Posters for Horsham event investigated after legal complaint lodged

Poster for a Humanist event in Horsham, which has attracted a complaint

The organisation offers weddings, partnerships, funerals and baby namings as an alternative to religious ceremonies.

Humanists were due to discuss the ceremonies and host a question and answer session at the Capitol in Horsham yesterday evening (Wednesday March 18).

However, a complainant suggested promotional material for the evening, including leaflets and posters, did not specify the wedding ceremonies are not legal or official, and may mislead potential customers.

Trading Standards are continuing to investigate following the allegation.

Richard Sargeant, team manager at West Sussex Trading Standards Service, told the County Times: “We have had a complaint in relation to possible misleading statements or omissions on the leaflets and the posters.

“Trading Standards have raised the issue with the venue and have discussed the matter with the Horsham Humanist group to make sure customers are not being misled by the literature.

“We have not taken the posters down.”

West Sussex Humanists have previously hosted events in Horsham and Chichester promoting the ceremonies, which the posters and leaflets state are ‘increasingly popular’.

The group added Humanists are the major provider of non-religious ceremonies in the UK.

The criticised poster promises to deliver ‘uniquely personal non-religious ceremonies’.

These include ‘authentic’ weddings, funerals that ‘honour life with warmth, sensitivity and meaning’, and naming ceremonies that are the ‘perfect way to welcome your child with honesty, warmth and affection’.

West Sussex Humanists was formed in January 2010 to replace Mid Sussex Freethinkers, which was founded in 2005.

Thousands of Humanist ceremonies are conducted across the country each year.