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GENERAL INFORMATION
The association is a registered charity with the objective of “serving the public good by the due promotion of the study and practice of the art and science of healing.”
The term “healing” means the healing of the sick in body, mind or spirit by means of prayer or meditation (whether or not in the presence of the patient) and the laying on of hands.
The area covered by the Association is Bristol and the adjoining counties of Wiltshire, Somerset, North Somerset, Monmouthshire, BANES, South Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire.
The elected committee who are also the Trustees manage the affairs of the Association. Those members attending the Annual General Meeting elect the committee.
2010 Officers of the Association
PATRON Dennis Fare 0117 967 3154
33 The Park, Kingswood, Bristol. BS15 4BL
PRESIDENT Tony Smith 07967 740388 or 0117 986 0179
34 Martock Road,
Keynsham,
Bristol BS31 1YA
TREASURER Nigel Cranham BA (hons)PgDipGR
EVENTS Keith Bevan 0117 932 2411
ORGANISER. 46 Court Road,
Oldland Common.
Bristol. BS30 9SP
GENERAL SECRETARY
& WEB MASTER David Lindsey 0117 968 3139
21 Bell Barn Rd
Stoke Bishop
Bristol
BS9 2DA
STUDENT George Stone 01633 671619
COORDINATOR 12 Llanvair Rd.
Newport,
S.Wales. NP19 7AQ
MEMBER Sheila Singleton 0117 968 3127
Lynne Williams 0177 986 7250
15 St. Keyna Road,
Keynsham,
Bristol. BS31 2UD
Dr Peter Heap 0127 878 2131
The association has the following grades of membership: -
Therapists
Associates
Subscriptions are collected annually as determined by resolution of an Annual General Meeting.
All matters regarding the Association are written in the Articles of Constitution.
The association is also a Member of the ALLIANCE OF HEALING ASSOCIATIONS and THE FRIENDLY GROUP OF HEALER ASSOCIATIONS
HISTORY
The Alliance of Healing Associations, although not formally constituted until 1977 may be said to have had its origins in the 1950’s. In 1949 a small number of healers banded together under the leadership of John Britnell, BEM to form the Essex Healers Association. Subsequently other similar local groups were formed and it was soon seen that national co-ordination was needed.
In June 1954 the National Federation of Spiritual Healers was created on the initiative of John Britnell and three others – Harry Edwards being recorded as member no.1. The founder members were soon joined by other counties and healing organisations and at a later date the Federation became open to individual membership.
Following the AGM in 1976, a decision was taken to restrict membership to individuals and to terminate the group membership of the counties and other organisations. It was suggested that the group members could re-apply as individuals. Many of the county associations, some of whom were registered charities, preferred to carry on independently and so preserve their separate identities.
Then once again they began to group together, as they had done when setting up the Federation but this time it was to become the British Alliance.
The new organisation was created in 1977. Policy decisions were to be made at General meetings at least annually, with only one vote per member Association. General co-ordination was to be effected by a Steering Committee, and all officers were to be honorary.
The first General meeting, held on 6th November 1977 agreed that the organisation be called the British Alliance of Healing Associations (BAHA). Membership should be open to local or County Associations comprising not less than ten healers, subject to acceptance by the Alliance and to their undertaking, to abide by the Alliance’ ‘Notes for the guidance of Healers’. There was to be no individual membership, and healers who wished to become members could do so by first joining a member Association.
The Alliance was speedily recognised by the medical profession and the Department of Health and Social Security, and on 6th March 1978, the deputy registrar of the General Medical Council wrote that the president of the GMC:-
“can see no reason why a doctor should not, if he considers that it would be helpful to one of his patients, either suggest or agree to a patient seeking assistance from a member of the British Alliance of Healing Associations, provided that the doctor himself continued to give and to remain responsible for, whatever medical treatment he considered necessary for the patient.”
On the 13th July 1978 the Department of Health and Social Security clarified the position of members of the British Alliance in regard to hospital visiting in the following terms:
“the same considerations would apply whether the healer was a member of the NFSH or of the BAHA. The NFSH has no special rights. It is for the patient to indicate that they wish to be visited; that is the first consideration. It is then for the health authority to exercise its discretion as to permitting the visit with due regard to the views of the doctor in charge of the case. This latter consideration has more particular reference to psychiatric patients.”
BAHA was registered as Charity no. 284546 in March 1982 – its members being ‘charitable healing organisations’.
The Alliance is one of the founder members of the Confederation of Healing Organisations (CHO) whose objective is to co-ordinate the presentation of matters related to healing, in its broadest meaning, to official bodies and to the public.
Re-typed up by Doreen Fare
of Bristol District Association of Healers.