Following on from my whitterings the other day about the religioius question (the national identity question being an easy selection), I wrote this for The Druid Network the other day:
The 2021 Census
The 2021 Census takes place in England and Wales on Sunday 21st March, managed by the Office of National Statistics. (The Census in Scotland is being moved to 2022 and the Census in Northern Ireland is managed by the NISRA.)
Prior to the 2011 census there was a drive to promote putting pagan-[pathname], known as “pagan dash”. After that census the available data was analysed and indicated numbers for pagans and Druids and other faiths. This year some pagan organisations have promoted simply putting pagan, to get as large a return as possible for this umbrella faith group.
Pagans are in the minority in England and Wales, and Druids are not only a smaller minority but also include people for whom Druidry is not a pagan path. The Druid Network is a pagan organisation, but has a wide range of individual members, each with their own practice. We support all our members as they walk their paths.
The trustees of The Druid Network would never seek to direct anyone as to how to complete their census (completion of which is required in law). Nevertheless, we feel strongly that as a recognised charitable faith group and a full member of the national interfaith community, Druidry should be counted.
We respect the drive to count as many pagans as possible, but we do not wish be to reduce the voice we have developed within the wider religious arena, and within government organisations. As such, The Druid Network affirms it is a Druid faith group.
Rosher.Net 
Leave a Reply