I've done a bit of a redesign of my Humanist Dad website, to better set out my community building and parenting content, as well as my podcast appearances and professional content. I'd love some feedback before I decide whether or not to change it back.

We can engage with different media habitually, casually or irregularly. If we engage in communities in similar ways, then podcast audiences have important lessons for organisers.

I'm available for a range of talks, workshops and podcast interviews and offer consultancy services for progressive organisations seeking to improve their local and supporter engagement. This post collects my services, professional profile and endorsements. Please share if you can.

I was recently interviewed about the intersection between autism and atheism – and implications for secular communities’ approaches to social justice – on the Embrace the Void podcast with Aaron Rabinowitz. Check out my write up and links to the episode.

The attack in Heaton Park was a vile and heinous attack on our Jewish neighbours. The arson attack on a mosque in Sussex was a hate-fuelled attack on our Muslim neighbours. We want to believe that "this isn't who we are", but we have to stand up and show that the vast majority don't want division.

We have built a society in which people of different skin tones, religious backgrounds & cultures get along, share power, work alongside each other, procreate with each other, recognise the each other’s humanity and democratic rights. It is a STUNNING ACHIEVEMENT OF WORLD HISTORIC PROPORTIONS.

Mourning those murdered by Hamas isn't incompatible with mourning those murdered by the Israeli state. Demanding that the hostages return isn't incompatible with naming & demanding an end to genocide. Naming the power imbalance & impact thereof doesn't desecrate those murdered two years ago today.

Applying for primary schools already. We're lucky to be happy with and confident of our first choice. But I'm reminded of my research (2018-2021) showing how 3 in 10 families have little or no choice but a faith school. buff.ly/tVmmm61

Exactly this. 👇 Horrible scenes. Nobody should have to live in fear and everyone should be free to worship in peace.

My report on our community group's experience organising a humanist discussion about the manosphere, and practical advice for those considering a similar topic.

What does it mean to welcome all who welcome all? How can we describe secular communities’ inclusion, in ways that convey their distinctive values? Check out my latest post on humanist community organising, and reflections on Glasgow’s Sunday Assembly conference.

Embrace the Void podcast interview – Alastair Lichten I was recently interviewed about the intersection between autism and atheism - and implications for secular communities’ approaches to social justice - on the Embrace the Void podcast with Aaron Rabinowitz.

Dreadful news. All thoughts with those affected, especially given the high importance of today for Jews. Prejudice, hatred, and violence against anyone for their identity is abhorrent and everyone in our country should be safe to practice their religion in peace. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cx...

Humanists can have a complicated relationship with traditions. But Involving kids in creating, and recreating our own traditions and shaping them for our own needs is a great lesson in why they should be tools for linking us to others, not handcuffs.

I'm available for a range of talks, workshops and podcast interviews and offer consultancy services for progressive organisations seeking to improve their local and supporter engagement. Please share this post linking to my services, professional profile and endorsements.

What are communities for the 'Humanist, humanist-curious or humanist friendly'? What does it mean to welcome all who welcome all? How can we describe secular communities' inclusion, in ways that convey their distinctive values?

Who would have thought.

not going to push that pic of Farage at LBC into your feeds again, but I'll note two things: first, the whole paracetamol nonsense is profoundly misogynistic. It blames women for their children's autism, and doesn't give a shit about why women might take paracetamol.

So there's money for a second runway at Gatwick (high emissions) but not for better trains (low emissions). In a climate emergency. Make it make sense!

As humanists who accept the natural role of death in our one and only life, we have some distinct perspectives on the topics of death and mortality. Our community group’s discussion of these last month was surprisingly uplifting and meaningful.

My son is excited about a new bus route so we made these poster. Slight design fail on my part. I now need to explain why he can't put these up in the window, or take them in to show his class.🤦‍♂️ In my defence, the bus route symbols didn't look like s*****kas till they were cropped and coloured in.

Last week I visited my local secular congregation to give a talk about humanism and graphic design. It got me thinking about my upcoming workshop on making our communities family-inclusive.

I'm available for a range of talks, workshops and podcast interviews and offer consultancy services for progressive organisations seeking to improve their local and supporter engagement. Please share this post linking to my services, professional profile and endorsements.

S is for Sex Positivity (A-Z of humanist parenting) Sexual ethics – from consent & bodily autonomy, to sexual orientation, pleasure, & age appropriate knowledge – can be significant points of divergence between humanist & authoritarian/religious worldviews & parenting styles.

What is happening in Gaza is genocide. While Prime Minister Netanyahu & President Trump have the ultimate power to stop it, Britain has agency too. The Government should do everything in its power to stop this genocide, get the aid flowing and help bring the hostages home.

Confusion and delay! Is Thomas the Tank Engine a fascist dystopia? To my surprise this is my most read article over the last few years. It's a tongue in cheek look at the suffocatingly twee conservativism of Thomas the Tank Engine and its classist, ableist authoritarianism. buff.ly/NGgpZ53

The #SEND system is broken, and I won’t stop raising this in Parliament. Today, I stood with SEND families calling for fairness. Now, I’m on my way to debate a petition to protect SEND children’s rights. Every child deserves to thrive, and families need the right to challenge poor decisions.

Weeks after calling for the 're-founding' of UK on biblical teachings, Tory frontbencher Danny Kruger defects to Reform. He's also called for faith groups to be funded to replace public services. This is the UK hard right's push for US style White Christian Nationalism. buff.ly/h4iwjTz

I'm not going to be able to attend the Stop Trump Coalition @ukstoptrump.bsky.social protest in London this Wednesday. But I fully support and celebrate those going to stand up to fascism and the hate-stirring white nationalists who have rallied on our capital's streets. stoptrump.org.uk/protest/

Visiting my local secular congregation - to give a talk about humanism and graphic design - has got me thinking about my upcoming workshop on making our communities family-inclusive.

I'm trying to work out how distressing the figure (which I'm not going to quibble with) of 110,000 fascists marching in London yesterday is. On the one hand, it's obviously terrible that fascists can mobilise so many people in the UK - but on the other hand...

Elon Musk openly called for violence on our streets yesterday. I hope politicians from all parties come together to condemn his deeply dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric. Britain must stand united against this clear attempt to undermine our democracy.

Our local humanist group recently held an event on political reform, with a speaker focusing on Republicanism. My write up has advice for humanist community organisers considering similar topics. We also had a lot of interest in discussing the role of humanist values in politics.

Yesterday, the largest far-right protest in UK history marched through London, led by racist Tommy Robinson. Today, we say: They don’t speak for us — and they won’t have the last word. This Wednesday we come together against Trump and for a better future. Do everything to be there.

Whether it’s Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade advocating killing homeless people by “involuntary lethal injection” or MSNBC’s Matthew Dowd bringing up things that Charlie Kirk said, both networks have crossed the boundaries of decency.

Shout out to everyone only now learning that "Albert Einstein was reclusive at the end of his career, shunning public engagements." Really meant, "For the last *20 years* of his career, Einstein opposed US racism by only speaking publicly at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

I'm available for local and online talks, podcast interviews and workshops with an engaging and informed perspective. Topics available include: Humanism and neurodiversity, Humanist parenting, Humanist community organising, Humanism and science fiction and Humanist design.

This is how you protect your democracy. The US is a demonstration of what happens when you don't. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

I'm thinking about my dad a lot today, four years after he died, and about how the ways I'm proud (or not) of him influence my parenting.

9/11 changed the way we talk about religious fundamentalism and helped pave the way for the new atheist movement. But the influence of post 9/11 attitudes and foreign policy on the atheist movement since may be more nuanced and overstated than some narratives suggest.

The Sunday Assembly Glasgow Gathering is just 2 weeks away! If you're involved or interested in any form of humanist/secular community organising (whether in the Sunday Assembly movement or beyond) this is a conference you don't want to miss. buff.ly/ld4Q4Zb

Is humanist parenting reinventing the wheel? The exciting idea that we can figure out problems for ourselves, or reinvent systems for our own needs is part of the appeal of humanism. But it can mean we overlook the rich history of ideas and approaches humanism offers.

Just imagine if the BBC had spent years talking up a key Liberal Democrat issue, then forever feverishly fawning over a Lib Dem Leader’s every word. I wonder what the salience of both would be? But LDs only won 72 MPs and have never fallen as low as (to pluck a number) 4, so that would be fanciful.

In a bit of good news, the Netherlands has just banned conversion therapy that targets gay and transgender children and adults.

When starting the A-Z of humanist parenting, last month's - T is for Traditions - was my first idea. Involving kids in creating, & recreating our own traditions & shaping them for our own needs is a great lesson in why they should be tools for linking us to others, not handcuffs.

An update on the talks, workshops and podcast interviews I’m available for, as well as my consultancy services for third sector and progressive organisations seeking to improve their local and supporter engagement. Please check out and share.

When you accidentally unmask in front of neurotypicals and realise you said something too weird.

the answer to "why has the supreme court gone insane" is the same as the answer to "why has elon musk gone insane" is the same as the answer to "why has my uncle gone insane" which is that people mostly mirror the prevailing beliefs in their social environment and they're immersed in nazi media

Can monarchy possibly be compatible with secular democracy and humanist values of equality? (No) Should humanists support republicanism and other progressive political reforms? (Yes) We explored these questions at our latest Haywards Heath Humanists event.

Mr. 'Tax dodger' Farage