Quaker news 90 by Quakers in Britain

Quaker News C

An update on Quaker work in the care of Britain Yearly Meeting

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Working for a just peace in Palestine and Israel No. 90 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Autumn 2014

Contents Yearly Meeting statement on Palestine Relief Grants change lives Reaching out to find God in everyone Five Quakers who would not kill News in brief Your vision for our future

4 6 8–9 10 12–13 15

Cover: Palestinians search through the rubble of their destroyed homes hit by Israeli strikes in northern Gaza. Photo: Shareef Sarhan, UN Photo / Flickr CC BY-NC-ND

Editorial As I write this editorial, Quakers from across Britain have been returning to their home meetings filled to the brim with stories from our Yearly Meeting Gathering, which was held from 2–9 August at the University of Bath. Since 1668, Yearly Meeting has been the time when Friends come together to hear each other’s stories, tell the tales of how our meetings are faring, and nurture our sense of shared concern for the world around us. This edition of Quaker News seems to me to be a continuation of that: here we have the continuation of Quakers’ concern for equality in the marriage of same-sex couples (page 3); Yearly Meeting’s expression of concern for a just resolution in Israel and Palestine (page 4); and a briefing on the militarisation of British society (page 11). We hear the stories of Quakers living ordinary lives in extraordinary ways: the difficult choices facing young people in 1914 – to fight, or to refuse to kill (page 10); the activity of today’s Quakers working for peace, equality, justice and simple living, finding God in everyone, and how their stories can help us to welcome newcomers to Quaker meetings during Quaker Week (pages 8 and 9).

Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

We see how Quaker funding can transform projects at home and abroad, whether offering scholarships to street kids in Myanmar, or producing films to help train young agriculturists in Malawi (page 6). We should take care not only to tell our stories about the past – we have an opportunity to tell the story of Quakers in the future. The consultation on the long-term framework for Quakers in Britain (page 15) gives Quakers and meetings an opportunity to shape a shared vision for our community. I hope many will contribute to this, to ensure we can carry on telling our Quaker stories long into the future. Finally, there is a story which began with the great Quaker industrialists of the 19th century, and continues today with the work of the Hospitality Company at Friends House, London – the story of Quakers as conscientious, committed, ethical businesspeople. Peter Coltman tells us his story (page 16) both of dispensing the money left for work on Quaker concerns by chocolate magnate Joseph Rowntree, and of guiding the development of a successful Quaker business today. Paul Parker Recording Clerk

A magazine about work supported by Britain Yearly Meeting. Britain Yearly Meeting works on behalf of Quakers in Britain, supporting the Quaker faith and putting Quaker values to work in the world. It is a registered charity, number 1127633. Quakers try to live simply and sustainably, promoting peace, equality and truth. Putting faith into action is central to their way of life and they gather weekly for quiet worship, usually on a Sunday, in more than 475 locations across Britain. You are welcome to any Quaker meeting for worship. Find your local meeting, and more information about us, at www.quaker.org.uk.

Also available in large print Quaker News, Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ qn@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1019 Printed by Headley Brothers on paper from sustainably managed forests.

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We are but witnesses Anne van Staveren reports on the first marriages of samesex couples to be celebrated at Quaker meeting houses and gives an update on legislation.

When the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act became law in March, the process of drafting secondary legislation left those already in civil partnerships out of the celebrations. Quakers took up their case with government ministers. News that the conversion of civil partnerships to marriage would entail an appointment at a register office and not a marriage ceremony left Quaker couples outraged and disappointed. Following opposition, debates on draft government regulations were postponed until mid-October. Marriage equality may be in place in Scotland by the year end. Meanwhile, four same-sex couples have married in Quaker meeting houses since the act became law in England and Wales. On a glorious June morning, Mosedale Meeting House in Cumbria was full of “love and light”, reflected one guest at the marriage of Annie Foster and Val Halbert. Buttercups and catmint decorated the old stone building in the lee of Carrock Fell on their “blissful, perfect day”. Annie came to Quakers twelve years ago, “feeling I was accepted as a gay person.” Among those present was Tim Pickles. On 3 May Tim and Sittichai Pumpo (known as Aod) married in Keswick Meeting House. Theirs was the first marriage of a same-sex couple in a Quaker meeting house since the Marriage Act became law. Tim is an ordained minister for the One Spirit Foundation and Aod has a Buddhist practice. Tim commented: “Our faith practices are central to both our lives, and it was particularly important to us to make our declarations in the sacred

Presence of the loving Mystery of Life, as well as our many close friends as witnesses.” They attend Keswick Local Meeting. Tim and Aod exchanged rings in the garden, where a blessing was given using holy water brought from the Buddhist temple in Aod’s home village near Chiang Mai. Marion Turner and Karon Hawes married on 24 May at Wellingborough Meeting House. Marion wrote: “Declaring our love before God and the Universe, sharing our spiritual take on the world, was for me probably the most profound element of our wedding.” Martin Ellis Britten-Jones and Lee Britten-Jones married as Quaker News went to press. A Quaker marriage is a meeting for worship. The couple make legally binding declarations. All present sign a certificate to witness to the marriage. As Quaker meetings do not have clergy, each area meeting appoints registering officers, whose role is to ensure that marriages are prepared, celebrated, witnessed, reported to the state, and legally valid. Quakers understand that marriage is the Lord’s work and we are but witnesses. Follow Quaker support for same-sex marriage at www.quaker. org.uk/equal-marriage. Anne van Staveren is Media Relations Officer for Quakers in Britain. Contact: Anne van Staveren annev@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1048 www.quaker.org.uk/news

Top: Annie and Val (photo by Maggi Holiday); middle: Aod and Tim (photo by Penny Kay); bottom: Karon and Marion (photo by Jackie Eke).

Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

How we came to call for UK to recognise State of Palestine 4

Quakers in Britain have called on the UK government to recognise Palestine as a nation state and impose an arms embargo on all sides involved in the Gaza conflict. Helen Drewery reflects on the remarkable week that led us there. “We know that amazing things can happen when Quakers gather to worship and do business together. In the edge-of-your-seat silence of a Quaker meeting, we can hear what God and the world need of us.” So said Paul Parker, Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain, just before Yearly Meeting Gathering. As a record 2,000 Quakers travelled to Bath for the week-long event, many were in anguish about the renewed violence in Gaza. By Monday 4 August – two days into the gathering – that anguish had come to the surface, breaking repeatedly into other discussions. During sessions about the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, Friends learnt more about the situation in Palestine and efforts to end the occupation. This built on their existing understanding, gained from the deep consideration behind our 2011 decision to boycott goods from illegal Israeli settlements, and the ensuing dialogue with Jewish communities. On Tuesday a panel including an Israeli rabbi, a Palestinian diplomat and a retired British diplomat answered questions about ways forward. On Wednesday Friends called for a statement to be made and proposed what it should say. Many put notes into the suggestions box, asking the arrangements committee to find agenda time for this urgent matter. Quaker Peace & Social Witness had previously written to the Foreign Secretary and signed a statement from Nobel Peace Laureates, but it was by now clear that Quakers felt impelled by their testimonies to speak out corporately on the conflict. At a special meeting for worship Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

on Thursday evening a deep sense of loving concern developed for people caught up in war, especially those on all sides of the Israel– Palestine conflict. On Friday morning a draft statement was brought to the Yearly Meeting session. Comments were shared and changes requested, and by late afternoon the statement had been issued. The statement draws on our growing awareness of the militarisation of society, which is heightened today in both Britain and Israel: “The anniversary of World War I reminds us how easily militarised societies can slide into armed conflict and become blind to the alternatives to war. At such times, the international community has a responsibility to avoid fuelling the conflict. We join others in asking for a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and armed Palestinian groups.” The statement calls for our government to recognise Palestinian statehood, as 134 other states already have. The role Britain had in creating modern Israel and its closeness to US foreign policy give

Working for a just peace

Since 2003 Quaker Peace & Social Witness has run the UK and Ireland section of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) on behalf of churches and organisations in Britain and Ireland. EAPPI is an initiative of the World Council of Churches that aims to contribute to ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine and works for a just and sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. See www.quaker. org.uk/eappi.

it a particular voice on the subject. As the statement says, “we long for – and will work for – a time when the deep fear experienced on all sides is replaced by security and a just peace.” You can read the full statement at www.quaker.org.uk/news/ quakers-urge-recognition-palestine. Helen Drewery is General Secretary of Quaker Peace & Social Witness.

Palestinians search through the rubble of their destroyed homes hit by Israeli strikes in northern Gaza. Photo: Shareef Sarhan, UN Photo / Flickr CC BY-NC-ND

Can Quakers make Trident a general election issue? Jessica Metheringham and Timmon Wallis look at how the discussion around nuclear weapons is heating up and what Quakers can do to encourage debate.

In July 2014, an independent and cross-party commission set up to consider the future of Trident – Britain’s nuclear weapons system – said that it believed there was no credible alternative to the UK retaining nuclear weapons as a deterrent against threats from hostile nuclear-armed states. Quakers in Britain, along with many others, oppose nuclear weapons in general and the UK’s nuclear missiles mounted on Trident submarines in particular. We reject the notion that war is inevitable. We also reject the assumption that threatening millions of people with annihilation is an acceptable form of ‘defence’. Our religious understanding is that every life is sacred. The Trident Commission’s conclusions are disappointing. By choosing not to replace Trident, the UK could play a leading role in furthering nuclear disarmament worldwide at this time by modelling the behaviour we require of others. The UK is already legally obliged under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to negotiate the elimination of its nuclear weapons – both in good faith and at an early date. The Marshall Islands have taken a case to the International Court of Justice, arguing that the UK and other nuclear states are in breach of their treaty obligations for continuing to hold onto, and modernise, their nuclear arsenals. The vast majority of nation states across the world are ready now to ban nuclear weapons. In December Austria will host a conference on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. At least 150 countries are due to be there, and the UK needs to be one of them.

We are working with other peace campaigners, and particularly with the Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church, on how to ensure that representatives of our government attend. We are also working with peace organisations across Britain to ensure that the issue of Trident gets onto the political agenda for the forthcoming general election. As the political parties prepare for the election, which is due to take place on 7 May 2015, parliamentary candidates are talking to voters in their constituencies. Quakers can play an important role in encouraging discussion on nuclear weapons in the run-up to the vote: l

Firstly, you can write to your elected representatives about Trident. This could be an MP, an MEP, a Member of the Scottish Parliament or a Welsh Assembly Member. l Secondly, you could write to your elected representatives about the Conference on the Humanitarian Consequences

of Nuclear Weapons and ask them to insist that the UK government is represented. l Thirdly, you could contact your local parliamentary candidates and ask for their views on nuclear weapons. At election time those running for office notice what their constituents care about and follow debates in the letters pages of local papers or on community websites. You could also contact local radio stations. Whatever you do to encourage debate on this issue, please get in touch to tell us about it and the response that you had. Jessica Metheringham is Parliamentary Engagement Officer and Timmon Wallis is Interim Peace & Disarmament Programme Manager for Quakers in Britain. Contact: Jessica Metheringham jessicam@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1107 www.quaker.org.uk/ dont-replace-trident

Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

Relief Grants change lives – and you can help to secure one 6

Through the Relief Grants scheme, local Quakers can secure funding for specialist projects that make a real difference to people in need – whether at home or abroad. Helen Thomas reports on two of last year’s recipients. Scholarships 4 Street Kids (S4SK) runs non-formal education classes for children of scavenging and begging families in Myanmar (Burma). The families receive support payments to cover the reduced income of the child whilst attending, and the classes are followed by scholarships for vocational training centres and colleges. This work began from a concern of John McConnell, a member of Keighley Quaker Meeting, who encountered a destitute mother and her baby on his way to teach in Rangoon in 2007. John’s efforts to help introduced him to this community and led to the formation of S4SK, whose trustees are current or former Friends or attenders at Keighley Meeting. S4SK has established 14 classes teaching literacy, numeracy, lifeskills and handicrafts, with nine teachers serving 140 children. They have appointed an Education Development Officer, who has instituted a high-quality teacher

training system. Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) has supported this work through Relief Grants of £1,423 in 2013 and £2,500 in 2014. Purple Field Productions (PFP) makes low-cost educational and humanitarian films for use in the developing world. Their purpose is to increase awareness and understanding and to give people a voice – both through their own work and by providing training in filmmaking techniques to marginalised and underprivileged groups. In situations where a significant proportion of the population is illiterate, film is an effective way to communicate crucial messages and stimulate debate on issues such as health and welfare. This can sometimes save lives, help to combat stigma and enable people to improve their situation. In 2011 QPSW granted £4,000 towards the equipment and production costs of an agricultural education film in Malawi offering

About Relief Grants

QPSW Relief Grants are given to projects for the alleviation of suffering as a result of war, conflict, natural disasters and climate change, but not for immediate crisis relief. Up to £6,000 can be applied for by individual Quakers with the backing of at least one Quaker meeting. Application packs for 2015 grants are available between 1 October and 31 December 2014 at www.quaker.org.uk/ qpsw-relief-grants.

technical guidance to poor subsistence farmers in addressing common problems of declining crop yields, limited credit and capital, and acute shortages of energy and water. QPSW gave a second Relief Grant of £3,370 in 2013 to fund Mbeu Yosintha (Seeds of Change), a thoughtprovoking drama produced to inform rural communities about new methods of farming, the importance of forestry and alternative stoves. It incorporates themes of gender-based violence, female empowerment, traditional leadership and civic education. PFP is supported by West Somerset Area Meeting. Helen Thomas is Grants Officer for Quakers in Britain.

Children in Myanmar learn handicrafts through classes provided by Scholarships 4 Street Kids (S4SK). Photo: John McConnell

Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

Contact: Helen Thomas helent@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1117 www.quaker.org.uk/ qpsw-relief-grants

Re-imagining our work with children and young people 2014 has been an exciting year for our work with children and young people, with two new events taking place for the first time. Easter saw 40 young people aged 14–17 from across Britain sailing a tall ship on the Irish Sea (photos 1, 2 & 3), and in April our first Children and Families Day gave over 50 children and accompanying adults the chance to visit Friends House and learn about the work done centrally on behalf of all Quakers in Britain (photos 4 & 5). We also supported almost 300 children and young people to take part in Yearly Meeting Gathering in the summer, providing a wide range of activities for the different age groups (photos 6 & 7) and working with young people to produce Junior Yearly Meeting. This winter we are running a special day for re-imagining children and young people’s work. Re:Imagine will take place at Friends House, London, on 29 November. The day is for Friends in meetings, including young people, elders and overseers, who wish to explore how their meeting might develop new approaches to engagement with children, young people and families. Howard Nurden, head of the Children & Young People’s Staff Team, says: “We hope this day will question the current norms, providing a space for Friends to consider what they could do differently so that people leave the day with practical ideas that will make a difference.” The day will offer a mixture of plenary sessions and workshops, which will draw on resources that are already available. The day is free and includes refreshments and lunch. A crèche will be offered for children under five. Places are limited so booking in advance is essential. Please see www.quaker.org.uk/reimagine for full details and booking information. Bookings close on 10 November.

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6 Photo credits: 1, 3 – Quaker tall ship crew members 2, 4, 5, 6 – Ruth Charles 7 – Simon Best

7 Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

Reaching out to find God in everyone 8

As Quaker meetings get ready to focus on outreach this October, Anne van Staveren meets the extraordinary– ordinary Quakers who feature in this year’s Quaker Week poster set. Shortly after this issue of Quaker News goes to press, Quaker meetings up and down the country will be taking part in Quaker Week. The week (actually eight days, this year running from 4 to 12 October) is an annual opportunity for meetings to reach out to their local communities. The challenge for Quaker Week is to come up with imaginative ways to help people find Quakers – to welcome them and enable them to find out more. Quaker Week is not compulsory: meetings can take part or not as they feel led. Similarly, there is flexibility in the dates – some meetings run it a couple of weeks early or late to fit in with other local events. To support these local activities, we provide free posters and other resources, which follow the Quaker Week theme but can also be used throughout the year. The theme for Quaker Week 2014 is ‘Let your life speak’. Four posters featuring extraordinary–ordinary Quakers offer a glimpse of who Quakers are and how we strive to live our lives. The posters focus on finding God in everyone, living simply and working for peace, equality and justice. As a young child in Norway, going to Yearly Meeting was the highlight of the year for Kristin Skarsholt. There were few Quakers in Norway – only 150 – and the nearest meeting for worship was a 90-minute train ride away. At Yearly Meeting she listened to the adults, admiring them for what they did for peace with others around the world. Then as a teenager she joined the international Quaker Youth Pilgrimage and met European and Middle Eastern Friends. Studying

uality q e r o f g Workin od in everyone G Finding

in Britain, she joined Young Friends General Meeting and is now working in the Events & Committee Services Team at Friends House. She says: “The Quaker society is my training camp for developing greater love – for my life, for others’ lives, for the earth. Being Quaker in my life means feeling my way to love, connection or calmness. It’s not that God is ever further away, it’s just up to you to declutter what you’ve placed in front of God and rediscover that God’s right there.” Sean Hughes and Alistair Gault celebrated their relationship in a meeting for worship for commitment in 2006. Alistair is warden of Lancaster Meeting House, which is the collection point for the local food bank. He devotes time to offering companionship to the people who use the meeting house. Sean came to Quakers via the Catholic Church, spending his late-teenage years in a monastery, soaked in the more silent, mystical end of Catholicism. Later, through Buddhism, he spent time exploring the inner light that connects us all. He’s happy to talk about finding God in everyone, and the “light or spark that makes us all equal”. He has chosen work that reflects his beliefs, and is currently a research associate at Lancaster University, working on palliative end-of-life care. Lucy Vento features on a poster with husband Kevin and children Alex and Katie. She says: “I think my choice of career as a clinical psychologist was partially because the idea of helping others was important to me; really trying

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The four posters produced for Quaker Week 2014, featuring (top to bottom) Kristin Skarsholt; Sean Hughes (left) and Alistair Gault; Lucy Vento, with Kevin and children Alex and Katie; Tom Leimdorfer. Photos: John Angerson

to understand a person’s difficulty, based on their experiences, accepting, clarifying, curious – not judging, with an awareness that there is that of God in everyone. Within my therapeutic work I find, if needed, I can comfortably sit in silence with someone in distress.” At home they live simply, have solar panels, cycle, recycle, buy Fairtrade, and buy electricity from a renewable energy company. “We let the children know violence is not a good solution and try to help them learn to resolve conflicts peacefully,” says Lucy. “It is important to us that our children grow up within a Quaker family, learning what it means to be a Christian and a Quaker.” Tom Leimdorfer lost several members of his family in the Holocaust and came to England from Hungary as a teenage refugee in 1956. He has let his life speak for justice, which he defines as freedom from political and economic oppression and fairness towards the whole of creation. He joined Friends some years into his teaching career, became Head of Sidcot Quaker school and then worked for Quaker Peace & Service (QPS). Tom was a pioneer in the field of peace education. During his time at QPS, he initiated conflict-resolution work in the UK and in Central and Eastern Europe as well as supporting peace projects in the former Yugoslavia. Later, his concern for people with disabilities led him to work for Somerset County Council and Mencap. Tom is active in local politics as a long-serving Green Party councillor, and is clerk to his local meeting and area meeting. Tom’s book Once upon a conflict was recently republished by Quaker Books. Subtitled ‘A fairytale manual of conflict resolution’, it uses familiar stories to help

Quaker outreach film

A short film, launched during Quaker Week, will help Quakers reach new audiences. At less than two minutes long, it will hold people’s attention and inspire them to find out more. It will be available to watch online from 4 October at www. quaker.org.uk/rootedinstillness and on the Quakers in Britain Facebook page. Please help as many people as possible to see the film, both during Quaker Week and after, by sharing it by email and on Facebook and Twitter.

readers of all ages realise that conflict is not always a bad thing. He writes: “Conflict can release creative energy, lead to the birth of new ideas. It can bring people together in a joint enterprise to find a solution, even if they were on opposing sides. It can also be very destructive and violent.” Meeting the people in the posters, we can see how their witness in the world is rooted in their spiritual lives. Each of the posters features the line “Finding God in everyone”. Alistair Fuller, Head of Outreach Development, says: “This is the language in which Quakers have traditionally framed our understanding of human worth and potential. It has clarity and simplicity and reflects the language that each of the people in the posters feels comfortable using.” We hope that these posters will help you to reach out to others who might find their spiritual home with Quakers. However you chose to mark Quaker Week, please email outreach@quaker.org.uk to tell us what you did and how it went. Anne van Staveren is Media Relations Officer for Quakers in Britain.

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Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

Five Quakers who would not kill 10

Alick Beale introduces The white feather diaries – a media project that tells the stories of five people who resisted killing during World War I and challenges its audience to reflect on what they might have done 100 years ago. Standing up for what you believe takes courage. Imagine defying overwhelming public opinion, the views of those close to you, or the state. Would you be prepared to risk your livelihood, liberty – perhaps even your life – for your principles? The white feather diaries puts you in the shoes of some who did just that. The white feather diaries, whose title refers to the symbol of cowardice given in wartime to young men not in uniform, is an online storytelling project marking the centenary of World War I. It focuses on aspects of war that are in danger of being overlooked over the next four years: resistance to killing and relief of suffering. Launched during Yearly Meeting Gathering in August, the project follows five young pacifists who not only opposed the war, but whose bravery saved lives and helped bring about groundbreaking legislation recognising conscientious objection. Their stories, serialised in real time (albeit a century on), take readers from the outbreak of war in 1914 to the introduction of conscription in 1916. All five were, or became, Quakers. For one month each year in 2014, 2015 and 2016, a new diary entry will be posted every weekday and trailed on Twitter in the form of

Bert Brocklesby

John Hoare

Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

‘in-character’ tweets. The resulting blogs will chart the diarists’ moral dilemmas and often dangerous decisions as war unfolds, inviting readers to ask themselves what they would do and to share their thoughts and insights. The use of interactive media is key to the project. Social media is already helping Quakers reach new audiences – in this case younger people who, a century ago, might themselves have faced conscription. It allows us to share our heritage and values in an innovative way, introducing the rich Quaker archives to a new generation. We can use our history to raise awareness of current Quaker work and to engage the media and the public about the issues important to us today. The white feather diaries was researched and edited by Symon Hill, a pacifist Christian activist whose insight into contemporary peace issues was invaluable. He sifted through a wealth of diaries and letters to find passages that would resonate with those pursuing peace today. Using background material, Symon explores the content and context of each diary entry and draws parallels between war resistance then and now to get to the heart of the matter. So who are the five diarists? Bert Brocklesby, aged 25 in 1914, was

Hilda Clark

a teacher from Yorkshire. Though two of his brothers enlisted, he resisted conscription. John Hoare was an 18-year-old student from Derbyshire. On the eve of war he became a pacifist and undertook alternative service. Hilda Clark was a 33-year-old doctor from Somerset. She left general practice in London to become a relief worker in France with the Friends War Victims Relief Committee. Howard Marten, a 30-year-old bank clerk from London, had long been a committed pacifist. When war came he joined the Harrow branch of the No-Conscription Fellowship and later became its chairman. Laurence Cadbury, a Birmingham engineer, was 25 when war broke out. While his brother Bertie joined the navy, he served in the Friends Ambulance Unit. Catch up with their fascinating stories at www.whitefeatherdiaries. org.uk and follow the project on Twitter (@wfdiaries; #whitefeather) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/ wfdiaries). Alick Beale is Editorial Coordinator for Quakers in Britain. Contact: Jane Dawson janed@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1041 www.quaker.org.uk/WWI

Howard Marten

Laurence Cadbury

Quakers respond to the militarisation of British society Following on from our briefing about the militarisation of public life in Britain, Isabel Cartwright looks at how local Quakers are questioning unconditional support of the armed forces and promoting alternatives through peace education. “Thousands of people across the UK will be celebrating the men and women of our Armed Forces. Will Quakers in Britain not be joining in?” Jeremy Vine asked Marigold Bentley, of Quaker Peace & Social Witness, on BBC Radio 2. It was 27 June, the day before Britain’s sixth annual Armed Forces Day. “Quakers across Britain will be celebrating the UN International Day of Peace on 21 September,” Marigold replied. Quakers were invited to speak on Radio 2, and other stations, as a result of a press release on our briefing The new tide of militarisation. The briefing highlights the government’s militarisation strategy, which is affecting many aspects of Britain’s social, political and educational life, and exposes the deliberate conflation of support for military personnel with support for military intervention. Already in its second print run, The new tide of militarisation aims to get people talking as a starting point for action, and, as we are hearing through the Peace Education Cluster, Quakers across Britain are already taking action. Nottingham Quakers, responding to their city being the national host for Armed Forces Day last year, have initiated a ‘Week for Peace’. Taking place in and around the city from 21 to 28 September, the week will see a wide range of organisations running activities from workshops on nonviolence and mindfulness to discussions about military spending. “We hope to have church bells peeling, prisoners and school pupils creating a piece of related work and art installations across the city,” said Lynne Richardson,

of Nottingham Quakers. “The whole exercise is proving to be a wonderful experience... we are reaching out to the community… building bridges.” In Wrexham, Quakers were amongst those who protested at the local council’s sponsorship and funding of North Wales Armed Forces Day. The day featured military vehicles and weapons, all of which children could interact with. When the council was asked why it was reneging on its previous position of not allowing military machinery in public space, the local Armed Forces Champion stated that the event “has at its core the obligations of the Armed Forces Covenant”. This covenant sets out the relationship between the nation, the government and the armed forces, and represents a major shift towards the embedding of the military in civilian institutions. Quaker Peace & Social Witness continues to track, and challenge, this shift. We are working with filmmakers to expose the increasing role of the military in education, and have produced two new

Get involved

l Read The new tide of militarisation at www. quaker.org.uk/militarism. l Tell us about any action you are taking: email disarm@quaker.org.uk or phone 020 7663 1067. l Access our peace education resources online at www.quaker.org.uk/ education. l Join the Peace Education Cluster of the Quaker Life Network: www.quaker.org. uk/qln-clusters.

school resources – Conscience and Conviction – to help children think critically about militarism and the consequences of warfare (see p. 12). Please promote these resources to your local schools and see the box above for how else you can get involved. Isabel Cartwright is Peace Education Programme Manager for Quakers in Britain.

A child watches the Armed Forces Day national event in Plymouth. Photo: UK Ministry of Defence / Flickr CC BY-NC

Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

News in brief Work begins on Friends House garden project

Work has begun on redeveloping the garden at Friends House in London after planning permission was granted in June. The focus of the project is on providing step-free access to the building for people with mobility impairments and improving outreach by drawing more people into the Quaker Centre and restaurant. A new electrical substation will better meet the needs of the building. The garden will remain open to the public after the works and we hope that locals and visitors alike will continue to enjoy the space.

Focusing on Quaker advocacy in Scotland

From early next year a dualnation advocacy programme will help Quakers in Scotland to influence decision-makers in the Scottish political landscape. The programme will be a joint venture of General Meeting for Scotland and Britain Yearly Meeting. A part-time worker, based in Edinburgh, will draw on the knowledge and experience of the Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Group and of the Advocacy & Public Relationships Team based at Friends House in London. The combination of political and media skills will create a strong Scottish voice on matters important to Quakers. Recruitment for the post will start shortly.

Grants available for projects that do economics differently

Image: John McAslan + Partners

Project will help Quaker meetings to thrive

This autumn will see the launch of Being Friends Together, a learning project that will support Quaker meetings to develop spiritually and grow as communities. A joint initiative from Britain Yearly Meeting and Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, the project is based around easy-to-use online resources, complemented by optional support visits from experienced Friends. Some of the resources are free to look at, but to access the full range will cost £35 per meeting per year. To find out more about Being Friends Together, please email together@quaker.org.uk or phone 020 7663 1143. Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

Quaker Peace & Social Witness Sustainability and New Economy Grants are now available for sustainability initiatives and projects that take a fresh approach to economics. The grants range from £100 to £2,000 each and the deadline for applications is 1 December 2014. For more information please visit www.quaker.org.uk/sustainabilitygrants or contact Maya Williams on 020 7663 1056.

Put yourself forward for Quaker service

A new Quaker Service Information form was launched at Yearly Meeting Gathering in Bath this August. The form – which replaces the one known colloquially to many Quakers as ‘the yellow form’ – can be completed on paper or online, and makes it easy to express your willingness to serve on the groups and committees that govern national Quaker work. By sharing details of your skills and interests through the form, you help nominations committees to fill

roles in a way that is valuable and rewarding for all. Visit www.quaker.org.uk/service to find out more about how you can get involved with our Society at a national level.

New resources for peace education from QPSW

Quaker Peace & Social Witness has produced two new resources for peace education: Conscience (for primary schools) and Conviction (for secondary schools). Styled as World War I critical thinking projects, they aim to help students think differently about war. Conscience uses source material from 1914 to 1919 to engage children with the dilemmas faced by families in World War I, exploring their personal understanding of conscience and of right and wrong. Conviction uses first-hand accounts to help students think about the consequences of warfare and violence, learn about conscientious objection and consider the importance of peacebuilding. Both resources are available free online at www.quaker.org. uk/education. Printed copies are £5 each from the Quaker Centre Bookshop: quakercentre@quaker. org.uk; 020 7663 1030. For more information about peace education, contact Isabel Cartwright at isabelc@quaker.org. uk or telephone 020 7663 1087.

Quaker peace exhibition available to borrow

This light that pushes me, an exhibition that tells the personal stories of Quaker peacebuilders from nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is available for Quaker meetings to borrow. The exhibition, which was produced by Quaker Peace & Social Witness and launched in April, was shown at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in June. Co-chaired by William Hague, then Foreign Secretary, and Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, it was the largest gathering ever brought together on the subject. If you would like to borrow a copy of the exhibition to show at your meeting house or other local venue, please contact Laura Shipler Chico on 020 7663 1075 or at lauras@ quaker.org.uk. This light that pushes me is also available as a book from the Quaker Centre Bookshop or online at www.quaker.org.uk/shop.

Photo: Victor Ochen

New online catalogue for the Library at Friends House

The Library at Friends House has launched a new online catalogue of archive and library collections. Descriptions of many of the Society’s archival and manuscript collections are now available to search online for the first time. Adding archives and manuscripts means that users worldwide can find out about the Library’s unique holdings of official and unpublished papers of Quakers, dating from the 17th century onwards. You can find the new catalogue at www.quaker.org.uk/cat.

Short film celebrates Quaker work in 2013

Celebrating Quaker work looks at the work of Quakers in 2013, as seen through the eyes of Quakers from Northumbria Area Meeting. The 15-minute film was shown at Yearly Meeting Gathering in August and also features reflections on the joy of being a Quaker and what it means to be part of a Quaker community. Every local and area meeting in Britain has been sent a DVD copy and encouraged to watch the film as a group and explore their own connections to centrally managed Quaker work. Celebrating Quaker work can also be seen online, with optional subtitles, at www.quaker.org.uk/ celebrating2013.

Meeting for Sufferings on the road in 2014/2015

Meeting for Sufferings is the national representative body of Quakers in Britain. During 2014 and 2015 the clerks of Meeting for Sufferings are travelling all over Britain to strengthen links with local Quakers. They have already visited a wide range of meetings from Inverness in the Highlands to Horsham in the Weald of Sussex. Gatherings planned over the coming months include: 18 October – Machynlleth 1 November – Pendle Hill 22 November – Cardiff 21 March – Oxford 18 April – Bournemouth 25 April – Exeter 26 April – Bristol Please contact sufferings@quaker. org.uk for details of times and venues.

are taking action on, issues such as militarism, the arms trade, climate change, poverty, and housing. The focus will be on activism itself, not the issues concerned. The gathering is free to attend, but places are limited so booking is required. To book or to find out more, visit www.quaker.org.uk/activist-event or contact Ellis Brooks on 020 7663 1009 or at ellisb@quaker.org.uk by 30 September.

Chance for young Quakers to get involved at national level

Quakers aged 14–18 will explore the possibility of developing a version of Quaker faith & practice for young people as part of a participation day on Saturday 6 December. The day, which will run alongside the December Meeting for Sufferings, will also include a consultation about the new longterm framework, giving the young people a chance to contribute to a vision of how Quakers in Britain will work for the next five years. Richard Summers, General Secretary of Quaker Life, says: “We see this as an important opportunity for young people to develop a sense of involvement and connection with Quakerism and the wider Quaker community.” The day follows last year’s successful pilot, in which 40 young people took part in a consultation about the revision of Quaker faith & practice. Each area meeting is invited to send two young people to the day – please see http://bit. ly/YPPD2014 for details of the booking process and how the day will work. The closing date for bookings is 31 October.

Calling all Quaker activists

Do you consider yourself a Quaker activist? Quaker Peace & Social Witness is offering a one-day opportunity for those trying to live out our Quaker faith in the world. Come along on 15 November and be inspired to continue the work of turning the world towards peace, justice and the integrity of creation. This gathering is for Friends who feel fairly well-informed about, and

Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

Advice helps Quaker meetings disinvest from fossil fuel industry 14

Alison Prout reports on a new briefing for Quakers looking to shed their investments in fossil fuel extraction, and shares the stories of two Quaker groups that have already made the move to disinvest. Last year Quakers took a bold step towards ending fossil fuel dependency by becoming the first UK church to publicly disinvest from companies engaged in extracting fossil fuels. This move has been influential for the growing disinvestment movement, adding momentum to campaigns such as Operation Noah’s ‘Bright Now’, which calls on all UK churches to disinvest from fossil fuels. Quakers in Britain are corporately committed to becoming a low-carbon, sustainable community. Though centrally held funds will never again be invested in fossil fuel extraction companies, and existing investments have been sold, individual Quakers, area meetings and other Quaker bodies are still grappling with the question of disinvestment. To help find a way forward, Quaker Peace & Social Witness has produced a short briefing paper exploring the issue of disinvestment from fossil fuels and addressing common questions and concerns. The briefing, available at www.quaker.org.uk/disinvest-fossilfuels, covers the background to the disinvestment of central funds, the difference disinvestment can make, and various ways in which you can take action. The briefing also urges those who have already disinvested from fossil fuels to get in touch and share their stories. We’ve already heard from Manchester & Warrington Area Meeting, who maintain sizeable reserves for future major repairs to meeting houses. For many years their exposure to fossil fuel production has been minimal, with BP stocks sold in 2006. However, Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

one smaller oil stock and British Gas remained. In 2011, the former was singled out at the annual ethical review of holdings and eventually sold. Attention turned to British Gas in 2012 and these shares were sold earlier this year. “What was noticeable about this process,” says Jonathan Dale, “was the way in which the area meeting and trustees were readily united. Trustees, rightly, asked for the advice of their ethical advisers and stockbrokers, who put the case for retention in prudential terms. At the 2012 annual ethical review, these were taken seriously but found to be insufficient to weigh against Quaker testimonies and our commitment to become a low-carbon, sustainable community.” The North East Thames Quaker Trust, which provides income for the relief of financial hardship, also took the decision to disinvest. Trustees were concerned about their investments in BP and Shell because of Canadian tar sand extraction (BP) and Niger Delta human rights issues (Shell), as well as climate change – though these investments usually brought high financial returns. The trustees first wrote to Shell and BP expressing their concerns. After receiving an unsatisfactory response from BP and nothing at all from Shell, they discussed with their investment manager the financial implications of divestment. They checked with the Charity Commission about the responsibility of trustees when they are potentially reducing the level of investment income that could be achieved. “The trustees reflected that

we still all use oil products and would continue to do so,” says Debbie Taylor, “were we being hypocritical?” Eventually they sold their BP and Shell investments and after long discussion reinvested in Triodos Renewables. The whole process took about two years, and currently their overall investment returns remain satisfactory. If you have a disinvestment story to share, please do get in touch (contact details below). If you are just starting your disinvestment journey, do make use of our briefing paper, and let us know how it goes. Alison is Your Faith, Your Finance Programme Manager for Quakers in Britain. Contact: Alison Prout alisonp@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1035 www.quaker.org.uk/ your-faith-your-finance

Do you have a vision for the future of Quakers in Britain? Contribute to Quaker work

Serve on a Quaker committee: phone 020 7663 1121, email nominations@quaker.org.uk or visit www.quaker.org.uk/ quaker-service. Make a donation or leave a gift in your will: phone Rosie Carnall on 020 7663 1066, email rosiec@quaker.org.uk or visit www.quaker.org.uk/donate.

All Quakers in Britain have been invited to take part in a process that will set the priorities for our work over the next five years. Could your meeting help design a shared vision for our yearly meeting? Meeting for Sufferings (MfS) – our national representative body – has a visionary and prophetic role for Quakers in Britain. Amongst other things, it decides priorities and sets the direction of the yearly meeting through a document known as the long-term framework. As our current framework reaches its end this year, MfS has set up a Long Term Framework Group to draw up a new framework for 2015–20. This document will describe what Quakers in Britain will be concentrating on during the next five to ten years. Its purpose is to encourage more Friends to work on shared concerns and to speak in unity to the world. It should be a guide for your local meeting as well as for our central structures. “We want to start the process of drafting the new framework by hearing how the leadings and activities of Quakers from all parts of Britain can contribute to fulfilling our shared aspirations,” says Ethel Livermore, who is clerk to Meeting

for Sufferings and a member of the Long Term Framework Group. The group has written to all area and local meetings, and also to Quaker groups, asking them to consider four questions: l

What is distinctive about Quaker work and witness, to us and to others? l What is your vision of the ministry that your local meeting and Quakers in Britain are called to, now and in the future? l What are we led to do together? l How could Quaker structures and networks help Quakers in Britain to flourish?

“We hope you will approach this adventurously, exploring the questions in an inclusive and all-age friendly way,” says Ethel. “We are hoping for discerned, spirit-led input from the grass roots of Quakers, of all ages, throughout Britain. We’ll welcome visual or written contributions.” The deadline for responses is 31 January 2015. For more information, talk to your clerk, or go to www.quaker.org.uk/way-ahead.

Subscribe to Quaker News

Subscribe to Quaker News by email, access electronic back issues or read online at www.quaker.org.uk/qn. Subscribe to Quaker News by post, make changes to your subscription or request paper back issues by contacting Andrew McVicar on 020 7663 1119 or at qn@quaker.org.uk.

Connect with Quakers in Britain

Phone us on 020 7663 1000, email enquiries@quaker.org.uk or write to Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ. Enter your postcode at www.quaker.org.uk/fam to search for a Quaker meeting near you. Find us on Facebook and Twitter: follow the links at www.quaker.org.uk/sm or search for ‘Quakers in Britain’.

Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

Quakers: committed to caring for peace and planet 16

Meet Peter Coltman

Quakers share a way of life, not a set of beliefs. Their unity is based on shared understanding and a shared practice of silent worship, where they seek a communal stillness. Quakers seek to experience God directly, within themselves and in their relationships with others and the world around them. They meet together for worship in local meetings, which are open to all who wish to attend. Quakers try to live with honesty and integrity. This means speaking truth to all, including people in positions of power. The Quaker commitment to peace arises from the conviction that love is at the heart of existence and that all human beings are unique and equal. This leads Quakers to put their faith into action by working locally and globally to change the systems that cause injustice and violent conflict. Quakers try to live simply. They are concerned about the excesses and unfairness of our consumer society and the unsustainable use of natural resources. To find out more about the Quaker way visit www.quaker.org. uk or request a free information pack using the form below.

Request a free information pack: Name Address

Postcode Email Please send completed form to: Quaker Outreach (QN) FREEPOST QUAKERS FREEPHONE: 0808 109 1651 E: outreach@quaker.org.uk Quaker News 90 – Autumn 2014

Peter Coltman is a member of Leeds Area Meeting. He is clerk to the board of Friends House (Hospitality) Ltd, which generates income for Quakers in Britain through its conferencing and catering services, and which Peter sees as a major opportunity for Quaker outreach. I was raised a Congregationalist but, seduced at college by the glories of Anglican church music and later influenced by Gerard Hughes – twice sacked from his job as Catholic chaplain at Glasgow University – I flitted from denomination to denomination until, in my thirties, I came to the Quakers. This was my first real commitment and it was quickly tested by Quaker ‘jobs’. All Quakers are given jobs – if they don’t get done, the Society will collapse – and I thought that if I could do routine administrative stuff, it would free the Society’s visionaries to get on with the real work. So I dutifully did my share: treasurer jobs, clerking jobs, service on local and national committees. But duty, without enthusiasm, can lead to a hardening of the ‘oughteries’, so I am lucky also to be given a couple of jobs which I love. About a decade ago, I became a trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, which was set up in 1904 to tackle the root causes of social evils. We distribute about £6m a year to work that promotes peace, equality, sustainability and social justice. It takes a lot of time

but the rewards are substantial: I have met some truly remarkable people doing amazing work. The second job came as a surprise: I found myself clerking the board of directors of the Hospitality Company. This was set up to fund the work of Britain Yearly Meeting by letting rooms but I soon realised that, more importantly, it is the major form of outreach to non-Quakers who come to Friends House – some 200,000 last year. We need to demonstrate our Quakerism to these people through the quality of service that they receive and in the way in which the company is run. This is serious work, central to the mission of the Society: we have come a long way in seven years but we still have a long way to go. Next year, we take on the management of Swarthmoor Hall: another exciting challenge. I hope we can live up to the Light so that more may be granted us... If you would be interested in serving on a national Quaker committee, please phone 020 7663 1121, email nominations@ quaker.org.uk or visit www.quaker.org.uk/service.