The fifth Annual General Meeting of the National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS) took place this weekend, hosted by University of Birmingham Atheist, Secular and Humanist Society. During the AGM the AHS elected a new Executive to lead the organisation for the coming year and dealt with important business to ensure its continued growth. The British Humanist Assication (BHA) facilitates and supports the AHS, and has welcomed the new team.
Law student Jess Vautier, former President of University of Southamption Atheist Society, was elected as President of the AHS. Emiko Kent, President of University of Plymouth Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society, was elected Secretary, and Matthew Power, President of University of Southamption Atheist Society was elected Treasurer. The outgoing Executive was Jenny Bartle, Mike Paynter and Ben Krishna. The weekend also saw a motion passed mandating that in September, the new Executive set out to member societies plans for hiring a member of staff, with the intention that the role will subsequently be fundraised for by the following spring.
The full weekend of events also saw a performance by comedians Sully O’Sullivan and Rick Molland; workshops run by Mike, Jenny, and former AHS Presidents Norman Ralph and Richy Thompson; NUS Activist Development Officer Dani Beckett encouraging students to campaign for change; Rupert Sutton of Student Rights discussing extremism on campus; and finally, humanist philosopher Stephen Law talking about the Evil God Challenge.
Over the last year, the AHS has grown from 32 to 42 member societies. The AHS held Questival for the second time, as well as its annual Convention in central London, and member societies fundraised through Non-Prophet Week.
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For comment or information, contact Jess Vautier, AHS President, at president@ahsstudents.org.uk, or Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive, on 020 3675 0959 or andrew@humanists.uk.
The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS) is the umbrella organisation for all non-religious student societies in institutes of higher education across the UK and Republic of Ireland. The AHS’s vision is a thriving atheist, humanist or secular student society in every institute of higher education in the UK and Republic of Ireland, networked together, with a shared voice in public life, whose members can contribute to and be part of the wider national and international movement. The AHS’s mission to build, support and represent atheist, humanist and secular student societies; to facilitate communication between them, to encourage joint actions and to ensure that their members have opportunities to be part of the wider national and international movement.
The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.
The AHS is facilitated and supported by the BHA.