BHA welcomes AHS leadership team for 2015–16

22 July, 2015

Students from across the United Kingdom and Ireland gathered in Warwickshire this weekend for the eighth AGM of the National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS), where society members elected a new leadership team for the group.

The new AHS Executive. From left-right: Caitlin Greenwood, Richard Acton, and Luke Dabin.
The new AHS Executive. From left-right: Caitlin Greenwood (Secretary), Richard Acton (President), and Luke Dabin (Treasurer).

The AHS is a section of the British Humanist Association (BHA) and is made up of non-religious student societies at universities across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It aims to have a thriving member society on every university campus in the UK and Ireland, and works to defend and uphold the rights of non-religious students.

Newly elected to the leadership team were Richard Acton (President), Caitlin Greenwood (Secretary), and Luke Dabin (Treasurer). Richard previously served as President of the University of Nottingham Agnostic, Secular and Humanist Society, while Caitlin is a former Vice President of the Bristol University Atheist, Agnostic and Secular Society and has been working as the AHS’s Campaigns Officer. Luke was Communications Officer for the AHS’ national operations under the previous Executive. Society members thanked outgoing President Chris Malburn and Secretary Martin Smith for their work over 2014–15, and the Executive handover process has since begun.

The AGM weekend was hosted by the University or Warwickshire Humanists, who delivered a spectacular series of activities and seminars, including a lecture from humanist philosopher and BHA Vice President A C Grayling on ‘The Stalin objection’ and a comedy set from BHA Patron Kate Smurthwaite.

AHS society members from around the country hear from former AHS Secretary and current Chair of the AHS Board Ruth Haydock. Photo: Benjamin David.
AHS society members from around the country hear from former AHS Secretary and current Chair of the AHS Board ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛. Photo: Benjamin David.

Elsewhere, former BHA Dialogue Officer and past AHS President Rory Fenton delivered a session explaining the importance of humanists engaging in dialogue with religious groups, and skills sessions covered how student societies and their officers could better use social media and digital communications, as well as the AHS’ role in the context of wider trends in our universities and shared public life.

Commenting on his election, new AHS President Richard Acton said, ‘I’m delighted that the AHS caucus saw fit to entrust me with the responsibility of being AHS President. Luke, Caitlin, and I have big plans for expanding and improving the work of the AHS over the coming year and I am looking forward to working closely with our member societies and the BHA in realising those ambitions.’

Notes

For comment or information, contact Richard Acton, AHS President (president@ahsstudents.org.uk) or email the BHA (info@humanists.uk).

The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS) is the umbrella organisation for all non-religious student societies in institutes of higher education across the UK and Republic of Ireland. The AHS’s vision is a thriving atheist, humanist or secular student society in every institute of higher education in the UK and Republic of Ireland, networked together, with a shared voice in public life, whose members can contribute to and be part of the wider national and international movement. The AHS’s mission to build, support and represent atheist, humanist and secular student societies; to facilitate communication between them, to encourage joint actions and to ensure that their members have opportunities to be part of the wider national and international movement. It is a section of the British Humanist Association.

The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.