MPs and peers celebrate humanists’ contribution to the community

Yesterday humanist MPs and peers met to celebrate humanists’ contribution to the community as the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG) heard directly from celebrants, pastoral carers, school speakers, dialogue network members, Faith to Faithless volunteers, and local group leaders.

The APPHG heard from Mair Garland, who shared that she was motivated to become a Humanists UK celebrant as she wanted to help others mark key milestones in their lives. She explained that humanist ceremonies are bespoke and meaningful, in the same way that humanists create meaning in their own lives. She called on the UK Government to legally recognise humanist marriages so that the non-religious couples she marries do not have to undergo a separate civil ceremony, with the associated cost and time it demands.

Parliamentarians then heard from Jo Mutlow, a humanist pastoral carer. Jo spoke about the importance of non-religious pastoral care to offer like-minded support to the non-religious in settings including hospitals, prisons, universities, the military, and the community. She outlined that such care is particularly relevant given that over half the population is non-religious. Finally, she advocated for equal availability of pastoral care for religious and non-religious people.

Jeremy Rodell, Humanists UK’s Dialogue Officer, school speaker, and local group chair, outlined the numerous ways he supports the community. Humanists UK’s dialogue network helps to build bridges between humanist and religious groups and supports social cohesion. He is one of 250 trained and accredited Humanists UK School Speakers, who teach about humanism and add a personal dimension ‘beyond the textbook’. He shared that last year over 80,000 students heard from a speaker. Finally, he touched on his role as the chair of a local humanist group, South West London Humanists, which brings together local humanists to community-build and be a force for good. 

Aseel, Lead Volunteer and Advisory Group member of Faith to Faithless, a service of Humanists UK that supports those who left high-control religions, shared how she personally found community and support with Faith to Faithless. Her role now includes setting up in-person meet-ups for service users. She touched on the launch of the Faith to Faithless helpline, which has now received nearly 800 contacts from those in need. She also called for support and funding for Faith to Faithless to continue its important work.

Prior to the meeting, the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group held its AGM and re-elected Lizzi Collinge MP as Chair; Siân Berry MP and Dr Kieran Mullan MP were re-elected as Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Group respectively. Baroness Lorely Burt stood down as Vice-Chair, and Christine Jardine MP was elected as the new Vice-Chair.

The All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group is a cross-party group of Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords of all the main parties. The Group is not part of Humanists UK, but Humanists UK provides the secretariat.