The Editor
The Wanstead and Woodford Guardian
Paul Kaufman
38 Felstead Road
Wanstead
E11 2QJ
11 March 2013
By e-mail
Dear Sir
The proposal to remove the reference to God in the oath for Girlguides would bring about long needed change ( ‘Proposal to remove Guides’ God pledge’ 7
March).
The Promise is the set of values at the core of Girlguiding in the UK. With such a large number of young people being members of the Guides,
Rainbows and Brownies it is important that it reflects the modern British values of respect, tolerance and support for diversity. However, as things stand the Promise is not inclusive of the large number of young people who have no religious belief. Surely it cannot be right that they have to choose between taking the oath and lying, which we would all deplore, or leaving the movement?
The non-religious can make a fantastic contribution to the movement and should be welcomed by it. Recent surveys show that as a section of society they volunteer as much and give as much to charity as the religious. And the non-religious form one of the fastest growing sections, with 22% of Londoners stating they had no religious belief in the 2011 census, up from 17% in 2001.
There must be many young non-religious people who would love to be part of the Girlguides. To keep excluding them is discrimination which should have no place in today’s diverse society.

Yours faithfully
Paul Kaufman
Chair East London Humanists www.eastlondon.humanist.org.uk
www.meetup.com/east-london-humanists