Humanist Ceremonies

Most of us want to celebrate important events in our lives such as births, marriages and partnerships, as well as to commemorate people we have loved when they die. It’s important that we are able to mark these occasions with honesty, warmth and affection, using words and music appropriate to the lives and the people involved.

For those of us without religious beliefs, Humanist celebrants are available to plan your ceremony in close consultation with you to make sure it’s exactly what you and your family want. Click here for more information about Humanist ceremonies.

Dorset Humanists’ celebrant partners
Our BHA Accredited celebrant partners are Simon Bull from Bournemouth, and David Hewitt from Christchurch. David and Simon both offer the full range of non-religious ceremonies including weddings, funerals and baby-namings. Between them they are available to conduct ceremonies across the South-West including Bournemouth, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Poole, Southampton, Wiltshire and elsewhere by arrangement. Their contact details are available on their respective webpages at:

http://humanist.org.uk/davidhewitt and

http://humanist.org.uk/simonbull/

Weddings
David Hewitt writes, “A Humanist wedding ceremony is focussed not on God, but on you as a couple, and the family and friends you will gather around you, to share in and witness your public statement of commitment to each other. The ceremonies I conduct are very flexible and can be as simple or as elaborate, in venues as formal or unusual, as you wish. Having met with you to understand more about you both as individuals and as a couple, I will write and lead a ceremony that is meaningful and dignified, yet warm and romantic and above all personal, reflecting your hopes and aspirations for a stable, lifelong relationship together”

Funerals and Memorial Services
As human beings we’re all different and we all believe different things… but one thing we can all believe is that every life is special; every person matters. So a funeral ceremony must be proper and appropriate, both for the person who has died and for those who have loved them. The death of someone close to us is really an intensely private affair. And yet it is at this very time, when we feel at our least rational and capable, that we have to create exactly the right farewell; because this will be our only chance to do so. Whatever the circumstances, a Humanist ceremony can provide just that, and our Humanist celebrants will help you design a unique and fitting tribute for the crematorium, or burial location of your choice. The ceremony can be as grand or as simple as you wish, and may also be held in a hall, hotel or other non-religious venue.  We are always prepared to visit you at home at a time convenient to you, and we’re also happy to help you make an informed choice for the future, or just answer your questions. 

Baby Namings
Simon Bull says, “as I father I understand the importance of family and of celebrating the arrival of children. There’s no set script for a humanist naming ceremony – it’s too personal an occasion for that. Instead, every naming is tailored to meet the particular family’s requirements. Working with you I will craft a ceremony that is right for your child(ren) and for your family. Naming ceremonies are not just for babies, indeed many take place on first birthdays or later. It is not unusual to have double or even triple ceremonies where older siblings are celebrated along with more recent arrivals.

Further Information
For more general information about Humanist Ceremonies, or to find a celebrant outside of the Bournemouth and New Forest areas, please contact Simon Bull or David Hewitt or visit https://humanism.org.uk/ceremonies/.

Act Now to Support Legal Recognition for Humanist Marriages in England and Wales!

An important message from Jim Al-Khalili, President of the British Humanist Association:

Please email your MP right now to support legal recognition for Humanist marriages in England and Wales (an editable proforma email has been set up for you at the following link: http://campaign.publicaffairsbriefing.co.uk/emailsupport.aspx).

On Monday and Tuesday next week (20th/21st May), MPs will be debating the Marriage Bill currently before Parliament. Its main purpose is to extend marriage to same-sex couples but also being debated will be an amendment to give legal recognition to humanist marriages in England and Wales.

Humanist marriages have had legal recognition in Scotland since 2005 and this has led to a great increase in public knowledge of Humanism and non-religious approaches to life in Scotland in that time, as well as giving non-religious couples the option of a wedding ceremony that allows them full expression of their own personal beliefs and values, conducted by a celebrant who they know shares them. Last year, almost 3000 couples had a humanist marriage in Scotland – overtaking the number of Roman Catholic marriages and on course to overtake the Church of Scotland by 2014.

Every year, the number of weddings conducted by our celebrants in England and Wales exceeds the number of many sorts of marriage that are legal (e.g. Quaker, Unitarian, or Jewish marriages) and we believe that legal recognition for humanist weddings is fair, rational and timely.

We urgently need your help today.

Although the government has said it is not against humanist marriages in principle, it is resisting the change. However, the vote will be a free one, which means MPs will make up their own minds on whether to support legal recognition for humanist marriages or not.

We need MPs from all parties to support this move, so please contact your MP today.

Adherence to profound and life-shaping beliefs is not confined to those who profess a religion and although all couples have access to a legal civil marriage, only religious couples have access to a legal marriage based on their deepest beliefs and values. The introduction of legal humanist marriages will not affect anyone adversely; it will just allow those couples who are increasingly choosing to have a humanist wedding to have this as their legal ceremony and make the possibility available and known to many couples who might never otherwise choose to do so.

Many thanks,

Jim Al-Khalili

President, British Humanist Association

Here is a direct link to a standard email that you can send as is, or edit as you wish, that will simplify the process for you. Please take action today and help us gain recognition for Humanist marriages in England and Wales. http://campaign.publicaffairsbriefing.co.uk/emailsupport.aspx

Humanist Ceremonies

13^th April 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

Humanist funerals, weddings, partnerships and baby-namings have seen a surge in popularity in recent years, as more people seek personalised non-religious ceremonies that honestly reflect their genuine beliefs and values with warmth and affection.

In a special event that will be of interest to everyone considering a Humanist ceremony, Maggie and David will answer all your questions and explain how they can help create and organise dignified and meaningful occasions that best encapsulate your feelings and wishes.

Join us to discover everything you need to know to create your perfect Humanist wedding, partnership or funeral.

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

For more information on Humanist Ceremonies, please visit our Ceremonies page or the British Humanists Association’s Ceremonies page.

Please help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Humanist Weddings / Civil Partnership Celebrations

Contact Dorset Humanists for names of local Humanist celebrants who will conduct non-religious Humanist Weddings or Civil Partnership Celebrations.