LSS News 2010 ...

LSS News December 2009
Painting a picture of a divided city
30 Dec: Allan Hayes refutes Canon Andrew Wingate's sectarian view of the community in a Leicester Mercury Letter on the future of the Peepul Centre. Canon Wingate's remarks here.
Spells that made cash disappear
29 Dec: The latest in Simon Perry's occasional 'Skeptic' series in the Leicester Mercury. This time Simon describes his costly encounter with a psychic. Read Read it here.
It's a holiday we can all celebrate
24 Dec: Seasonal cheer in a letter from John Catt in the Leicester Mercury. John is a member of the LSS Board.
Putting reason at the heart of festive season
23 Dec: Leicester Mercury First Person feature from LSS member and Skeptics In The Pub leader Simon Perry. See also 12 Dec.
The bad old good old days
22 Dec: LSS Board member Ned Newitt lays bare the constitutional corruption behind the history of the institution of 'Freemen' (Leicester Mercury letter). See also First Lady Freemen; Freeman quits in protest.
Spirit of Peace and Goodwill?
18 Dec: Letter in Leicester Mercury from member Frank Friedmann, responding to the Bishop of Leicester's seasonal attack on 'creeping secularism'. See Blog.
Trafigura’s gag on the BBC.
John Catt draws attention to a multinational corporation's abuse of Britain's libel law on our Blog.
An Atheist Bus Campaign for Leicester!
Dec 15: At Ariane Sherine's talk for Skeptics in the Pub, 24 people pledged £140, matched from Skeptics funds. £280 in total for bus ads for Leicester. Contact atheistbus @ leicestersecularsociety .org.uk (close spaces). Send no money now - we'll have an online pledge form here shortly.
Church leaders fail to oppose persecution
14 Dec: Leicester Mercury carries Campaign plea letter from Allan Hayes about new homophobic law in Uganda. Sign the petition.
East Anglia Uni Climate Change Emails - The Truth
14 Dec: "Climate-gate" emails controversy examined by Real News Network.
Bishop uses Christmas theme to renew sectarian attack
12 Dec: Bishop Tim Stephens's cheerless Leicester Mercury feature Tinsel is no substitute for Gospel truth is about comedienne Ariane Sherine's book The Atheist's Guide to Christmas. Hear Ariane live at Skeptics in the Pub on Tuesday. She might even sign your copy! See also 23 Dec.
LSS member completes BHA celebrant training
12 Dec: Congratulations to Leicester Secular Society member Ollie Killingback of Northampton who has just completed his training with the British Humanist Association and is now qualified to conduct non-religious funerals.
Stop The War vigil
12 Dec: As the 100th British soldier dies this year (7 Dec), members of Leicester Secular Society were among those at the Clock Tower declaring that the best Xmas present for our troops would be to bring them home.
Leicester Secularist (December) out now
10 Dec: INSIDE: Promoting Secularism, Proof, The Jewish Problem, Fascism and Free Speech, an Atheist Poster Campaign for Leicester and Three Vital Steps to recognising a Stroke and getting prompt treatment. PLUS reviews of recent talks, forthcoming events and more. Download here (pdf 581kb).
Trusting Boots
10 Dec: Another Leicester Mercury feature from LSS member and skeptic Simon Perry, examining how marketing homeopathic 'remedies' undermines trust in a popular brand. Read Boots, homeopathy and a question of trust.
One Law for All Campaign is a year old today
10 Dec: Congratulations to all involved in its successes! Sharia law is a quick and cheap route to injustice, especially for women and children, and does nothing to promote social cohesion. Press realease. More ...
Answers wanted
9 Dec: In a letter in the Leicester Mercury LSS President Allan Hayes seeks answers on the shortfall (see 1 Dec) in promised sponsorship funding for the Samworth Academy (David Samworth secured his knighthood yesterday).
100 Deaths
7 Dec: The 100th British soldier, Lance Corporal Adam Drane, has died in Afghanistan this year. Many more have been seriously maimed, both physically and mentally. Vigil at Clock Tower, 12 on 12/12.
Taxpayers fork out as Academy 'Sponsors' Default
1 Dec: A Parliamentary answer (referencing this table) reveals that Leicester's Samworth Academy is still owed £380,000 by the Leicester Diocese and David Samworth. Guardian writer Warwick Mansell asks Are academies just an 'expensive con-trick'? See also 11 Nov, 9 Dec.
Launch of Cambridge Secular Society
1 Dec: Cambridge Secular Society. We also welcome the recent launch of Lichfield Walsall and South Staffordshire Humanist Group.
LSS News November 2009
'Humanity must come first'
30 Nov: Letter following up Murphy Report (see 26 Nov) from LSS President in Leicester Mercury: Separate State and Church.
'Christian-Humanist' Party wins presidency in 'electoral farce'
29 Nov: News on the violent suppression of dissent during the election to replace President Zelaya, ousted in June coup in Honduras, from The Real News Network.
Paedophile ring still running schools
26 Nov: As the Murphy Report shows how the Roman Catholic Church preferred to insure its assets rather than protect children from its priests, its fitness to run schools appears unquestionsed. Hear Colm O'Gorman on BBC Radio 4 PM (report begins 00:05:20 on the timeline) and on Heart And Soul. Also Sunday (begins 27:00 on timeline) ; Letter.
LSS Member Presents 'Thought for the Day' on BBC
24 Nov: On the 150th anniversary of Darwin's 'Origin', BBC Radio Leicester aired a second (slightly cut) secular Thought for the Day by Eleanor Davidson. Eleanor was introduced as 'local writer' despite specifying 'Humanist Celebrant'. Listen here.
Leicester Bishop Condemns Capitalism
19 Nov: In a letter to the Leicester Mercury , Tim Stevens astonishingly blames 'secular capitalism' for climate change. His firm, the Church of England, has a big portfolio of investments in capitalist enterprises and gets rent from tenants on its vast land holdings. LSS Blog. Replies from LSS member Harry Perry and President Allan Hayes.
Community support for sectarian school?
19 Nov: Letter in Leicester Mercury from Allan Hayes responding to St. Paul's School's appeal for local support while discriminating against most local children (See Leicester school under fire after dropping homes battle and Campaign has proved a sham.
LSS President argues for Secularism in Leicester Mercury
18 Nov: LSS President Allan Hayes invited by Leicester Mercury to write a First Person opinion column for Interfaith week. See also 16 Nov.
Evangelicals Welcome Humanist Initiative
18 Nov: The Evangelical Alliance are pleased that the new BHA Billboards say a child’s faith is not their parents', but up to the individual. More from Ekklesia.
Religion pushes Fiji’s War Chant off the Rugby Pitch
18 Nov: A 70-year-old tradition ended at Murrayfield when Fiji decided not to perform the Cibi on the urging of team coach and pastor Sam Domoni, who described it as a relic of Fiji’s pre-Christian past. Scotland beat Fiji 23-10.
BBC rejects secular Thought for the Day
17 Nov: The National Secular Society’s complaint about the exclusive and discriminatory nature of Thought for the Day was rejected this week by the BBC Trust. (BBC Radio Leicester policy is more enlightlened - see here.)
Launch of Interfaith Week
16 Nov: Several members of Leicester Secular Society including President Allan Hayes attended the launch to show that one need not be religious to support community cohesion. Indeed it is a key reason for our belief in a secular state. Comments from BHA and A C Grayling. See also 18 Nov.
Academy: We pick up the bill
11 Nov: Letter in Leicester Mercury from President of LSS Allan Hayes responding to Bishop claiming legitimacy for Church-run Academies at taxpayer expense. Read Academy: We pick up the bill. See also 1 Dec.
Leicester Skeptic tests 'Alternative' claims
11 Nov: Leicester Mercury article by LSS member and skeptic Simon Perry, shows how for £70 he exposed an alternative medicine claim. Let us know how Trading Standards respond, Simon. Read A Leicester skeptic visits a business making some strange claims.
LSS Member speaks in Manchester
11 Nov: Eleanor Davidson spoke to a meeting of Greater Manchester Humanists about Practical Humanism in the Community, in Leicester and Antwerp.
Leicester Secularist (November) out now
8 Nov: INSIDE: Poem - Murdnunoc the omnipotent; the Catholic Church as a force for good(?); selling a disillusioned apprentice; practical humanism in Belgium; AGM report. PLUS reviews of recent talks, forthcoming events and more. Download here (pdf 508kb).
Bishops' role is undemocratic
5 Nov: Leicester's bishop, Tim Stevens, has been appointed Convener of the bishops in the House of Lords. Our former secretary Harry Perry comments in a letter in the Leicester Mercury.
Room Hire links
3 Nov: Links added to several pages drawing attention to the meeting rooms we have available for hire.
AGM
1 Nov: Reports on our activities over the past year and finances, etc; Elections to the board; a motion passed, and all with much informative and friendly discussion as befits a democratic organisation.
LSS News October 2009
Secular 'Thought' on Radio Leicester
27 Oct: Our member Eleanor Davidson presented a Thought for the Day on BBC Radio Leicester.
New Scrolling News Section
Nov 2009: A long awaited addition to our home page, replacing the 'diary' pages that we carried some time ago. Do send in your news!

News 2008 ...

updated 13 February 2010