It is with sadness that we record the death of Bronwen, Viscountess Astor, who died on 28th December 2017 ages 87.  Bronwen Astor was a great friend of the AHRERC and Society. She was one of the earliest people to respond to Sir Alister Hardy's 1969 appeal for accounts of religious and spiritual experiences. She went on to meet Sir Alister, and through him David Hay who, in 1986, invited her to join the AHRERC's Advisory Research Council.  Bronwen was also one of the earliest members of the former Alister Hardy Society, becoming a Life Member and Chair of the Society when it was formally launched in November 1994 (serving from then to 1997 in that capacity). As Chair she took a leading role in vital fund-raising efforts made on behalf of the Centre in those early years.  Also in 1992, she became a Trustee of the then newly formed Alister Hardy Trust when it took over the running of the Centre from the Advisory Research Council.   And, finally, in 2000, Bronwen became a Patron of the Centre - later retiring to live in Chichester.

A funeral mass will be said for her at St. Richard's Church, Chichester on Tuesday 16th January 2018 at 10.30 am; and a full obituary will be included in the Spring 2018 issue of the AHT journal, De Numine.

John Franklin is very well known to members of the old Society and Trust having served for nearly 30 years as the Hon Secretary to the Alister Hardy Society and a Trustee on the AHT.

He was also the founder member of the London Group which ran for many years and arranged events, speakers and assisted with many conferences. To mark John’s formal retirement ahead of a move to Gloucestershire in the New Year, the Group had the opportunity to celebrate and thank John and present him with a voucher. Rowena Rudkin chaired the final meeting of the Group and warmly thanked John for all that he as achieved over so many years. We wish him and his wife, Andree, all the very best for their future as they relocate to a new home in Cirencester.

Dream States, Spirituality and Wellbeing
Melina Ziemer
Dream Research Institute & Religious Experience Research Centre

In conjunction with the Alister Hardy Religious Experience Research Centre (RERC), the Dream Research Institute (DRI) in London is currently collecting accounts of people’s spiritual or religious experiences in dreams.

If you have ever had a spiritual or religious experience in a dream, and are 18 years or older, you are invited to take part in our ‘Dream States, Spirituality and Wellbeing’ research project.

Please click here to take part in the survey.

The AHSSSE Committee and Members would like to pass on their congratulations to Dr. David Greenwood (AHT Honorary Treasurer) on receiving his PhD, and also to Aled Thomas (former AHSSSE student rep) and his wife Victoria on their marriage on the 3rd of August!