Herrick is a trustee of the Rationalist Association and was editor of its journal New Humanist for 18 years from 1984. He subsequently became literary editor of New Humanist until his retirement in 2005. He was the recipient of the second International Rationalist Award in the year 2002 . He was editor of International Humanist News, published by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU). In 1996 he received the Distinguished Humanist Service Award from the IHEU. He was a signatory to Humanist Manifesto II.