On this page: Diary of LSS Activities 2006 — November 2006 — December 2006
See also 2007 — Diary Index — Programme Index
Diary of LSS Activities 2006
The idea of the Diary is to record details of the activities of members (and some others of like mind) relating to the purposes of the Society over the preceding months. I hope members will keep me informed of their doings so that we can provide a full picture of the range of work being done. This was introduced as an initiative of Allan Hayes, beginning in November 2006.
November 2006
04. George Jelliss has a letter in the Leicester Mercury, "Seeking Truth".
5. Headstrong Evening: Michael Gerard leads a discussion circle [This was in place of a 'bonfire day' lecture and pyrotechnic display by John Page who was unwell.]
05. Allan Hayes is interviewed on Radio Leicester about Creationism and Evolution, and Steve Jones' talk on 7 November.
07 Lecture Series: Professor Steve Jones FRS Why Creationism is Wrong and Evolution is Right in the Rattray Lecture Theatre, University of Leicester, with capacity attendance of 370.
11. Allan Hayes speaks against faith schools at AGM in London of Comprehensive Futures: no one would speak for them. There is a possibility that the organisation will decide to campaign against faith schools.
12. Headstrong Evening: Michael Gerard leads a discussion circle.
12. Leicester Secularist: George Jelliss, Remembrance Without Religion.
15. Allan Hayes attends Young Roots meeting (funding of up to £25k for activities with young people). Discussed possible project on the lives of children in Leicester around 1851, when the Society was founded.
16. Allan Hayes has a letter in the Leicester Mercury, "How to Improve Society".
17. George Jelliss has a letter in the Mercury, "Gorge has a Longer History" correcting errors in an earlier creationist letter, about Mt St Helens and Grand Canyon.
17. Leicester Secularist: George Jelliss, Secularism, Capitalism and Socialism.
18. Allan Hayes attends the annual meeting in London of Humanist representatives on Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs).
19. Lecture Series: John Newsinger, The Blood Never Dried, a Peoples History of the British Empire.
20. Allan Hayes speaks up for Secularism, Humanism and the Society at the meeting Bridging Gaps at De Montfort University at which the principal speaker was the Prime Minister's multifaith adviser John Battle MP.
21. Lyn Hurst chairs LSS Committee meeting.
21. Leicester Secularist: George Jelliss, An Open Letter to Theos.
22. Development Group meets Mike Candler, Director, Performing Arts Centre to discuss developments.
22. Eleanor S Davidson gives a talk on "Humanism in the Community" to a group at the Douglas Bader Centre, St Matthews, Leicester.
22. Allan Hayes attends Leicester SACRE meeting.
22 Allan Hayes speaks about Secularism, Humanism and Evolution at the One World conference at De Montfort University.
23. George Jelliss has a letter in the Leicester Mercury, "The Evidence for Evolution".
24. Allan Hayes attends the launch of the Leicester and Rutland Local Sports Alliance and the Rushey Mead Foundation Work in Africa.
24. Development Group meeting.
25. Allan Hayes attends the NSS AGM in London.
26. Lecture Series: Ross Longhurst stands in at short notice for Mariam Namazie who was unwell, and revisits his 2003 talk Against Religiosity in Politics. This is followed by lively discussion on Secularism, Humanism and their relations to religion and political ideologies.
27 - 28. Allan Hayes attends Race Convention 2006 celebrating 30 years of the Commission for Racial Equality. 900 attendees; spoke five times from the floor about humanism, secularism and the Societyand made numerous useful contacts. There was evident concern over about government policy over multiculturalism: in one workshop half voted that religion was dividing us, in another one half voted against faith schools. Allan sent a letter to Trevor Phillips at his suggestion about religion and race in Leicester Catholic schools.
[NSS Newsline 1 Dec 2006 reports: "NSS member and ace education campaigner Allan Hayes from Leicester, one of Britain’s most multi-racial cities, also attended the Convention and let little pass unchallenged by the religious speakers".]
29. Development Group meets FOCUS consultants.
29. Leicester Secularist: Frank Friedmann, A Dialogue with the Iona Community.
December 2006
01. Development Group meets Isobel Ashord and Jerry Weber of Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA).
01. Lecture Series: Dr Stephen Law, The War for Children's Minds.
04 Leicester Secularist: George Jelliss, Evolution of Religion?.
05. Sid Sherriff posts Membership Renewal Forms and Birmingham Humanists newsletter to members.
09. Our own humanist celebrant, Eleanor S Davidson, is Guest Speaker at the Gilroes Christmas Memorial Ceremony.
11. Development Group meeting. Concerned with the future development of Secular Hall. The membership of the Group is: Shani Lee, Keith Baker, Michael Gerard and Allan Hayes.
12. Lyn Hurst chairs LSS Committee meeting.
12. Leicester Secularist: Eleanor S Davidson, Moving On - A Christmas Address.
12. Michael Gerard distributes details of the Lecture and Events Programme for First Quarter 2007.
13. Allan Hayes and George Jelliss attend a day long Media Trust training course at Express Hotel in Leicester.
16. Allan Hayes attends meeting in Birmingham of the trustees of the Sea of Faith Network, which studies and promotes "religion as a human construct".
18. Allan Hayes has letter in Leicester Mercury, "Religious Threat Exposed".
22. Allan Hayes is interviewed by BBC Radio Leicester on attitudes to Christmas.
30. Leicester Secularist George Jelliss on "What Powers the Zeitgeist", a comment on Richard Dawkins' book The God Delusion.