The end of 1995 was an especially busy time for GALHA’s humanist ceremony officiants, and brought the group some useful publicity.
Part of a GALHA affirmation ceremony conducted by Barbara Smoker for Lisa Dawn and Sophie Tournier at London’s Brockwell Park Lido was featured in BBC2’s Modern Times on 6 December. This is the second time such a ceremony has been shown on television. In 1987 Channel 4’s trendy Network 7 programme screened one which ended with a juicy close-up kiss and provoked the wrath of Christian busybody Mary Whitehouse.
More publicity was achieved when GALHA was invited to provide ceremony material for a ‘Love’ exhibition set up in December at Croydon Clocktower’s Museum and Galleries. This will be on display until 18 February.
On 17 December, the BBC made a recording of Ray Holden and Mark Toyne affirming their love and commitment at London’s Brief Encounter pub with David Turner officiating. Part of this was broadcast in Radio 4’s ‘PM’ programme on Boxing Day, and it was linked to the campaign to legalise lesbian and gay relationships.
On 25 December, friends and relatives witnessed an affirmation conducted by Chris Butterworth for Paula Stuart and Michele White aboard a Thames launch.