A NEW non-religious congregation that aims to celebrate life opens its doors in Southampton today.

The Sunday Assembly will hold its first gathering with the aim of inspiring people to “live better, help often, and wonder more”.

The congregation will meet at Southampton Solent University’s Conference Centre with the first assembly entitled Seizing the Day.

Cheryl Rickman will be the guest speaker, and other planned services will cover themes including creativity and wonder.

The Sunday Assembly was founded in London in January 2013 and has experienced a meteoric rise, with a whole new raft of assemblies launching across the world on the same day.

Organisers from the Southampton branch heard about the assembly on the news and on social media and contacted Sunday Assembly headquarters for help in setting up their own.

Event organisers say that the aim is for people to leave the sessions feeling energised, vitalised, refreshed and recharged, and that each session will be a “place of love and compassion”.

The assembly stresses that it does not know religion but celebrates the “privilege of being alive” and trying to “make the most of that short time”, welcoming people of all faiths to the sessions, but no God, gods or supernatural viewpoints will be promoted.

Southampton’s Sunday Assembly has been organised by a team including Adie Liddiard and Annie Smith, which will be working with the London-based organisation to get the gathering off the ground.

Adie said: “We have found our perfect venue smack bang in the centre of town, opposite The Art House, but are still looking for willing volunteers to help us on the launch day.”

Organisers aim to hold assemblies on the fourth Sunday of every month.

The first will take place in the Avon Suite, Southampton Solent University Conference Centre, Sir James Matthews Building, Above Bar Street, from 11am.