Volunteers

Dorset Humanists 
Schools Education Project 
Volunteers Profiles
David Warden | Chris Street Karen Preston | Terry Milton 
 | Gregory Atkins | Cathy Silman | Sally Hawksworth | Susan Bryson | Ronnie Barr

David Warden BA MA
David Warden
David Warden is Chair of Dorset Humanists and an Honorary Member of Humanists UK. He has a BA in theology and an MA in Human Resource Management. David has twenty years' experience as a business trainer in both the private and public sectors. David runs an evening course in Humanism and he has spoken about Humanism to pupils and students in a number of local schools including Bournemouth School, Bournemouth School for Girls, Broadstone Middle School, Thomas Hardye School, and Bishop Wordsworth.  He has helped Dorset Humanists to develop a friendship link with an elementary secular school in northern India and he has served on Bournemouth SACRE. 


Chris Street BSc (Hons) MBA MSc
Chris Street 
Since 2007, Chris Street has been Webmaster at Dorset Humanists. From 2014 he was appointed President of Atheism UK. Chris is a member of Humanists UK and the National Secular Society. 

Between 2009 and 2015 Chris was the Humanist rep on the Dorset Standing Advisory Council on RE (SACRE). I2011 he gave a 'Teaching Humanism' workshop to RE teachers at the launch of the Dorset SACRE Agreed RE 2011-2016 Syllabus. Since 2009, Chris has talked about Humanism to students in schools, for example, in Dorset (Wareham Middle, Canford), Hampshire (Meoncross, Priestlands) and Wiltshire (Bishop Wordsworth)Chris was the first Chairman of the Dorset Humanists Schools Education Project (DHSEP).

In 2015, Chris was awarded Master of Science (MSc) in Medicinal Chemistry. During 2014-16 he was a Supply Teacher to twenty schools in Southampton & Bournemouth gaining 1000+ hours teaching practice. Since 2015, Chris has tutored students in GCSE Science & Maths specialising in Chemistry & Biology at 'A' level.

Karen Preston BA (Hons) MEd
Karen Preston is a Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist. She is a Chartered psychologist registered with the British Psychological Society. Karen is a member of the Association of Educational Psychologists and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. Karen qualified as a teacher and taught secondary age students before completing her studies as a Psychologist. She has worked as an Educational Psychologist, both abroad and in the U.K. for 28 years and currently works for Bournemouth Borough Council. Karen has worked in the areas of Autism, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. Her current area of specialism is Early Years.

Karen has completed studies in Philosophy and Comparative Religions. She joined Dorset Humanists in 2012 and is keen to promote the understanding of Humanist principles in schools. Karen became the Dorset Humanists' representative on the Poole SACRE in 2012. Karen joined Dorset Humanists Schools Education Project (DHSEP) at its inception to help introduce young people to the Humanist worldview and values.

Terry Milton QTS

Terry Milton
Terry Milton was educated by Christian Brothers in Brighton and after a 60-month gap 'year' went to Matlock Teachers Training College where he gained QTS.

Terry taught English and PE at a secondary school in Southampton before moving to Bournemouth where he taught English at Kings School of English. He eventually opened his own language school, Mayfield Academy (now part of Sprachcaffe International), in Hove which he ran for a number of years until selling up to go into property management, and to write. The only book Terry has published is 'Car Wars' which advocates measures to reduce the carnage on our roads.

His route to humanism was gradual. He came to realise that performing rituals and praying didn't, in fact, make any difference to the suffering and injustice in the world and that the only way to improve things was through human endeavour. As Robert Ingersoll said 'Hands that help are better than lips that pray.' This is the message Terry would like to pass on to as many people as possible.

For Dorset Humanists Schools Education Project, Terry has taught Humanism in local schools including Baden Powell & St.Peters CE Middle School.


Terry has two grown-up daughters and four grandchildren and is now semi-retired.




Prof. Gregory Atkins FTCD, B.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc.
Prof. Gregory Atkins
Prof. Gregory Atkins likes to address older secondary school students, particularly those studying Religious Studies, Ethics and Philosophy at A-level and GCSE. 

Gregory was a University Professor of Science (Virology) at Trinity College Dublin for 33 years until he retired and returned to the UK. He was born in London and educated at Liverpool University, which subsequently awarded him a D.Sc. Gregory lives near Yeovil in Somerset, near the Dorset border. In Dublin, he was heavily engaged in teaching Science to undergraduates, and in research. He also supervised 35 successful Ph.D. students and eight postdoctoral Fellows. 

Gregory has published 118 peer-reviewed papers, wrote and published a book, and was a member of three European research networks, coordinating one. He served on several EU and Irish government committees. 

Gregory was a member of the Humanist Association of Ireland for many years, and on moving to the UK joined Humanists UK.

Cathy Silman MEd

Cathy was brought up by parents who were Humanists but they made sure she was made aware of different religions. From a very young age, Cathy wanted to work with young children and so she spent most of her adult life as a primary school teacher.  Although she was a deputy head of a large multicultural school in the Midlands, Cathy most enjoyed her time as a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo).  

She did some lecturing in special needs at Oxford Brookes University and especially enjoyed mentoring students and new teachers.   After her own children left home, Cathy was sent by VSO to assist teachers in Namibia with special needs education. In 2011, Cathy co-authored the book "Active Learning in Primary Classrooms" (Pearson/Longman Publishing).

Since 2015, Cathy has been the humanist member of the Dorset Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

Cathy is now retired but enjoys very much the opportunity to visit schools and talk about Humanism, especially to very young children.

Sally Hawksworth

An English teacher with 30 years experience. Full Bio to follow.

Susan Bryson
Bio to follow.

Ronnie Barr
Ronnie is 19 years old. Full Bio to follow.


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