Join us to explore the rich and radical history of Yorkshire and Leeds, with a focus on the humanists and freethinkers who made their mark there, and on the wider world. Leeds and its surrounding areas boast the full complement of humanist heritage – including the 'rational religion' of the Owenites, the 'infidel lectures' of the secularists, and the practical philosophies of the ethical societies, forerunners of Humanists UK.

Maddy Goodall will be drawing on research carried out as part of the Humanist Heritage project, launched in 2019 to explore the history and impact of humanism in the UK, this talk will explore some of Leeds' own hidden humanist history, and the wider movement of which it was a vibrant part.

About the speaker

Maddy is the Humanist Heritage Coordinator for Humanists UK, researching and writing about the history of humanism to celebrate nearly 126 years since its founding in 1896 as the Union of Ethical Societies. She has a background in education, museums, and community history, and is also Humanists UK's Wikimedian in Residence.