Ludlow and Marches Humanists: talk on 19 November, and Remembrance Sunday wreath laying

Ludlow and Marches Humanists presents a talk on Samaritans by Libby Dolloway and Chery Sell. Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, often through their telephone helpline. Although the name derives from the Biblical Parable of the Good Samaritan, Samaritans is a secular organisation.

Tuesday 19th November 2019, 7.30 pm, at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow SY8 1DZ. All welcome. For more information: david215@talktalk.net.

Remembrance Sunday this year is on the 10th November. Ludlow and Marches Humanists will again be laying a wreath at the Ludlow Peace Memorial in Castle Square. Ludlow. Please do join them at 10 am as the Civic Ceremony starts at 10.30 am.

Ludlow and Marches Humanists, 16 April: Challenging Genesis – Heroes and villains writing the History of the Earth

A talk by Tony Martyr.  Tony is a mechanical engineer who has worked on projects in 44 countries of the world and is a retired visiting professor of Powertrain Engineering (University of Bradford). Tony also has a degree in Earth Sciences and a lifelong interest in the history of Science. He is the author of 4 editions of a textbook on engine testing and a popular science book about Why Projects Fail.

Tuesday 16 April 2019, 7.30pm, at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow SY8 1DZ

All welcome.

Please note this is not organised by Shropshire Humanists.

Ludlow and Marches Humanists on 19 March: “Losing My Arrogance, a tale in Three Hats”

Ludlow and Marches Humanists: ‘Losing my Arrogance, a tale in Three Hats’. A talk by Andy Boddington, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow North.

Tuesday 19 March 2019, 7.30pm, at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow SY8 1DZ. All welcome. For more information email: rocheforts@tiscali.co.uk

Please note that  this is not arranged by Shropshire Humanists.

19 February: Ludlow and Marches Humanists talk, on the big change in religion and belief in UK

The big change in religion & belief – how a humanist might respond?  A talk by Jeremy Rodell, volunteer Dialogue Officer of Humanists UK.

Britain is currently going through what’s been called ‘the biggest change in the religious and cultural landscape of Britain for centuries, even millennia’. But what’s really going on? What are the facts? And what are the practical implications? Can the non-religious help make it work?

Tuesday 19th February 2019, 7.30pm, at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow SY8 1DZ. All welcome.

For more information email the Secretary.

Please note this event is not organised by Shropshire Humanists and we are not responsible for the accuracy of these details.

Ludlow and Marches Humanists meeting, 20 November: Salop Assizes 1949, swimwear and the law, by Peter Roscoe

In 1949 several men were arrested in Shrewsbury and charged with gross indecency. Peter Roscoe came across this item in a local newspaper and it led him to research into the background of this story and the extent to which gay men were prosecuted in the post WW2 period until recent times.

Peter grew up in Macclesfield in the 1950s, moved to London in his 20s and, when it felt safe enough, moved to Shrewsbury in 1984. Peter and his civil partner, Geoff (of 37 years) have a son, Liam, (now 29 years old).

Tuesday 20 November 2018, 7.30pm at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane Ludlow SY8 1DZ. All welcome. For more information call 01568 770282 or email: rocheforts@tiscali.co.uk

This talk is not organised by Shropshire Humanists.

Around Shropshire: Ludlow and Marches Humanists and Engaging Issues

In South Shropshire, North Herefordshire and the Welsh border areas there is another humanist group, our neighbours the Ludlow and Marches Humanists. A copy of their latest newsletter can be downloaded here and their website is here.

They always have an interesting programme, and the following meetings are planned:

20 February 2018 – “Telling people about Humanism” by Dr Simon Nightingale. Simon is a semi-retired neurologist and chair of  Shropshire Humanist Group. He has given many talks on Humanism and is occasionally heard on Shropshire Radio. He participates in inter-faith discussions and will be considering techniques, tactics and pitfalls when communicating Humanist  messages to people of different outlooks.
Thursday 8 March 2018, special meeting – on Brexit legislative programme by Lord Jeff Rooker: Please note that this meeting only will be in the Zion room at the Methodist Church Hall, Broad Street, Ludlow. Jeff Rooker will be concentrating on the progress of the legislative programme through the House of Lords, full title yet to be revealed.
20 March 2018 – The Reverend Kelvin Price, Rector of Ludlow. Talk title to be agreed. We have not had a formal talk from the Church of England for many years now, and it will be interesting to see his approach to falling numbers and alternative uses of church buildings, as well as the continuing relevance of the C of E as a state religion.
17 April 2018 – Christine Hyde on Greece ”Changed or Unchanged” – Chris and Hugh spent several years in Greece and grew to appreciate the culture, albeit different in many ways from our own. Chris will be concentrating on
the village (Elaia) and area they know best, quote: “I will talk about customs still practiced from Dorian times, the Orthodox Church, and the Evil Eye, ending with a few photos of the wild life. Hence the suggested title”.
15 May 2018 – AGM. As usual, we will try to make this an interesting evening, with cake and refreshments and either a video or a special discussion to follow the AGM.

Engaging Issues is a church-based group in Church Stretton, but its talks are often of interest to humanists and others.

Tuesday 6 February – “Can Christians talk with one voice about God?”. Dr Benjamin Wood is a Quaker ethicist and theologian, interested in the relationship between faith & society, secular politics and the Church.
Tuesday 27th February – “Britain’s Housing Affordability Crisis”. Chrissie Pepler
7:30pm in the United Reformed Church, High Street, Church Stretton. A £3 donation is requested to defray expenses.

Ludlow and Marches Humanists meeting: ‘Telling people about Humanism’, 20 February

Our neighbours, Ludlow and Marches Humanists, present a talk ‘Telling People about Humanism’ by Dr Simon Nightingale.

The meeting is on Tuesday 20 February 2018 at 7.30pm, at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow SY8 1DZ

Note that the Ludlow and Marches Humanists have a new web site at ludlow.humanist.org.uk

Simon is a partly retired doctor, a clinical neurologist with a particular interest in philosophical aspects of neuroscience – consciousness, free will, the neural substrate for empathy and morality and so on.  He has been a humanist for many years and since 2015 he has been chair of the Shropshire Humanist Group. He contributes short talks on Humanism to local radio, and participates in inter-faith discussions; he will be considering techniques, tactics and pitfalls when communicating Humanist messages to people of different outlooks. He is also a keen metagrobologist and won prizes for it! (Metagrobology is the study of puzzles.)

All welcome.

Ludlow and Marches Humanists meeting, 21 November: Does God exist?

Burt Flannery asks “Does God Exist?”

Burt had for many years been troubled by the big questions: Why are we here? How did we get here and where are we headed? And why, after tens of thousands of years of human existence, is the world so frequently characterised by man’s inhumanity and peaceful coexistence so illusory. So Burt wrote a book “What’s God got to do with it?” to consider and debate these questions.

Burt, a former mathematician and management consultant, was a keen sportsman for most of his life, until a knee injury abruptly curtailed his competitive activities.

Tuesday 21 November 2017, 7.30pm, at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow SY8 1DZ

All welcome. Email for more information.

19 September: Ludlow and Marches Humanists meeting on Religious Education

Making Sense of Religious Education: A Humanist Perspective. An exploration by Dr Mike Radford Ph.D.

Mike took his first degree in philosophy at the University of Sheffield and his Ph.D. in Education and Psychology with Leeds. His career in education included teaching in primary schools and universities, and publishing numerous articles in academic journals.

Tuesday 19 September 2017, 7.30pm, at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow SY8 1DZ. All welcome

Ludlow and Marches Humanists, 18 April: The crisis in Shropshire’s NHS

Gill George, Chair of the campaign to defend our local NHS, will talk about the issues and what can be done to combat the threat to our much valued and needed health services.

Tuesday 18 April 2017, 7.30pm, at The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow SY8 1DZ. All welcome. For more information call 01568 770282 or email: rocheforts@tiscali.co.uk.