July meeting: AGM

When: Thursday 6 July, 7.30pm
Where: Online via Zoom: link

SELHuG at a crossroads: join us at AGM to discuss future

The AGM is an opportunity to review the year just gone and plan for the next. Everyone is welcome to attend though only members can vote, so if you are not already a member, do join.

This year there are two main issues. The first is that unless more people volunteer to run the group, it can’t continue in the same way. We no longer have a critical mass of people to organise speakers, manage the digital communications, write the newsletter etc. See the item below inviting you to help run the group.

While volunteers usually join the committee, it doesn’t have to be that formal. You could just be the person who manages Zoom and acts as host at meetings. You could just lead on a single campaigning issue, such as improving teaching of religion and beliefs in schools. You could just organise a fund-raising event for our local refugee charity.

The second issue is how to meet in this post-covid world. We tried hybrid meetings but it was not only complicated, it meant most people still attended via Zoom so paying and opening up a venue specially wasn’t worth it. This past year all the monthly meetings have been Zoom-only. That has thrown up challenges too, and we miss the community of in-person meetings. So what next?

And related to the existential stuff is what we would actually like to do in the coming 12 months – what mix of talks, socials, fundraising and campaigns. Activities that help us live a full life, support others and think long-term about social challenges.

The AGM is the place to discuss all this – hope to see you there!

Come and help run your local humanist group!

Feel like doing something new? Being part of a friendly group that organises discussions and social outings?

South East London Humanist Group (SELHuG) is looking for new committee members. We also need to say that without new people, SELHuG will not be able to carry on in its current form.

The committee shares tasks including:

  • Choosing topics for discussion (current affairs and philosophy/how to live) and finding speakers
  • Writing meeting announcements, reviews and newsletter items
  • Organising walks, lunches, museum trips etc
  • Shaping the purpose and activities of the group
  • Supporting Humanists UK campaigns and being part of the wider humanist community.

The roles of Chair and Secretary will also be vacant from July and we would love to fill them. So whether you would like a more formal role, or be a committee member – or volunteer more informally – please put yourself forward.

Please write 200/300 words about yourself and why you want the role, and email it to our current secretary Hester Brown at selhuginfo@gmail.com, no later than Thursday 29 June. If you would like to talk it through first, email Hester with your phone number and good times for her to call you.

SELHuG is a community group and all posts are voluntary. We typically have one meeting a month and regular social events, as well as some campaigning and community outreach. We are very much open to change if it means better pursuit of our goals, primarily to build a humanist community in the area and raise awareness of Humanism.