Monthly public talks
We hold monthly evening talks on a variety of topics. Currently these are on the third Friday of almost every month (not August or December, when we have our parties instead) at the Restore Centre, Manzil Way OX4 1YH, just off Cowley Road in East Oxford, 8 – 9.30 pm. They are open to both members and visitors and, while we do not charge for members we kindly ask for a £3 donation towards room hire and speaker’s expenses from non-members. See our Calendar page for details of forthcoming meetings. And if you have suggestions for speakers or presenters, please let us know.
We have also organised informal discussion meet ups, in members’ gardens or cafes or pubs, where we can mix and mingle and get some good topical conversations going. These have fallen off in recent years but if anyone is keen to reinstate these in some form, please contact one of our committee members
Publicity stand
We have a stand which we regularly take into Oxford’s Cornmarket in the warmer months, where we get a good response from Saturday shoppers. We also take it to local events such as the pre-Winter-Solstice Green Fair (in the Town Hall). Our aim is not to proselytise but to make people aware that there may be others who share their view of the world, and to publicise any current campaigns. Details of our next outing can be found on the upcoming events feed or our Calendar page.
Lunches, Parties and Trips
From time to time we hold parties and lunches, e.g. summer party, winter solstice party, celebration of Darwin Day, World Humanist Day. We also occasionally arrange day trips to places of interest, such as Darwin’s house, Bletchley Park, etc. Details for these will be posted on our calendar in advance, as well as notifications by email, and social media. If you can think of somewhere of interest to Humanists we might all like to visit, please contact one of the current committee members with details and we will look into organising a visit
Campaigning
We keep an active interest in local issues – writing letters to the local press and supporting local campaigns. Keep an eye on our Campaigns page for ongoing issues we are supporting, locally, nationally and internationally.
We have been affiliated to the Humanists UK almost from our very beginnings over twenty five years ago and are now a Humanists UK Partner, liaising regularly with other local groups. We are also affiliated to the National Secular Society and support their campaigns for the separation of religion and state. We follow many humanist, secular, atheist and human rights organisations on Twitter and Facebook and keep our followers updated on local, national or international campaigns, surveys, petitions and demonstrations.
Schools
As part of our core commitment to secularism, we are represented on our local Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE), which is the body responsible for advising the Local Education Authority in matters concerning the teaching of Religious Education and Collective Acts of Worship. We also have a number of local members trained and accredited by the Humanists UK, and available to talk in schools and other local groups on request to explain and promote humanism. If you know of a group who might be interested, please request a speaker via the education section of the Humanists UK website, or contact our secretary on oxhumssec@gmail.com.
Remembrance Service
For several years, our chair has been invited to speak on behalf of Oxfordshire’s humanists at the Oxford Sunday Remembrance service and we join in the laying of a wreath at the cenotaph. We have recently updated the eulogy, as follows.
“Humanists pay tribute to all those who have died in war. Some were inspired by a belief that they were fighting for a just cause. Others simply accepted their duty to their country. We honour them all for their bravery and self-sacrifice.
Many of these men and women had no expectation of any reward in an afterlife. They were sufficiently inspired by the rights and needs of their fellow human beings. We look forward to a time when there is greater personal acceptance of our shared responsibility for all human beings – and when international warfare becomes a thing of the past!”
Local allied organisations
Please note that our Calendar shows some events not organised by Oxford Humanists, but which are likely to be of interest to our members and our many other supporters (see Related Organisations). Oxford Humanists’ members are welcome to attend Oxford University and Oxford Brookes ASH meetings (and vice-versa), as we have reciprocal membership.
You can also keep track of upcoming events by ‘Following’ us on Twitter (@OxHums) or ‘Liking’ us on Facebook (Oxford Humanists)