Frack or Fiction?

This month Hazel Gibson of Plymouth University joined us to talk about the very current issue of fracking.

Specifically, Hazel wanted to show us that scientists need to think about how fracking and geology as a whole will be perceived by a less informed audience such as the general public.

For example, Hazel showed us that 'fracking' doesn't only mean to inject liquid a high pressure to open fissures and thus extract oil or gas.  Urban slang gives 'fracking' numerous meanings from 'to betray' and 'to bungle' to...erm...'pleasure oneself'.

She also was keen to emphasise that fracking is a method that can be used to not just extract gas and oil but also to create environmentally sustainable energy options.  For example, by drilling down into the earth to where superheated water lies and then using that water and steam to drive turbines in a geothermal power station.

Of course, whilst Hazel's talk was mainly about the perceptions of fracking it was inevitable that the pros and cons of fracking for oil and gas would be discussed.  Heather explained that it was hard to use the United States as an guide to what might happen in the U.K. as there are so many differences.  Different geology, a different legislative structure regarding how fracking is controlled and the fact that there were no baseline studies in the United States.  Because of the lack of any such studies it's impossible to definitively say how things have changed.  However, the Environment Agency is carrying out such studies in advance of any fracking.

Hazel also took to task the idea that fracking would contaminate the water course with methane.
Setting fire to tap water has been an internet hit.  It's also been latched onto by many anti fracking activists as proof of just how dangerous fracking can be.  However, Hazel pointed out that finding methane in water, drinking or not, is not a new thing.

Infact, the fact that there is methane in the water isn't due to the fact that fracking is taking place nearby.  It's far more likely that fracking is taking place nearby because there is methane in the water supply which is a good indicator of a viable gas deposit ripe for extraction.

Hazel was a very lively and interesting guest with a real gift for public speaking and audience engagement. Highly recommended to any other Skeptics groups.

NEXT MONTH: Tamasin Cave from Spinwatch will talk to us about the lobbying industry ans why she thinks it is distorting our democracy. Thursday 18th September - 7:30pm - North End Social Club - More details HERE.

Breaking The Spell

A brand new venue awaited all of us this month. We  leapt 2 miles west to The North End Social Club and welcomed Martin S Taylor. 

Martin makes his living doing hypnotism shows, lecturing on the subject and acting as a hypnotism consultant for companies such as Paramount Pictures.  Yet he openly admits that he doesn't believe hypnotism actually exists.  Then what is going on?

To Martin it is a "complicated cocktail of ideas" whose chief ingredients are suggestion, peer pressure and obedience.   The peer pressure became apparent as throughout his career Martin observed that hypnotism shows work better the larger the audience.  Whilst suggestion and obedience work together in a hypnotic combination that consists of, as Martin puts it, "my confidence and the expectation that that's what they're supposed to do."

Martin also outlined the many different people who have a vested interest in hypnotism existing. From hypnotherapists who have spent lots of time and money getting qualified to stage magicians making a living from it.  To be fair, Martin was asked if he ever encountered a stage hypnotist who actually believed in hypnotism - "Yes! All of them!" was his reply, suggesting that the vast majority of hypnotism's proponents are not deliberately misleading the public.  Even if they might be engaging in some degree of self serving delusion.

Certainly, the general public's belief hypnotism exists gives it a great deal of power.  With hypnotism being used in personal therapy and increasingly for pain control is it such a bad thing if it doesn't exist as long as it's relieving suffering?  We have lots of evidence of the placebo effect and, surely, hypnotism would seem to be just one more such example.  Perhaps the problem with hypnotism is that it credits mumbo-jumbo with affecting real change when it's actually the subject of the hypnotism who is really empowering their own change.  Maybe if they were aware of the potential within themselves for affecting change then they wouldn't need hypnotism in the first place to give up smoking, face their phobias or overcome a traumatic past? Nice rational words to type out on a blog. But in the real world, to those desperate enough to turn to hypnotism I doubt it really matters.

Back at the North End Social Club, Martin had been trying out a few techniques on some of the audience. One regular found himself in the disconcerting position of finding his fingers stuck together - good excuse to avoid your round of drinks, though. Then he couldn't speak without permission.  I'll rise above the 'Er Indoors' gags, because I'm better than that.

To end the evening with a flourish, Martin proved that a staple of hypnotism acts - supporting another's body weight with your own torso whilst lying across 2 chairs - can be done by any fit adult.

Unfortunately, my blog reporting commitments and an old wound from my days street fighting fascists in the 1980s meant I was unable to offer up my steely physique.  But luckily, an equally able volunteer was found.

Martin's talk was a superb mixture of psychological lecture and outright showmanship. You know you're in the company of a classy gent when he has to check he hasn't left his monocle behind before leaving.

NEXT MONTH: We get cracking with fracking as geologist Hazel Gibson gives us three different perspectives on the subject.  Thursday 21st August - 7:30pm - The North End Social Club. Full Details HERE.

 

Academic Debate

This month we welcomed Alasdair Smith of The Anti-Academies Alliance to our final meeting at The White Horse before we move to our new venue, The North End Social Club. 

Choice. It’s a great thing, isn’t it? We can choose from a myriad of toothpastes, tea bags and toilet rolls.  We can take our pick from energy suppliers to undertakers.  So why not have the same option when it comes to the education of our youngsters?

Alasdair maintained that this offer of choice is, in fact, a delusion.  To him it’s a fanciful charade designed to mask a Hayekian agenda bent on opening up the education system to the profit motive with scant regard for the children within its seemingly rapacious grip.

In order to create choice, he argued, you needed surplus places so that children have options to choose between schools. But, in fact, Alasdair quoted figures of there being a chronic shortage of up to 500,000 school places within the next 2-3 years.

The idea that Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove puts forward is that parents will choose to send their kids to the ‘good’ schools and, therefore, the ‘bad’ schools will close down.  This will then improve standards.  But does having a choice actually drive up standards ?  The reality, to Alasdair and the Anti-Academies Alliance is that there is no such thing as choice for the vast majority of parents and kids.  It’s schools that choose the children, not the other way around.  You can’t simply send your child to any school – the various criteria – catchment area, siblings at school, Special Needs – ensure that schools make the decision who attends them.  This is even more pronounced in rural areas where there might be only one school within reasonable travelling distance. Additionally, for those kids in Grammar School areas what choice do they have if they fail the 11 Plus?  If there is any choice it is the monied metropolitan elite who have it.

Alasdair cited evidence that after 10 years of the Academies programme there is no clear evidence that it is actually raising standards across the board and no evidence that what standards are being raised are due to the programme.  Those schools which have improved have changed their in-take and leadership, this is what’s improving the schools rather than the academy model.

So what makes a ‘good’ school?  Alasdair quoted the 2007 McKinsey Report which stated that “the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of the teachers.”  

As a teacher and lecturer in education himself, Alasdair believes that working with teachers rather than actively belittling and antagonising them , as he believes Gove has done, is the way forward.  If we’re talking about choice then what about the choice teachers have to choose which school to teach in?  In Gove’s model good teachers would head for good schools. This means that less able teachers would work in struggling schools.  How will this help to improve the quality of teaching? What’s really needed is the complete opposite – the best teachers in the worst schools with resources targeted towards them.

So what’s The Anti-Academies Alliance solution to all this?  They call for a National Campaign for Education – bringing together the various education campaigns to ensure and joined up approach that covers not just the academies and free schools issue but curriculum, pedagogy, assessment,  the provision of school places and teacher education.  So basically everything.  However, there seems frustratingly little actual detail on what this will actually entail and how it will address what Alasdair refers to as “the long tail of underachievement.”

Personally, it was very disappointing that the Headmaster of the local Free School was sadly unable to attend as promised.  I would like to have seen his response to Alasdair’s criticisms of the academies and free school model.  

However, as usual our audience came up with some good questions.  Many doubted that the Finnish model that Alasdair spoke of in glowing terms could be transferred from a country of 5 million to one of 56 million.  Alasdair agreed stating that what was needed was Education Authorities, like the late Inner London Education Authority, to roll out the programmes in local areas. Rather than attempting to run a  nationwide scheme from central government as Gove has done with the academies programme. Others asked that if why was the UK slipping down the International education league tables – Alasdair said that the UK has the most advanced system in the world for teaching maths and history.  But our league status is dragged down by the earlier mentioned ‘long tail of underachievement’.  By addressing the problems with basic numeracy and literacy we would rise up the tables.  This could only be done by addressing what he saw as the root cause – poverty.

So our tenure at The White Horse ends and we move to the more centrally located North End Club.  However, despite rumours to the contrary we won’t be renaming ourselves ‘Skeptics In The Club’ as that might suggest we are not only in search of evidence based information but also heavy with child. 

NEXT MONTH:  Thursday 17^th July – 7pm for a 7:30 start - Martin S Taylor became interested in hypnosis when he was studying for a PhD at Imperial College, and soon became well known on the student circuit with his science based lecture-demonstration. At first he believed in the traditional view that hypnosis is a special induced state of mind, but discussions with friends and his experience with his own hypnotic subjects led him to subscribe to the 'social-compliance' view, namely that hypnosis is best explained by normal, well-understood psychological principles.

He now makes a living as a lecturer and consultant on hypnosis, talking and demonstrating at schools, universities, and anywhere else they'll pay him. It was at one of Martin's lectures that Derren Brown was inspired to take up his career, and Martin has worked with Derren on a number of recent television shows. Recently he has been a hypnosis consultant for Paramount Pictures, helping them make promotional videos for horror films.

Martin will give an explanation of his skeptical outlook on traditional hypnosis, illustrated with clips from his stage show - and possibly some live demonstrations on the audience.

More details HERE.

Our New Home?

As some of you may remember, Bedford Skeptics In The Pub first started in October 2012 in The Fox & Hounds on Goldington Avenue. After a couple of events there we moved to our present location at The White Horse. Whilst Nigel and his staff have always been the most genial of hosts, for some time the Bedford Skeptics In The Pub Committee has been aware of issues and shortcomings with the use of the White Horse for our events. We are happy to report that we believe we have found a new venue in the form of the North End Social Club, adjacent to the roundabout at the junction of Roff Avenue and Tavistock Street. The exact address is 70 Roff Avenue, Bedford, MK41 7TW.

Click HERE for a map.

For a modest charge, we can have the exclusive use of a large room, some 15m x 15m, with seating accommodation for 100 people, at tables and around the periphery.  

We have access to the bar, which serves not only coffee, but draught ales – Eagle IPA and a guest ale – at £2.50 a pint.  

Sound and vision are easily available.   

No food is served, but they have no objection to food being brought in from the chippie opposite or any of the 100+ takeaways on Tavistock Street.

The advantages we have identified, compared with the White Horse, are:

·          

• Much more space and seating;

·          

• A less cramped, more collegiate layout;

·          

• No ‘noises off’ from other customers in the main bar or the coffee machines;

·           

• Increased parking (accessed off Tavistock Street via the junction by the Tavistock carvery);

·         

• The building is opened by the staff at 7.00 pm, which gives plenty of time to get in and set up.

Our proposal is to move Skeptics to the new venue as soon as convenient – probably in July.

Please feel free to share any comments on these proposals, for or against, here on the blog.

Reasonable Doubt

This month welcomed the ex-Provost of York University, Dr. John Issitt. He spoke to us about English Radicalism in the wake of the French Revolution and how the beliefs that reason and rationality would inevitably lead to a better society were put to the test.

John used the real life historical figure of Jeremiah Joyce (1763-1816) with which to examine the movement for radical societal and constitutional change inspired by events across the channel. Glazier, Unitarian Minister and tutor to the Earl of Stanhope’s children, Joyce was a member of both the Society for Constitutional Reform and the London Corresponding Society. Both organisations were in the forefront of radical thought.  The ideas that were debated in these groups made him a target of the established order and he was arrested and charged, along with several others, with ‘treasonable practices’. However, due to an overly confident and poorly presented prosecution and an excellent defence lawyer all were acquitted. All of this is covered in far more detail in John’s book ‘The Agents of Reason’.

John explained how whilst today reason and rationality are very much associated with scientific enquiry and an atheistic outlook this was not always the case. In Joyce’s age reason was a tool to strip away all the supernatural revelations, leaving one with an understanding of the mind of god.  In other words, a Deistic approach.

The main subject of the talk was meant to be Joyce and how the bloody outcome of the French Revolution had dented many people’s belief in the power of reason to create a better future. But it became clear that our speaker also had his own doubts.  

John explained how in his earlier years he had been a firm believer in the power of Rationality.  Indeed, he remembered arguments he had with people of faith and how he viewed them as misguided, ill-informed or just plain stupid.  But now, whilst not religious, he couldn’t help feeling that a world where everything choice we make could be reduced to a process of reasoning leading to a logical choice was an arid landscape indeed. Was the enjoyment of a piece of art or a beautiful landscape nothing more than a cold, calculated, logical decision?

In many ways I viewed this talk as an archaeological dig through a particular period in the history of radical thought.  But also a lament by John to his own lost belief in the transformative power of pure reason.  There was a tangible sense as John spoke of how he really wishes he still believed but he can’t. Whilst at the same time he can’t accept the more religious approach to life. Whilst John stated he was an Atheist, one of our audience asked if, in fact, he was really agnostic. That’s for John to work out.

An outstanding Q&A session followed.  Several of the audience spoke up to defend the power of reason.  Believing that the process of Rationality was valid.  It was just that ‘bad data’ was being pushed through the system leading to poor decisions and outcomes.  One believed that the problem wasn’t with Reason itself but the fact that most decisions have to be made so quickly. Our brains simply cannot work our options in a reasoned way fast enough. Therefore, bad decisions are made and poor outcomes follow.

John didn’t feel this was the case. Even if it were, we have the brains that we have. Even if it were possible, are we to change our brains to fit with the needs of Reason? Wouldn’t that make us slaves to Reason and slightly less human?

So, just another evening of light, casual debate in the local………..  

NEXT TIME: NOTE DUE TO THE WORLD CUP THIS EVENT IS A WEEK LATER THAN NORMAL – Alasdair Smith of the Anti-Academies Alliance will be explaining why he believes that Academies & Free Schools are not the way to improve education in the UK.  This will be a cracker. Bedford has so many different models of schools (2-tier, 3-tier, academies, religious schools, and a free school) that it is highly relevant to our town. Spread the word and come along. Thursday 26^th June 7pm at The White Horse. More details HERE.

Spirited Debate

This month we welcomed Chris Snowden along who examined the assertion made by the best selling book 'The Spirit Level' that 'more equal societies almost always do better.'  Chris has penned his own response to that publication entitled 'The Spirit Level Delusion' and his talk sought to examine what he believes are the short comings in the theory.

Chris illustrated his talk with plenty of graphs. They all, basically, attempted to demonstrate the same thing. Whether it be levels of trust, obesity, prison population or just about any other measure of an ill of society those nations deemed more equal were doing better and those with greater inequality were doing worse.

However, when Chris set about examining the data behind these graphs he found some issues.  For example, the authors of 'The Spirit Level' used 6 different measures of inequality throughout their book. This could be argued as moving the inequality goal-posts to make the statistics fit the theory. When Chris added extra nations ignored by the authors of 'The Spirit Level' he found that the much vaunted correlations no longer existed.

Anyway, correlation does not automatically equal causation.  For example, when looking at the prison population of any given nation you see that Scandinavian countries and Japan have a much lower number of prisoners that the United States.  However, for this to be a valid measure you would need to ensure that all the nations had exactly the same sentencing system.  Of course, they do not.  The sentencing regime in the United States is harsher than in Japan.  So we are not comparing like with like.

Chris then examined the idea of inequality itself.  He maintained that inequality and poverty are not the same thing.  For example, you could have a society where everyone was poor and in that sense they were all equal and inequality would be non-existent.  But would we want to live there?  To Chris the important measure is living standards and that is the measure by which we should be judging success.

In the Question & Answer session with the audience many were outraged that, to them, Chris seemed to be making light of inequality.  I have to say I didn't see it this way.  To Chris inequality is simply a measure of the gap between one part of society and another.  It doesn't necessarily mean that those in the lower half are actually suffering or in poverty.  However, to many in the audience inequality is clearly a social ill in itself rather than a dry statistic.

Personally, I thought it was an excellent evening where people's beliefs were put to the test. It can sometimes seem at Skeptics events that the audience is of a largely liberal persuasion and so are the speakers.  To get a guest who actually makes you examine you own ideas of what inequality actually is and how loaded the term has become was enlightening.

We should be wary of anybody from whatever side of the political landscape who arrives with an easily digestible 'theory of everything' offering a panacea to society's ills. In a complicated world such ideas have a beguiling simplicity to them.  As Skeptics we need to maintain a critical eye however alluring such ideas may be. Especially the ones that chime with some of our core beliefs.

NEXT MONTH:  John Issitt will join us to talk about 'The Limits of Reason' - Thursday 15th May - 7 for 7:30 at The White Horse - More details HERE.

Shame of Thrones

Graham Smith the CEO of Republic, the campaign for a democratic alternative to the monarchy joined us this month.

Graham stated that the monarchy was both wrong in principle and in practice. It undermines our desire to make decisions for ourselves and “is an obstacle to a genuine flourishing of democratic ideals.”

Graham also accused the monarchy of corruption.  If we can define corruption as the abuse of public office for personal gain then Graham cited royal access to ministers to lobby for their own political agenda and using public money for personal use (i.e. £20,000 spent by Prince Charles for a 4 day Scottish holiday) as examples.

The media states that the total cost of the monarchy to be £35 million a year.  But Republic contend that this figure is artificially low as it doesn’t include the costs of security, police, local council costs on visits and that there real figure is more like £200 million.  By contrast the Irish Head of State costs that nation £7 million a year.  But Graham stressed that this wasn’t simply a question of cost. Even if the monarchy cost nothing its existence would erode our democratic potential.

To Graham  just as worrying as the high financial price of the monarchy was the fact that it is “out of control and not open to scrutiny”.  Both Prince Charles and the Queen have an effective veto on any legislation that affects their extensive private interests.  Civil Servants are duty bound to make them aware of any legislation that might do so.  The result is that legislation is changed in advance to avoid it affecting these private interests as Civil Servants know it will have to be amended in favour of the Royals anyway. 

When it comes to the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) the monarchy is exempt even though it is a publicly funded body.  The Act was later amended so that in addition to any internal Royal correspondence being out of bounds any correspondence between the monarchy and any other public bodies was also safe from scrutiny.  We know that Prince Charles sends plenty of missives to government but we’re not allowed to know their contents.  The Guardian has been fighting a long battle to get access to these letters with the government repeatedly losing in the courts and then putting in motion appeal after appeal. This lobbying explodes the myth that the monarchy is merely a decorative figure 

head, detached from politics.

Another such myth, according to Graham, is that the monarchy brings valuable tourist trade to the UK. 

So what’s the alternative?  Republic campaigns for a fully elected Parliament and an elected Head of State that acts as the Guardian of the Constitution. Graham gave examples of where proposed laws have been vetoed in Ireland when the President has referred them to the Supreme Court where they have subsequently been deemed unconstitutional.  We are not talking about the same style Presidency as Mugabe in Zimbabwe (as some of the audience seemed to think) but for a Head of State that protects the constitution and represents the country rather than running it as a personal fiefdom.

After a break to refill glasses and empty bladders (given a whole new twist to the phrase ‘The Royal Wee’) Graham fielded questions from the audience.  Some in the audience believed that simply replacing the monarchy with a presidency wouldn’t change anything and that there are plenty of examples of corrupt Heads of State.  Graham countered that it wasn’t about changing human nature but making those that held high office open to scrutiny and accountable for their actions.  Something that the monarchy patently isn’t.  In addition, it’s impossible to change the status quo without presenting ourselves with “the opportunity to change the system.”

Once again it was a lively debate with even the bar staff joining in.  Personally, what struck me is that for those who believe in the monarchy it very much appeared as more of an act of faith that an evidence based belief.  I was left wondering  why as a Nation many of us feel that this privileged family with no experience of everyday life are an accurate image of Britishness to project to the world and ourselves?  It is a cosy nostalgia for a supposedly simpler time where everyone know their place and things seemed a little more ordered?

NEXT MONTH: Christopher Snowden will challenge 'The Spirit Level' theory that more equal societies always do better.  It's bound to be a controversial stance so do come along. Thursday April 17th, 7pm, The White Horse. Full details HERE.

Alpha Male

Another month, another full pub. I’ve given up counting numbers now – suffice to say, it was packed out – standing room only. This large and loud crowd had come along to listen to Simon Clare’s (@faithlesseye) thoughts on The Alpha Course and what it can teach the Atheist & Humanist ‘community’ about effective outreach.

A god of some sort was clearly worried about what he might have to say as various traffic jams and delays were slung in Simon’s path but he managed to make it even if he was a few minutes late.  But if you’re going to have to wait a bit then where better than a pub?

Simon started by taken us through a few Alpha Course stats;

• Set up in 1977
• 66,000 courses in 162 countries
• 75% of attendees in 18-35 age group
• Available in 85% of prisons
• Big growth in India – 2007: 100 courses  2012: 20,000 courses

The Alpha Course owes its recent expansion to Nicky Gumbel (left), Vicar of the Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) Church who took the original Alpha Course materials and reshaped them into the highly successful project it currently is. Which. I suppose makes him the ‘Alpha Papa’.  Rev. Gumbel is a very well connected Eton educated ex-Barrister who, it is claimed, had a role in ensuring that the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was ordained into the clergy in the first place. According to Simon, the Alpha Course is “a central part of the Church of England’s struggle to survive.”

Simon found his local Alpha Course leaders friendly and approachable, unlike many of the Humanist groups he’s attended, with food offered, nice lighting and a general air of relaxed inclusion. At the start, at least.  As the course went on Simon was concerned that none of his well thought out questions were answered and became aware that this wasn’t really the point of the course. Despite the fact that Alpha Course adverts often attract punters by offering answers to life’s big questions.  He was also concerned that some of the material was just not being truthful such as a video (see below) about the high-wire walker Blondin taking his Mother across Niagara Falls in a wheelbarrow. In reality, this never happened as she had died many years before.

Simon attended a ‘Holy Spirit Weekend’ where people were subtly urged to let themselves be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. Simon showed us the script for this particular part of the course. These clearly showed that if the course leaders didn’t have an example of speaking in tongues to call upon they could use the one in the script but pretend it was their own personal experience.

Despite all this, Simon thinks he’s a better person for taking the course as he learnt things and met nice people.  He also came thinking that the Alpha Course approach could work for the Atheist/Humanist community.  Simon thinks that this those of us who consider ourselves part of such a community should be friendlier, more welcoming and stop finding excuses for not doing things rather than reasons for actively reaching out to those who might have no understanding of what Humanism really is.  

Simon himself has given Atheist street preaching a go and is involved in the Brighton branch of The Sunday Assembly. He’s also helping to write a course on Humanism that is less academically based and more rooted in the everyday than much Humanist material usually is.

There was plenty of interaction from the audience throughout the talk. It was great to see some Christians pointing out where they thought Simon was mistaken and explaining how they had taken the Alpha Course material and reshaped it themselves to better suit their approach.  Plenty of robust conversation, laughter and applause.  Simon has a great, relaxed speaking style which puts the audience at ease but also maintains their interest. Highly recommended to other Skeptics groups.

NEXT MONTH: We welcome Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, the campaign for a democratic alternative to the Monarchy.  He’ll be talking to us about the power and secrecy of the monarchy and what can be done about it.  It’s bound to be another well attended event so if you want to seat then best get there for 7pm. Full details HERE.

Arrested Development

This month we were lucky enough to host Skeptics In The Pub veteran Stevyn Colgan as he gave his 'Skeptical Bobby' talk for the 50th time.

Stevyn took us on a journey from his school days of confrontation with Mr Tuttle over a picture of a Brontosaurus that was clearly a Brachiosaurus, to his service in the Metropolitan Police's 'Problem Solving Unit' and, latterly, his time at BBC TV's 'Q.I' and it's Radio 4 sister show 'The Museum Of Curiosity.'

The bulk of the talk concentrated on how prevention of a problem is far better than a cure.  Stevyn spoke of his frustration as a Police Cadet that the emphasis in training was on how to catch criminals and process them through the justice system.  This seemed odd as the first of the 'Peelian Principles' upon which the police force was set up states;

'The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.'

However, it seems far easier for the police to measure (and politicians and public alike to understand) arrests and convictions rather than the more difficult task of ascertaining the efficacy of crime prevention.  Arrest and convictions statistics might look good but they do not prove that the police force is doing an effective job.  Indeed, another of the 'Peelian Principles' makes this clear;

'The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder; not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.'

Still, Stevyn was unbowed by the line taken by his colleagues and was determined to adopt a curative approach.  An approach no doubt helped by the fact that he did not fear being sacked as he'd only joined the police force as a drunken £50 bet with his father - also a policeman.

Stevyn took great inspiration from the work of Herman Goldstein and his idea of 'Problem Oriented Policing.'

Various issues tackled by Stevyn and his team included;

• Hiring a young Italian magician dressed as Harry Potter to alert unsuspecting shoppers to a card trick scam.
• Diagonal hoarding to prevent fly-posting (and if that didn't work sticking 'Cancelled' notices on top of the fly-posters.)
• Gum targets to cut down on chewing gum on pavements.
• Lollipops for departing clubbers to keep late night noise down.
• See through shop shutters to deter graffiti and also deterring burglars who would normally be shielded from view by normal shutters.
• Organising a Dog Show on a tough inner city estate to get little old ladies with the Yorkshire Terriers and youths with their Pit Bulls taking to each other an promoting community cohesion.

The central thread throughout the evening was that things are better if people talk and listen to each other,  work as a community and seek to find what they have in common to solve their problems.  The solutions needed are often not grand initiatives but thoughtful, localised smaller scale actions.

NEXT MONTH: Simon Clare joins us to explain what taking The Alpha Course as an Atheist taught him about organised religion and what non-believers can learn from it.  Thursday 20th February - 7pm - The White Horse - Full details HERE.