemouth the service has been modified over the years to permit leaders of other religions to make short addresses and our aim was to persuade them to let the Chair of Dorset Humanists to do the same.

A meeting was called at which David Warden and Richard Scutt were able to present our case to Council officials, Rev.Dr. Ian Terry (who leads the service) and around 15 representatives of groups including Veterans associations, War Widows, Cadets, Guides and Royal British Legion. We were given a fair hearing and all present were given the chance to question us. After an hour or so of lively discussion and with considerable support from Rev. Terry in particular, the meeting decided that our proposal was accepted in principle. It now remains for the details of the address and the entry in the printed Order of Service (hundreds of which are handed out to attendees) to be agreed.

We are, at the time of writing, one of two groups (the other is Oxford Humanists) who have achieved this seemingly small but very significant concession. The BHA and UKAFHA are delighted and will encourage other local groups to do the same. The BHA is campaigning to get inclusion in the national ceremony at the Cenotaph though to date, Government ministers have stubbornly refused.

Remembrance Sunday 2011

 A Humanist’s ‘Thought For The Day’

David Brittain, General Secretary of the UK Armed Forces Humanist Association (UKAFHA) has been invited by BBC Three Counties Radio to deliver a ‘Thought for the Day’ (TFTD) on Remembrance Sunday. This is the first time he has been invited by the BBC to make a broadcast on behalf of UKAFHA, and he hopes that a good number of Humanists will be able to listen in.

The programme begins early in the morning, and David expects his TFTD will be broadcast somewhere around 7.50am*. He very much hopes you will find his TFTD both moving and relevant. He will also be taking part in a two-hour debate on current religious/moral issues with a selection of religious representatives between 7.00am* and 9.00am*. 

Most Dorset Humanists will be outside the Three Counties broadcast network, but you can tune in by going to BBC Three Counties Programmes online. Near the bottom of the page under ‘Categories, and Genres’, click on ‘Religion and Ethics’, and if you see the name Toby Freidner, you've found the right place.You will be able to listen live if you get up early, or as a recording anytime during the following few days.

Dorset Humanists at Local Remembrance Service

Richard Scutt and Humanist celebrant Maggie Pepin will lay a wreath at the  Bournemouth War Memorial on 13th November as part of the Remembrance Service.  The wreath will state: “From Dorset Humanists on behalf of the United Kingdom Armed Forces Humanist Association. For those who gave their lives for us. We will remember them.”   

*Please note revised broadcast times