About
Engaging Isssues is a forum for everyone who wants to consider significant social and ethical issues of our day. Engaging Issues aspires to be an open, inclusive, questioning assembly, where we can speak our minds freely and respectfully. It may challenge our assumptions and can be uncomfortable in the pursuit of encouraging greater understanding, integrity and tolerance of differing views.
Engaging Issues events have taken place in Church Stretton, Shropshire, every year since 2005. We have seven to nine events per year, between October and February.
Where
All of the talks take place at the URC Church Hall, High Street, Church Stretton, SY6 6BY. The URC is opposite the junction with Cunnery Road. See map. Some parking is available in the church car park, and there is a lot more parking close to the Co-Operative supermarket, 300m to the north of the church in the centre of Church Stretton.
When
Meetings start at 7:30pm and end at about 9pm. Meetings always include time for questions.
How much
For each meeting we ask for a £3 donation on the door to cover expenses. You can also pay by PayPal if you like, using the link at the bottom of this page.
Getting in touch and staying informed
See the contact page for how to get in touch, and to sign up to receive occasional updates and reminders of forthcoming events.
Code of conduct
Our usual pattern is that the first half of the evening is for the speaker to set out their case, and the second half is given over to questions and answers. Attendees are invited to put a question to the speaker. We ask please that people keep their questions brief, and definitely no speeches, so as to maximise the time available for our guest speaker to address any issues arising. If you have a second question or follow-up, please be considerate of others who want to ask questions too, and accept with good grace that we'll give everyone who wants an opportunity to ask their first question before we come back to you for your second.
Who organises it all?
Engaging Issues is organised and published by a non-profit-making, small and informal group of local friends with only small axes to grind.
The views of the speakers...
...are not necessarily those of the organising committee. The organisers are a disparate group of people, who occasionally surprise themselves by agreeing with each other. Occasionally. But the disagreement is part of the fun, and the tension of the dialectic helps us discover more about ourselves and the world around us.
The speakers' views are their own, and we give each of them the invitation to come and challenge us, or even provoke us; bring us issues that we can engage with, and quite possibly disagree with. Half of every Engaging Issues evening is always given over to Q&A so that we can inquisitively and politely engage with our speakers and test their views as well as our own.
The Engaging Issues invitation extends to all with a willingness to learn: join in with an open mind and generous attitude.