Cantheist Meeting Hall

The ongoing saga.

-::  Latest News ::-

The European Court of Human Rights is considering this case now.

Here it is. The green fronted building on the right will be first Cannabis Assembly Cantheist Meeting Hall,
eventually. But registration forms can easily be lost in the post.



This will be our Meditation Room, eventually. But forms are hard to find.



This will be the Minister's Private Room, eventually. But what
exactly is a Cantheist?



There's even a sign waiting to go up outside, eventually. But there's
a backlog to get through.

It's not as easy as you'd think it might be, registering a place of worship in the UK.

18th November, 2006, three months after applying, we've been told the Hall cannot
be registered as we will not be worshipping a God! As we recognise the worship
of ALL Gods we'll be questioning their decision.

15th December, the registrar's office is reappraising my application. I wonder if
they've realised yet that all they're doing is bringing our day in Strasbourg closer?
Well done Mr Registrar.

29th January, 2007, phoned the General Registrar again to ask what the delay was
this time and was told the application is now in the hands of their solicitors.
They say I'll have an answer in the first week of February.

2nd March, having received no further correspondence from the General
Register Office I have today lodged a formal complaint of a breach of Article 9
of the ECHR at the offices of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

3rd March, by an amazing coincidence I received the Registrar's response this morning.
They are still insisting upon treating Cantheists differently to members of other
religions by refusing to register our place of worship and therefore
still breaching Article 9 of the ECHR.

Let's see what the Ombudsman has to say.

7th March, an unexpected twist. I was working on the basis that the complaints procedure
set out on the General Register Office website was correct. It seems they've forgotten to mention
that any member of the public who wishes to make a complaint about them to the Parliamentary
Ombudsman has to find a MP willing to put the complaint forward. The Parliamentary Ombudsman
doesn't represent the public as I, and I am sure you, may have thought, they only represent MPs.
My local MP hasn't once voted against the party line in ten years, although I must say that as a constituency
MP she does a good job for her constituents, so I'll be looking for help from a cannabis friendly MP.


24th March, after receiving no response from the noteworthy cannabis friendly MPs one of the
parliamentary secretaries informed me that it must be my own MP that puts the complaint
forward. With that in mind I've asked her to do so and will let you know the reply.

Even though I feel the General Register Office has not followed their own complaints guidelines,
I have furthered my complaint with them to the Deputy Registrar General.

27th April, nearly there. The Deputy Registrar says they haven't changed their minds. Our application is being
refused because we do not meet their definition of a worthy religion as stated in the
Places of Worship Registration Act. It doesn't seem to be sinking in with anyone at the
Registrar General's Office that under EU law they have no right to judge any religion and that
all beliefs must be treated equally under the law.

I've just sent the final complaint to the Registrar General stating that the Places of Worship Registration
Act is incompatible with the ECHR. If the Parliamentary Ombudsman chooses not to get involved
we will have exhausted the legal requirements of UK law. Next step Strasbourg.

7th June, Final hoop jumped through for the Registrar General. We received the final refusal to register
the Meeting Hall as a place of worship. Now I have to find out if my MP will forward the case
to the Parliamentary Ombudsman.


16th June, It seems we are already past the MP stage without knowing it. I have today received a copy
of a letter which, I am told, was originally sent to me on 30th March in which my MP states that she is
unable to support my application for the case to be put before the Ombudsman. My next step is to
inform the Ombudsman of this and await their response.



7th July, The Parliamentary Ombudsman has replied but the letter is marked 'in confidence'
and, as I am a law abiding subject of Her Majesty, I would not wish to break Data Protection laws.

Suffice to say, we're going to Strasbourg folks.

Well, we get the right to ask for the case to be judged. They could just say no
 and there would be absolutely nothing we could do about it. But they won't.
 Our case is as strong, if not stronger, than the precedent already set by the Scientologists.
 We're going to Strasbourg folks.


1st August 2007, application for a hearing before the European
Court of Human Rights has been filed.


31st August 2007, Application no. 35853/07 - Farnhill v. the United Kingdom
is now awaiting judgement.



faith and patience




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