I was dismayed to read Francisca Martinez's letter "Humanism apes religion" (Mailbox, August 14).

If this attitude were widespread then I would fear for our future. To dismiss so casually goodwill and common humanity is insensitive and removes an essential bond that we must acknowledge if we are to live together in trust and co-operation.

Fortunately, over many years associating with people from all kinds of backgrounds, religious and non-religious, I have found few with her attitude.

The issue over representation in the National Interfaith Week is not whether humanism is or is not a religion, it is whether people with different beliefs are enabled to get to know one another and live well together. One of the principal aims of the 2009 National Interfaith Week was "to increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious belief".

This is an important aim: the non-religious form a very significant group in Leicester, and nationally over half the adult population says that religion is not at all important in their everyday life.

It seems entirely reasonable that humanists and secularists, in helping to respond, should approach existing organisations, and in Leicester the Council of Faiths is important. It must be said, however, that in its present form, with its objectives and mission restricted by its constitution to the promotion of faiths, and membership even more restricted, it is not best suited to the wider task. Loughborough Council of Faiths is not so restricted.

I have to correct Francisca Martinez on her reference to "anti-God propaganda that plaster the Leicester Secular Society windows" – there is no such material on the windows. This is a misconstruction on the basis of what she thinks might be there and what she thinks the Secular Society is about.

It underlines the need for us to get to know one another.

In fact the Secular Society is not atheist, though many of its members, particularly the humanist ones, are atheists.

The society has a long history of standing up for freedom of religion and belief.

Many non-theistic people are deeply caring and the society they try to construct is not the individualistic, capitalist, materialistic, secular bogey of some accusations. There is much wrong with our society, but it is not broken; we have the capacity to make it good for everyone but we need to bring goodwill and common humanity to bear on achieving the common good.

I would like to close with thanking Gerald Gardiner for his letter (Mailbox, August 19) and Patrick Trigg for the spirit of his letter (Mailbox, August 14).

Allan Hayes, Chaplain to the Lord Mayor and president of Leicester Secular Society.