1 April 2011 £1.70 the discover the contemporaryFriend quaker way
The power of water the Friend independent quaker Journalism since 1843
CoNTENTS VoL 169 No 13 3 March for the Alternative 4 Letter on Libya 5 Roused to action? Gethin Evans 6-7 Swimming against the tide Ben Jarman 8-9 Letters 10-11 Water power rises Raymond Mgadzah 12-13 Rowntree visionaries: Heather Park and Mark Hinton Rosemary Hartill 14 Drawing on silence Stephen Yeo 15 In praise of silence Evelyn Woodcock 16 Q-eye 17 Friends & Meetings
Cover image: Images this page: Water power. Taken at the March for the Alternative, 26 March 2011. Photo: Irargerich/flickr CC. Top photo: Madcowk/flickr CC. See pages 10-11. Bottom photo: Turloughmor/flickr CC. See page 3.
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2 the Friend, 1 April 2011 News March for the Alternative Photo: Geoffrey Braithwaite. Photo: Geoffrey Gathering for Meeting for Worship outside Westminster Meeting House.
Several hundred Quakers from around Britain Anglican church. A sermon was delivered by Jesuit joined the ‘March for the Alternative’ on Saturday, priest Juan Hernandez Pico, who has nonviolently campaigning against the government’s cuts. A number resisted dictatorship in Latin America. He urged his of Friends also participated in nonviolent direct action listeners to ‘dislodge the gods of power and money’. later in the day. While the majority of demonstrators obeyed the Around a hundred people attended a Meeting law, there were Quakers among those who used direct for Worship outside Westminster Meeting House action to draw attention to corporate tax avoidance. before joining the march to Hyde Park organised by The network UK Uncut insist that all their action is the Trades Union Congress (TUC). There were also nonviolent and they strongly condemned the small Friends elsewhere on the demonstration, including in number of people who attacked police officers. groups of Christians, arts workers, health workers and Parts of the press have been criticised for focusing ‘queer anarchists’. on violence and conflating violence with lawbreaking. ‘I was very proud to march with Quakers,’ said Geoffrey Braithwaite of St Albans Meeting told the children’s author Sally Nicholls, who belongs to Oxford Friend he felt that much of the media were ‘merely Meeting. She told the Friend, ‘There were a lot more seizing on the sensational and ignoring the people’s Quakers there than I was expecting.’ vital message to government’. Sally Nicholls insisted that ‘the cuts are affecting the Chris Wood, a Quaker supporter of UK Uncut, said poorest and most vulnerable in our society’. She said that his nonviolent direct action is inspired by Jesus’ that many such people are themselves campaigning protest in the Jerusalem Temple. against the cuts, but ‘they need other people to speak ‘Jesus was compelled to challenge the injustice of the with them’. She added: ‘As religious people – as human temple system which exploited pilgrims with excessive beings really – we have a responsibility to speak up’. interest and prices,’ he explained. ‘Today, the reckless Not all Friends are convinced. Simon Beard of speculation and lending by powerful banks has Littlehampton Meeting told the Friend that he is resulted in a devastating impact on our society’. opposed to certain individual cuts, such as those to Faith groups backing the march said that last week’s social housing, but that ‘cuts in public spending are a budget had only fuelled their concerns. Church Action regrettable necessity’. on Poverty (CAP) pointed out that the chancellor of He added: ‘Quakers should recognise that fiscal the exchequer, George Osborne, ‘did not make a single responsibility is in line with our commitment to mention of people in poverty, or of the huge cuts integrity and simplicity, even whilst we continue which are about to affect the benefits system’ when standing up for equality’. he delivered the budget speech. CAP insisted that ‘the Other faith-based events at the demonstration government has not kept its promise to protect the included an ecumenical Christian service which poorest and most vulnerable’. drew around 400 people to St Martin’s-in-the-Fields Symon Hill
the Friend, 1 April 2011 3 News [email protected] Letter on Libya
Representatives of Britain’s Quakers have written to sharing with anti-Gaddafi movements and working the prime minister to express disagreement with his with nearby countries to prevent the flow of non- decision to bomb Libya. Libyan mercenaries to Gaddafi’s forces. In a letter to David Cameron, they reaffirmed BYM accused the UK government of ‘increasing Quaker pacifism by declaring that war is ‘intrinsically instability in the world, particularly through the very wrong’. The letter was signed by Gwen Schaffer, clerk substantial support it provides for the arms trade’. of Quaker Peace & Social Witness, on behalf of Britain The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has Yearly Meeting (BYM) of the Religious Society of pointed out that the UK was licensing arms sales to Friends. Gaddafi less than six months ago. The government The letter offered respect to those who disagree, continues to allow arms sales to other countries in before giving a warning from history. the region. CAAT has drawn attention to the Saudi ‘We have however seen, over and over again, the forces in Bahrain, who are suppressing protests with arguments used that “we must do something” and that armoured vehicles made by BAE Systems in Newcastle. this time what is planned will be brief and clinical. But BYM’s letter concluded by saying that British the truth is so often very different – violence tends to Quakers will be praying for ‘those in positions of escalate, and it is much harder to end a war than to responsibility at this crucial time’. start it.’ The bombing has also been criticised by the Peace House Coventry Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and the Stop the War Coalition. An attender at Coventry Meeting is prepared to go The Christian thinktank Ekklesia pointed out to prison for refusing to complete the census. that the recent resistance to tyranny across north Penny Walker, who lives and works at Coventry Africa and the Middle East has been characterised Peace House, is one of a number of people by ‘indigenous, grassroots movements’. They argued boycotting the census because it is administered by that ‘the ability of these movements to operate Lockheed Martin, a US-based multinational arms democratically will be undermined by US and UK company. military action, in which the priorities will be based While the maximum penalty for non-completion on western governments’ interests.’ is a fine, Penny Walker would refuse to pay this, Other religious groups to voice objections include possibly triggering a term in jail. the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, who insisted She helped draw national attention to the issue that ‘non-military methods have not been utterly when she publicly burnt her census form last week. exhausted’. Options suggested by various peace ‘A country which claims to respect human rights campaigners and commentators include economic and cannot engage arms manufacturers to carry out its political pressure, financial assistance and intelligence- civil duties,’ she insisted. Hot air rises Hot air is helping to produce ground coffee in the A new coffee grinder, recently installed at vast Friend editorial offices in London. expense in the Friend editorial offices, is being An innovative ‘green energy’ project, developed powered exclusively by hot air produced by the by the engineering department of University College ‘whoosh’ of passing underground trains. The Friend London (UCL), is harnessing hot air produced by trains assures readers that all coffee beans will be Fairtrade. on the underground passing below Friends House. ‘The underground is a great source of cheap energy,’ The new ‘thermo-generator’ is based on a unique, said Professor Addio. ‘We also hope to install a thermo- rotary piston concept. ‘It is at the forefront of new generator at a location on the banks of the Thames. developments in air-technology,’ said Professor ‘Prodigious amounts of excess hot air are being E I Addio of UCL. ‘For the first time in history this produced in a chamber at Westminister. The resource technology has given us the ability to harness excess is completely untapped, utterly constant, absolutely hot air to create clean, renewable, energy.’ predictable and almost limitless in supply.’
4 the Friend, 1 April 2011 Report Roused to action?
Gethin Evans wonders if Friends in Wales are ready to rouse themselves for action
George Fox and his companions came to Brecon, or (eighteen to thirty-four) had less appreciation and Brecknock, as it was then called, in 1657. This was understanding of Quakers, and that demographically his first time in Wales. He met John ap John there, this was bound to impact on our future and continued the ‘apostle of Welsh Quakerism,’ who ministered in existence as a Society. Exposure is important, but the streets and ‘caused an uproar.’ Local magistrates the way that this is now done is different, more took against the Quakers and a noisy multitude of sophisticated, and technologically savvy. opponents gathered with, apparently, ‘an intent to The challenge of outreach has been creatively have murdered us.’ Fox never revisited the town explored by Quaker Quest and Alan drew on this and Breconshire never proved to be a county where experience. For smaller Meetings their approach has to Friends made any real headway, although Wales Yearly be modified and different solutions found, perhaps at Meeting, which met continuously from 1682 to 1796, an Area Meeting level. Later business highlighted the was on occasion to meet there during its lifetime: importance of bilingualism in Wales and Friends need that Yearly Meeting was subordinate to the London to be sensitive to its demands, something to which, gathering but had oversight of the Society in Wales, until recently, our Yearly Meeting has been slow to much like the current Meeting of Friends in Wales. respond. The visit of Friends in Wales to Brecon in February In the Victorian era the concern of Friends was gathered no such hostile multitude but its main for the ‘decaying’ Meetings. As we see Meeting focus of discussion was the question of outreach. The houses close, especially in rural areas and smaller inevitable business was concluded satisfactorily and towns, and as Friends become ever more urbanised the Meeting finishing with a creative flourish where and suburbanised, the challenge of our continuing some, but not all, after an enlightened demonstration, existence as a widely spread organisation remains. To enthusiastically used paper, wool, cloth and twig to focus on stark statistics may not, however, be helpful. translate their spiritual essence and inner gifts into In Victorian Wales the headcount of nonconformists creative representations. I suspect Fox would have versus Anglicans proved to be a political and cultural been perplexed by the dolls! stimulant which aroused argument, debate and The focus on outreach came through a stimulating growth, and perhaps the statistics are a useful tool for and challenging analysis by Alan Thomas of Swansea us to focus on. Meeting of some recent market research and how I doubt we have the spirit, the capacity, or the we might respond to its findings. The research, audacity to do it the way of Fox and his early commissioned by the Quaker Quest Network, was companions, arousing people to their ‘condition’. We conducted with a sample of 1000 people on their would today, I suspect, get so bogged down in our understanding of and the relevance of Quakers to understanding of this as to immobilise ourselves. them today. If the two per cent of the sample who So how, what, Friends, shall we do? Can we become felt that the Quakers were relevant to their lives was ‘evangelists’ again, spreading our ‘good news,’ but that translated into real figures this would indicate that in probably would be a step too far for most – but then Wales there were some 20,000 to whom we should be what is outreach or ‘Quaker Quest’ but that? reaching out. The question was how and the Meeting focused on this in the inevitable groups. Alan rightly Gethin Evans is a member of Cyfarfod Rhanbarth highlighted the problem that the younger age group Canolbarth Cymru/Mid-Wales Area Meeting.
the Friend, 1 April 2011 5 Criminal justice Swimming against the tide
Ben Jarman reports on the Quakers in Criminal Justice conference
An overwhelming body of research has shown that from QUNO, QCEA, Quaker Service in Ireland, and many British prisons are close to breaking point. various Area Meetings within BYM. Politicians eager for votes have postured to be tougher Some speakers and sessions focused on ways to on crime, and rapidly filling prisons have struggled to mitigate the harm done by imprisonment. Simon cope with an imprisonment rate that already exceeds Armson, a psychotherapist at the Broadmoor secure that of most countries in Europe. The rehabilitative hospital, former Samaritan and current ministerial function of prisons has come under strain, and advisor on deaths in custody, outlined shocking reoffending rates remain unacceptably high, especially statistics on the prevalence of mental illnesses among among the increasing proportion of prisoners serving prisoners, as well as on the extent of deaths in state short sentences for comparatively minor offences. As custody – on average, 681 a year between 1999 and Quakers we have long been aware of these issues and 2008 (including suicides in prisons and elsewhere the importance of justice for all. In this context, the under the Mental Health Act). His presentation made Ministry of Justice’s recent Green Paper on sentencing, a powerful case to extend greater support and more Breaking the Cycle, offers grounds for hope; although effective listening services in prisons. Meanwhile, prompted in part by the need to cut budgets, it does Kevin Armstrong, chair of the Community Chaplaincy offer solutions that may wean a sick system from its Association (CCA), spoke of the efforts of this addiction to punishment. The Green Paper, backed by network of mainly grassroots, voluntary organisations Kenneth Clarke, has sparked intense dissent among to mentor released prisoners in the weeks immediately sections of the Tory party and the media. before and after their release. Members of the CCA In this context, the Quakers in Criminal Justice aim to mobilise support for released prisoners, 2011 conference, held at Woodbrooke in late February, especially among faith groups, and Kevin’s account of made ‘Swimming Against the Tide’ its theme. More his work with Hindu and Muslim groups in Leicester than forty Friends with links to the criminal justice was a powerful rebuttal of David Cameron’s recent system gathered to hear from practitioners in the attack on the ability of different cultures to practise field and ponder what it means to hold and practise the same ‘British’ values while retaining their cultural Quaker values in a system so heavily concentrated distinctiveness. on punishment. The attendees included numerous The harm done by our current system is not Quaker prison chaplains and prison visitors, two confined to offenders, however. Peter Wallis’s former prison governors, a retired chief constable, concerns about the effects of crime on young people magistrates, ex-prisoners, members of QPSW’s Crime in Oxfordshire led him to create SAFE, a charity and Community Justice Group plus representatives offering counselling and support to young crime
6 the Friend, 1 April 2011 victims. Young people are more likely to be victims with young men, mostly in their late teens, who of crime, and less likely to report it to the police; they have been involved in perpetrating sexual harm. can also lack the personal resilience and resources Glebe House is run as a therapeutic community. The to come to terms with difficult experiences, and are decisions and conflicts that come with living with more likely than adults to suffer from post-traumatic others are explored as subjects of discussion in three stress symptoms as a result of their experiences. Peter daily meetings. These involve all members of the explained that the charity Victim Support does not see community, and are chaired by residents who learn to working with young people as its core work, and so take greater responsibility for themselves and others he has pioneered workshops that assist young victims after what have often been very difficult upbringings. of crime to identify and develop the resources that Peter explained that the aim of the community is to will, in the future, help them to feel secure and able help the residents understand what is unacceptable to manage the risks entailed in daily life. Peter’s work behaviour, and what in their own personalities and with SAFE is in its early stages and funding is tight. backgrounds may make it possible. By a carefully Friends would do well to look up the work of SAFE managed series of steps, they are then helped back and perhaps consider ways in which they could help into a normal life outside Glebe House. The aim is for this project establish firm roots. them to be able to understand and manage the risk Research indicates that crime victims (especially they pose to others; this allows probation and other those affected by serious crime) often feel dissatisfied monitoring agencies to focus on supporting rather with a justice system in which they find neither than merely controlling them. opportunities to express the harm done to them by a Peter’s presentation about Glebe House’s work crime, nor the influence over how that harm should was a reminder that punitive justice does not make be put right. The conference included a variety of enough demands on offenders, particularly in not workshops. Marian Liebmann led hers on the topic treating them as responsible adults who must confront of Restorative Justice (RJ). There are a variety of the consequences of their actions. Tim Newell, who methods and definitions in existence, but typically RJ concluded the weekend’s conference, is well known interventions seek to bring those affected by a crime to Quakers through his 2000 Swarthmore Lecture, together to agree an account of the harm that it has Forgiving Justice, and his work as a prison governor done and what the perpetrator may do to try and and, more recently, with those who have been put the harm right. Research indicates that RJ leads bereaved by homicide. Tim presented a challenging to greater victim satisfaction, and can have powerful outline of what he believes are the five tenets of effects on the perpetrator by bringing into sharp injustice in society: elitism, exclusion, prejudice, greed, focus the consequences of his or her actions. Marian and despair at the possibility of solutions. He argued detailed the RJ schemes currently in operation in the that defeating injustice comes in admitting our despair UK, and focused on the opportunities presented by at the current system and then acknowledging that the Green Paper, which contains some very positive only a change in attitudes makes different solutions measures but in some senses may be seen not to go possible. In reference to criminal justice, he called for far enough. Marian was clear that for restorative an end to punitive justice, which infantilises offenders principles to achieve their full potential, they must and does not ask enough of them in terms of taking suffuse all aspects of the justice system from top to responsibility and putting right the harm they have bottom, and careful thought needs to be put into how done, and instead isolates them from society with to promote them. For example, Northern Ireland rehabilitation left to chance. Tim’s holistic theory has developed a youth justice system based around of justice presents great challenges to the current restorative principles, and takes great care to publicise system, but also makes a strong case for the unique and promote the benefits of mediation, achieving contribution that Quaker ideas can make in reforming higher rates of victim participation than elsewhere. a system that manifestly does not work. The system has been very successful both in reducing At the end of the conference, Friends reflected on youth offending and in achieving high rates of victim their hopes and concerns in the current situation. In satisfaction. the immediate future, we hope that the significant The wider application of restorative principles was positive steps presented in the Green Paper are not the subject of the opening and closing sessions of defeated by dissent within the government on the the conference. Peter Clarke, the director of Glebe specious grounds that retributive punishment is ‘what House, spoke at the conference’s opening session on the people want’. how running an entire institution along restorative lines could achieve dramatic results. Glebe House, Ben Jarman works as a programme assistant at the in Cambridgeshire, works for two years or more Quaker Council for European Affairs.
the Friend, 1 April 2011 7 Letters All views expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Friend
Supporting both sides and confronted the obstetric lobby with great courage. Friends’ role in regard to Israel/Palestine should Much of her data came from the census. Her work surely be as peacemakers. If we are to be accepted as may have saved infants’ lives and certainly contributed peacemakers we must not only be even handed, but we to the movement that has given women more choice must be seen by both sides as such. about where and how they give birth. No one doubts that the Israeli government has, I too work with statistics and know the value of and deploys, disproportionate power. We utterly good quality data. The government may not be using deplore and are horrified by many of its actions. the data in the way we would like, but by arranging for Nevertheless, we must recognise the effect of Israelis’ the collection and publication of good quality data it is experience of being surrounded by nations that have providing a great service to the community. long proclaimed, in the strongest and most violent Eleanor Tew terms, their hostility to the very existence of the Jewish West Somerset Area Meeting state. And this is in the centuries-long context of anti- Semitic persecution. The ageism that bedevils However reasonable its intention, and however May I correct Mary Brown’s statement in her article clearly a boycott might be labelled as aimed only at urging older Friends to live actively and adventurously. West Bank products, it will be perceived as hostile to (25 March). The WI (Women’s Institute) does not Israel. The press and public opinion simply do not ‘by law have to accept men’. Yes, according to the make these fine distinctions. Our primary aim to be Employment Act, men have to be considered as peacemakers requires that we ensure, so far as possible, employees and can and do work in federation and that we are not just open-minded, but perceived as national offices. However, as an educational charity, such. In pursuing that aim a boycott would not just be whose constitution states that the WI is ‘an association ineffective, it would be counter-productive. of women’, UK charity law exempts us from accepting Philip Hills men as members. My information, as a past federation 4A Gordon Road, Claygate KT10 0PQ chairman, can be verified through our national office. Dorothy Douse Concerning Israel and Palestine, perhaps Friends Folkestone LM should consider the Balfour Declaration drafted during the first world war by David Lloyd George The Quaker Letter about Libya under pressure from Chaim Weizmann. I believe that the open letter sent to the Prime Minister ‘Her Majesty’s government view with favour the about Libya by Britain Yearly Meeting (see page 4) is establishment in Palestine of a national home for the lacking in integrity and should not have been sent. It Jewish people and will use their best endeavours to makes no mention of the likely huge loss of lives and facilitate the achievement of this objective. It being livelihoods had Gaddafi’s forces battered their way into clearly understood that nothing shall be done which Benghazi. Had the letter said that that such a loss was may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing preferable to using military intervention to prevent it, non Jewish communities in Palestine or the origins and the letter would then have had integrity. Quakers can political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.’ help to prevent a conflict from being violent and they Each Friend must make their own decisions as to have helped to relieve suffering caused by the violence what the present situation requires of them as they feel when it erupts. However, when a conflict becomes a guided. civil war, and our government with UN authorisation Sheila Preston helps militarily to protect the citizens of Benghazi, The Cottage, Stockdalewath, Dalston, Carlisle then I believe that Quakers should be prayerfully CA5 7DP silent. The letter affirms that people are not expendable: The census do we Quakers believe nevertheless that the citizens of I was dismayed when I heard that Lockheed Martin Benghazi were expendable? were involved in the census, and considered carefully Peter Jarman whether to boycott it. This is why I decided not to York Area Meeting do so. My mother, Marjorie Tew, was a (largely self- taught) medical statistician working on maternal and infant mortality. In her book, Safer Childbirth?, she Apology: put forward strong statistical evidence against the Last week Diana Brockbank’s letter had a paragraph prevailing medical opinion that home birth could from Michael Wright’s letter at its beginning. We never be safer than hospital birth. She made enemies apologise to both Michael and Diana for the error.
8 the Friend, 1 April 2011 [email protected]
Libya meltdown of seventy per cent of its fuel rods. Reactor I wanted Friends around the world to be aware of this 2 is reported to have various damage but currently minute approved in our Monthly Meeting for Business to be shut down. Reactor 3 – see above. Reactor 4 is on 27 March 2011: reported to have suffered various damage but also to ‘The Moscow Meeting of Friends (Quakers) is have been shut down. The spent fuel rod pools are following the development of the civil war in Libya exposed and leaking radiation and generating around with great concern. seven megawatts of heat. Reactors 5 and 6 are reported ‘Unfortunately, the intervention of Western to be shut down but may also be damaged. powers in the course of the hostilities has led to Instrumentation at all reactors is reported not to be an ever-increasing number of civilian casualties in working. Partial lighting at some of the reactors has Tripolitania, the part of Libya that is under the control been partially restored. of the Gaddafi government. Civilians have become Julian Stargardt victims of the bombing, shelling, and cruise missile Hong Kong Meeting strikes imposed by those who have undertaken to “restore order” in Libya. Such actions lead to the Humanism delegitimisation of international law and threaten to I recently spent a good weekend in a Brighton spread chaos in the entire Middle East region. hotel as a guest of the Gay and Lesbian Humanist ‘Moscow Quakers call on all parties involved in the Association (GALHA) because my partner, Ted, had conflict to cease hostilities immediately and begin been invited to give a talk at their AGM. As I was peace talks without preconditions. Moscow Quakers writing something to a deadline that weekend I did pray for peace. We believe that every human being is a not get very involved with their discussions, but there child of God and bears a spark of Divine Light within. seemed to be lots of sneering at all religion. After the Violence and war violate our relationship with God event they wrote to me asking if I would join GALHA. and do not lead to reconciliation and genuine peace.’ I replied that I was a Quaker, not an atheist as they all See http://religio.ru/news/21429.html or seemed to be, and could not endorse their dismissive www.newsru.com/religy/28mar2011/quakers.html for attitude towards all religion but nevertheless I shared the original text. their humanistic ideals and had never regarded Johan Maurer humanism as incompatible with my beliefs. I also told Elektrostal, Russia them I had been a convinced atheist before I had had a religious experience. Radiation Having spent the first ten years of my adult life in I’ve been following the radiation incident in Japan in fear, dishonestly hiding in the closet, I share GALHA’s the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and rejection of homophobic religious attitudes. I find I still other scientific reports as well as the media. There may have to deal with many religious people who tell me I be some risk of plutonium poisoning as well as danger am damned because I am gay, though not gay by choice. from radiation. GALHA replied they would welcome my membership Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) operate (I might add: ‘if I can cope with all the sneering from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. It is reported them I am bound to encounter’
the Friend, 1 April 2011 9 Ecology Water power rising
Raymond Mgadzah reports on Quaker involvement with an innovative ‘green’ initiative in the north of England
n old technology used by ancient Egyptian and industrial revolution. Elements of the infrastructure other early civilisations is making a comeback are still there and I want to reclaim them for their in the twenty-first century: hydro-power or original purpose of generating power, only this time Awater power. The use of water power dates back to round, we’ll be generating electrical energy instead of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt where irrigation has mechanical energy that used to run water wheels. Our been used since the sixth millennium BC. Hydro- aim is simple. We want to work with communities to power was also used by the Qanat system in ancient generate green electricity, reduce carbon emissions Persia and the Turpan water system in ancient China. and provide a tangible benefit for the local projects for years to come.’ Water powered mills were harnessed in Imperial Rome to produce flour from grain and for sawing H2oPE is supported by the Joseph Rowntree timber and stone. In the Far East, including China, Charitable Trust, the Co-operative Group and Key hydro-powered ‘pot-wheel’ pumps raised water into Fund Yorkshire. H2oPE was a joint winner with the irrigation canals. In more recent times, at the dawn Co-operative Group, of the Renewables Innovation of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, water was the Award at NEMEX Environment and Energy Awards main source of power for cutting-edge inventions such 2009. as Richard Arkwright’s water frame. In the 1830s, at the height of the canal-building era, hydro-power was used to transport barge traffic up and down steep hills using inclined plane railroads.
Now this age-old run-of-the-river hydro technology is making a comeback, prompted by concern about the damage to the environment caused by electricity generation and the drive to conserve energy. In the past people used variations on the waterwheel to generate energy. Today, new technology offers alternative methods of harnessing the power of running water.
H2oPE (Water Power Enterprises), a community interest company and social enterprise, is building community hydro sites in the north of England. H2oPE managing director Steve Welsh is in charge of the hydroelectricity ventures. He said: ‘Here in the
UK, river weirs were constructed in their thousands CC. Snodrass/flickr Photo: Steve and generated the mechanical power which fuelled the An Archimedean screw in action.
10 the Friend, 1 April 2011 With Bainbridge Hydro completed, Stockbridge Otterspool, shown left, is the latest project for h2oPE. Drawing by Idris Walters. Courtesy h2oPE.
The project hopes to generate ‘green’ power with passionate support of the project, was the late Peter a high level of local involvement and the support of Leyland, a Bainbridge Friend. The project had a ‘enlightened’ investors. H2oPE raises funds for its particular, personal, resonance for him and his family. projects by issuing shares, especially from local people, Peter said, presciently, shortly before his death: ‘It’s as and getting grants and loans. The idea is an interesting though history is repeating itself. My grandfather set and adventurous one for JRCT to support. Stephen up the original electricity company in Bainbridge in Pittam, trust secretary of the JRCT, said that it has 1912, and then my father inherited it and kept it going. invested £120,000 in h2oPE. Stephen said: ‘H2oPE is a I remember him going about his business reading social enterprise. It’s a company operating for the public meters. As a boy, in the evening if the lights started to interest. Our investment is part of the idea of mission run dim, I’d get the brooms out, run up the lane, climb related investment. It means we are investing because over the stile and brush the leaves off the grid. I think the company’s work is oriented for the public good and it’s a marvellous project and I’d like to buy shares to is in line with the mission of the JRCT. He added: ‘The pass on to the next generation.’ projects are generating green and renewable electricity. They are community-based and some of the income River Bain Hydro will produce about 185,000 kWh from each of the local projects will be used to support a year. That’s enough electricity for forty houses. It community initiatives on climate change. We may not will save about eighty tonnes of carbon dioxide each receive a commercial rate of return on the investment year, totalling 3,000 tonnes over forty years. Surplus but there is a social return in so far as the work that electricity generated will be sold to the national grid. h2oPE is doing is of benefit to the community.’ Steve Welsh added: ‘The site will be developed using a centuries old technology – the Archimedean screw. Schemes which have been launched include But it’s the Archimedean screw with a twist. Instead of Stockport Hydro in Greater Manchester, Settle Hydro in being used to push water up hill, by turning the screw North Yorkshire, Torrs Hydro New Mills in Derbyshire, upside down, the water from the weir will run down and the River Bain hydro project at Bainbridge, in the screw, turning it and generating electricity. The Wensleydale. The aim is to open new community hydro technology is simple and is proven to work. It’s clean, schemes each year to ensure that by 2015 they will be green, renewable energy at no cost to the future of the producing about 5 MW of renewable energy to more planet. And once the screw is turning, the electricity than 10,000 homes. The funding of the Bain project is generated can be sold through the national grid.’ typical of the manner in which money has been raised for each hydro venture. A £500,000 45 kW turbine has Hydro-power seems set to make its twenty-first been built on the River Bain. Funding has come from century comeback. a £250,000 share issue, grants totalling £150,000 and a £100,000 loan from the Charity bank. The shares cost Raymond Mgadzah attends Walthamstow Meeting. £1 each with a minimum investment of £250. One of the first investors in the scheme, and a For further information see: http://www.h2ope.org.uk
the Friend, 1 April 2011 11 Rowntree Visionaries
Heather Parker and Mark Hinton Building bridges between communities
Rosemary Hartill continues her series on the ‘Rowntree Visionaries’ with a look at the work of two people who have established a pioneering project within the immigrant community in Coventry.
ark Hinton is unlocking the door to a 1989, including a stint doing circus teaching and street community room, kitchen and a couple of performances. offices in the ground floor of a high-rise Inside the FolesHillfields Vision Project’s light and Mblock. Behind us are two other recently refurbished pleasant community room, ‘Welcome’ is spelt out in blocks, grassy spaces and a clearly loved and several languages. Welcome is the first thing that goes unvandalised small garden. on here – including people when they arrive, taking We’re on the border of Hillfields and Foleshill, a short care with greetings and language, giving proper time walk away from Coventry’s bus station and town centre. and attention. For years, this area of the city has been an arrival patch Decorating the room are gifts and objects from for new immigrants. In the fifties and sixties, people around the world, and pictures of lively local events came over from the Caribbean in search of work in and people. On the right is a world map with pins the then booming car industry. South Asians came too scattered all over it. Above is the invitation, ‘Where do and more recently a new sweep of migrants – people you have “friends and family”?’ Here, it’s a great way to from the Balkans, Kurds, Afghans, Poles, Africans and begin getting to know someone. beyond. There are lots of students too. ‘And to help people getting to know each other,’ says Today, Foleshill is about forty-eight per cent Asian Mark, ‘we do a lot of taking it in turns to listen.’ or Asian British, forty per cent white British, and The team of a few paid staff and many volunteers a mix of other ethnic groups. It and neighbouring facilitate this in many ways, often both informal and Hillfields are two of the poorest areas in the UK. Five years ago, Mark Hinton and Heather Parker’s ‘One of the things we’ve learned is vision was to help weave an international web of ordinary peacemakers and strengthen their home the great importance of listening to community and many others, by building links with viewpoints that you fundamentally other communities around the world. Coventry already had an international profile as a city of international disagree with, yet still being able to feel peace and reconciliation, and twenty-six twinned cities. delighted and pleased with the person A former city councillor for the ward, Heather had twenty years’ experience of community activism. Mark for being open about what they think.’ had worked in community arts and development since
12 the Friend, 1 April 2011 well structured. People have been trained differently There have been a number of other international about speaking and being listened to, Mark and visitors. But in practice a lot of the international things Heather say: ‘and there will almost always be some they had imagined doing turned out to be harder than people who take up more space and airtime than expected. They realised that to make the link with others. So we often get people to take equal time to Kenya neither patronising nor colonial would take a listen and speak without interruption. We do this in huge amount of time, effort and money. Moreover, pairs, in small mixed groups, in the middle of noisy interactive websites are complex to set up and sustain. parties and in dialogue events.’ They learned that a global perspective was a crucial They’ve found that all this works best in a relaxed part of the work, but long-haul jet flights were not. The and friendly atmosphere, when people are having world was already in Coventry. The things they tried fun, and when things are flexible and fluid. And once worked well enough to recruit a strong and committed relationships are established, it’s easier then to name team that represents that world well, a team that now difficult issues. forms the FolesHillfields Vision Project. And there are difficult issues. They talk directly The population is a shifting, transient one, but about racism, sexism, Islamophobia, homophobia, several hundred local people are linked to the centre anti-Jewish feelings, migration, colonialism, religion, at any one time. The centre has hosted youth groups, violence, capitalism and much more: ‘It’s not about a gardening club, a varied volunteering programme winning arguments, but learning from others’ for adults and young people, a PeaceJam youth group, perspectives.’ family linking lunches, women’s groups, men’s health To some extent, they say, all the different work and intercultural music events. Then there’s been communities are disengaged from each other. Faith, a three-week Festival of Friendship involving twenty- social class or educational background can divide one events, Father’s Day picnics, Women’s peace events as much as ethnicity or geographical background. – and numerous other creative, interesting times for Longer-established immigrants sometimes feel people to share their experiences or just to hang out resentful about newer ones. together. Holding out the bigger picture remains important. They say the JRCT money has freed them to Both thinking and acting, locally and globally, was at experiment and try to do a whole bunch of things that the heart of their application to JRCT. they couldn’t possibly have done had they been tied Heather and Mark wrote their joint job-share to specific outputs and targets. In fact, they say that application when staying with friends in rural Kenya, without it they could hardly have started the work at all. during a year out travelling with their family. Inspired Naturally, in practice (as with many so-called job- by their encounters in other countries too, they had shares) both of them worked many more hours than a vision of linking people in their area with people half-time. Managing diverse and changing volunteers in the developing world in creative, meaningful ways and staff is never easy. – school links, interactive websites, arts projects, fair But they remain very conscious of their delicate trade, exchange visits and projects. position as two white people leading a community They thought that actively pursuing links with the project in such a diverse area. ‘We had some good developing world would help everyone develop a challenges from close friends who’ve taken us up on it. wider perspective on their own situation. As white people, we’re bound to be dumb sometimes, They began energetically. Local young people went not understanding things.’ to Romania and Kenya as community ambassadors. To make the project truly diverse, there needs to They continued to develop and deliver (with the help be a constant, conscious sustained effort: ‘We have of up to 150 volunteers a year) a global citizenship to notice who is coming and who isn’t coming, think programme for the local primary school, first started about why certain groups of people aren’t coming and in 2001. A phone link was set up between the school do something to change that.’ It has not always been and 110 children in Kenya. easy to engage white people, for example, or Kurds, or Local people at both ends helped overcome language Roma. barriers and some questions provoked interesting In November 2008, FolesHillfields Vision Project exchanges – ‘How many cows do you have?’ or ‘What’s won the £10,000 National Award for Bridging Cultures your favourite TV programme?’ – both reasonable to from the Baring Foundation. The category was for the enquirer and puzzling to the answerer. voluntary organisations with under £1m turnover – Two years later, local schools raised funds to bring their turnover was around £30,000. They deserve more over three Kenyans – two teachers and a community awards. organiser. Part of the celebration was a great Africa Day attended by a wide variety of Kenyans. Rosemary is a member of Northumberland Area Meeting.
the Friend, 1 April 2011 13 Reflection Drawing on silence
Stephen Yeo explores the nature of
Photo: JoshSemans/flickr CC Photo: JoshSemans/flickr Quaker worship
ilence is the best known bit of the Quaker brand My experience of the Quaker silence changes every other than Peace. In this prepared ministry, I week. But I do have a sense of anticipation in Meeting, will reflect on three things: silence in general, the even of theatre. What is going to happen next? Besides, SQuaker silence, and my own experience of the latter. the phrase ‘nothing happened’ or, in the present tense, ‘nothing happens’ is worth thinking about for at least Silence is powerful as a presence rather than an a week! Meetings are made up of surprises, which absence. One way of understanding silence is as a is why I have heard outsiders accustomed to other frame for everything. As conscious, noisy beings liturgies wonder how we tolerate the arbitrary nature of we come from it and go into it. We appreciate noise interruptions to our silence. (And yes, ours is a liturgy.) through silence, rather than silence through noise. It is to be celebrated, rather than endured. It can be Anything can be said by anybody in hour-long, very still, and it can move. It is a source of artistic, self-governing, republics; and there are off-stage lyrical delight. Music enters silence and plays on it in noises, blind-dogs drinking, birds singing, compulsive rhythmic patterns. A poem sits on the page, with that twitching, chairs creaking, coughs and sneezes. blank, right-hand margin, interrupted by the most Hypnotic. I think that that is what the Quaker important word in any line of poetry, the last one. silence continues to teach me, in a society based on hierarchies, or secular priesthoods of measurement The Quaker silence is made in company rather and knowledge. Human difference is wonderful. The than alone. It is, at best, much more than the sum of most seemingly irrelevant,, ‘off the wall’ ministry stays its parts. It frames a great deal of what Friends do: with me the longest and, when I am wise enough to eating, making business decisions, managing a library, let it in, it speaks to my condition directly. The light worshipping… The quality of the Quaker silence shines best in dark places. ‘The other’ is very hard to varies enormously; coming out of a Meeting in which get to know and to love, in me as well as in others. It nothing has been said, Friends discuss whether the may be important for the continuation of human life silence has been generative or dull. When spoken as we know it, to recognise that ‘the other is ourselves’. ministry happens, there is, again at best, a shared The darkness and the light are more evenly distributed sense that it is drawing from the silence rather than than the Western, post-enlightenment eye likes to being dumped into it. Prepared sermons are not the recognise. There is that of God in every person. thing, or even those 3am insights, which each of us think are profoundly original, until breakfast. Growing Stephen is a member of Oxford Meeting. the silence rather than breaking it, speaking or not This was first given as a ‘six-minute ministry’ at speaking because of it, is a great (divine?) skill. Somerville College, Oxford, chapel.
14 the Friend, 1 April 2011 In praise of silence
I love the silence. Silence between two people, Who have no need for endless words, At ease with one another.
I love the silence. Silence in old, dark, empty churches. The prayers of many generations Hang heavily upon the air. You are not here, the poet said, To verify, instruct yourself, But you are here to kneel, Where prayer’s been valid, That is all.
I love the silence. Silence in Meeting, when we sit together. Again the air is heavy, concentrated. Someone may speak, just once, out of that silence. But here we do not kneel in prayer. There are no gestures to reveal Our reverence for the living light within.
Yet sometimes, once or twice, I’ve longed To open out my hands, to raise my arms, The ancient gesture of surrender, Or receiving, of acceptance.
Evelyn Woodcock
This poem was first published in Norwich Meeting’s journal Reflections and Queries No.17, edited by Nigel Wimhurst.
the Friend, 1 April 2011 15 a wry look at the Quaker world [email protected]
Bible marathon Guards in the Gallery
ACCORDING TO THE GLOBE theatre, a full reading IN THE PAST Quaker children have had a reputation of the King James I Bible will take about sixty-nine for being dedicated, dutiful and well behaved. Friends hours in total. Between Palm Sunday and Easter may be aware of the story of a Meeting in Bristol, in Monday, a group of twenty actors will read all 788,280 1682, that was kept alive by the children when most words in eight instalments, to celebrate the 400th of the adults were imprisoned (What do they have anniversary of the translation. Eye is fascinated by the to say to us? 20 July, 2010). According to Quaker project but feels that the feat is a little undermined by faith & practice 19.35 ‘the children kept up their it not being done as one continuous reading. meetings regularly, and with a remarkable gravity and In Lincoln a team from St George’s church will composure…’ attempt to break the world record by completing a Eye was surprised to hear that this display of full reading in under seventy hours. Interestingly, composure may not always have been the order of representatives from Lincoln’s Jewish community will the day. Edrey Allott wrote in to share a very different begin by reading the creation story from Genesis in the description of Young Friends in Bristol from the book original Hebrew. Children and their books edited by Gillian Avery and Julie Briggs. It reads: ‘In the later seventeenth century, Quaker Meetings suffered incessantly from disturbances created by the children of their own members playing noisily outside or causing disorder within. At Bristol, for example, two or three of the Friends had to be appointed as guards, one at the door and the others in the gallery where the children sat; when the boys in the front of the gallery became rude and boisterous it was decided to raise the bench to make it high enough for men to sit there as well, hoping thereby the boys may be kept better in order.’ Poles and polls
AMONG THE TASTY TIDBITS of information sent for Eye to peck at this week were a number of responses to the sighting of the ‘red pole’ (redpoll) in the garden of Phillip Morris. Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Photo: _gee_/flickr CC Mic Morgan wrote to express puzzlement. He says: ‘I’m sort of intrigued as Poles, communist red or other, have not ever fed from my feeder.’ While Philip Jacob told Eye that, although he hasn’t had any redpoles on his bird feeder, he has got a bird feeder on a brown Eye might be mistaken pole! Eye would put Margaret Baker at the top of the EyE WAS CONVINCED that the well loved advice pecking order this week though. She commented on ‘consider it possible that you may be mistaken” was of the ‘ornithological oddity that has alighted on the innocent Quaker lineage. However, Eye must admit pages of the Friend.’ Going on to explain, to Eye’s to failing to adhere to the message and allow Evelyn amusement, that in the animal world two species share Woodcock to set the record straight. the name redpoll, but beside the common feature of She kindly points out that far from being a Quaker the russet or red head they could be said to be ‘poles quotation, the phrase originated in the mind of Oliver apart’. One is an old East Anglian breed of hornless Cromwell. In a letter to the Church of Scotland in beef cattle, the other a small bird (acanthis flammea), a 1651, Cromwell wrote: ‘I beseech you in the bowels of mere five inches in length. Eye hopes that Friends may Christ think it possible you may be mistaken.’ only find the latter redpoll gracing their gardens!
16 the Friend, 1 April 2011 Ad pages 1 Apr 27/3/11 13:09 Page 3
Friends&Meetings
Diary Swarthmoor Hall, 1586–2011 BEYOND QUIETNESS 5.30–6.30pm, Quaker History Meeting Thursday 7 April, the Quaker Centre, The Quaker Centre, Friends House Friends House. Siobhan Wall speaks about and discusses her new book 6–8pm, Tuesday 12 April about quiet places in London. Swarthmoor Hall, the 16th century manor house that was home to Free but registration essential at George Fox and Margaret Fell, decayed into obscurity in the 18th www.quaker.org.uk/quietplaces or century. It was acquired in 1954 for the world wide family of Friends. 020 7663 1030/31. Bill Shaw and Sylvia Sanderson, retiring Manager and Assistant BUILDING A MAINSTREAM Manager from Swarthmoor Hall, will talk about the history of the Hall, ETHICAL ECONOMY Edinburgh using recently researched material. Free but registration essential at FMH, Sat 2 April, 9.30-6.00pm. www.quakercentre.org.uk/quakerhistory or call 020 7663 1030/31. Alastair McIntosh, RBS and Eigg Community lead Q&B's discussion. THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO KILL Vision, Problems and Practice. A ceremony to mark International Notices Creating Quakerly change, using QF&P 24.56. Book: www.qandb.org Conscientious Objectors Day, noon Queries: [email protected] Sunday 15 May. CO Stone, Tavistock SURVIVING YOUR PARTNER Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1. A practical yet sensitive self-help Everybody welcome. guide to living with the death of the CRY OF THE EARTH Brighton person closest to you. "Gives the Festival Fringe: 7.30pm, Saturday bereaved hope and empowerment." 14 May, St Bartholomew’s Church, New baby in the family, moving £5.99+p&p from the author. Buy Brighton. East Sussex Community house, wedding anniversary? Choir; Floella Benjamin. Tickets £10 Let everyone know with a notice online at www.sylviamurphy.com (children free). Quaker commis- in the Friend! 01395 267367. sioned choral-drama by Alec Davison/Tony Biggin. 01273 764900. www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk Swarthmore Residential Care Home Marsham Lane, Gerrards Cross, Bucks SL9 8HB Notices on page 17 REGISTERED Friends & Meetings notices should preferably be prepaid. Personal CARE entries (births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, changes of address, MANAGER etc.) from 4 January 2011: £17.20 incl. vat at 20%. Meeting and charity We seek a well-qualified and notices (changes of clerk, new war- experienced person to be our dens, alterations to meeting, diary, etc.) £14.34 zero rated for vat. Manager from May 2011. The ability to maintain good staff relations Max. 35 words. 3 Diary or Meeting is essential as is the ability manage change as we develop new services. up entries £39.80 (£33.18 zero Swarthmore is home to thirty seven elderly residents of varying physical rated); 6 entries £67.40 (£56.16). abilities who want to maintain the current relaxed and friendly Add £1.70 for a copy of the issue with your notice. Cheques payable environment. There is a strong Quaker input and ethos although no to The Friend. requirement for staff or residents to be Quakers. Entries are accepted at the editor’s The Home is in an attractive small town with excellent local facilities discretion in a standard house style. and good transport connections. Rent free accommodation is available A gentle discipline will be exerted to within the grounds. maintain a simplicity of style and wording that excludes terms of Applicants must have nationally recognised qualifications e.g. NVQ level endearment and words of tribute. 4 in Social Care and RMA. Salary in the region of £34,500 to £41,000. Deadline usually Monday morning. Further information available from Ruth Wheatman on The Friend, 54a Main Street, [email protected] or 020 8810 4932. Cononley Keighley BD20 8LL Swarthmore Housing Society Limited 01535 630230. [email protected] is managed under Quaker auspices and has charitable status.
the Friend, 1 April 2011 17 Ad pages 1 Apr 27/3/11 13:09 Page 4
Classified advertisements George Penaluna, Advertisement Manager, 54a Main St, Cononley, Keighley BD20 8LL T&F: 01535 630230 E: [email protected]
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Ad Dept, 54a Main Street Edna Rossiter Cononley, Keighley BD20 8LL Email: [email protected] or T&F: 01535 630230 Telephone: 01296 624154 COUNTRY COTTAGES NEAR LUDLOW E: [email protected] with green award. Walking, wildlife. Short breaks. Pets and children welcome. Ffriends’ discount. 01547 540441. where to stay www.mocktreeholidays.co.uk OVERSEAS HOLIDAYS GUESTHOUSES, HOTELS, B&BS ISLE OF WIGHT. Clatterford House COTTAGE IN HEART OF UMBRIA. (sleeps 8) and The Coach House (sleeps Swimming pool. Sleeps 6+. Convenient EDINBURGH. City centre accommodation 5). Self-catering holidays and mindfulness Assisi, Perugia (Ryanair), Lake Trasimeno. at Emmaus House. Tel. 0131 228 1066. retreats. 10% discount for Friends with From £390pw. Vacancies April, July, August. www.emmaushouse-edinburgh.co.uk this ad. www.clatterfordhouse.co.uk and Telephone 020 8642 5785 or 01225 Email: [email protected] www.claritybooks.co.uk Tel. 01983 537338. 723750. www.tabucca.co.uk (security code Umbria). 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Walks and Quaker trails from Cosy cottage, peaceful situation. Sleeps 3. the door. 30 minutes to Lake District. VISIT VIENNA. Comfortable apartment, 01274 832368. www.maltkiln.com sleeps 4. Convenient location. City of www.AshHiningFarm.co.uk [email protected] Jim Mattinson 07774 281767. culture and cafés. Tel. 01904 416840. [email protected] www.holidayapartmentinvienna.co.uk BEAUTIFUL, RUGGED PEMBROKESHIRE. TRADITIONAL COTTAGE in Portreath, Two eco-friendly, recently converted Cornwall, for holiday rental. Sleeps five. barns on smallholding. Each sleeps 4. Very near sea, walks, cycle paths. HOLIDAYS Coastal path 2 miles. 01348 891286. Long garden. 01209 215917. [email protected] www.kittiwakecottagecornwall.co.uk www.stonescottages.co.uk VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN UNUSUAL TRANQUIL RETREAT in nature WALKING HOLIDAYS BEAUTIFUL, HISTORIC MARKET TOWN reserve on Essex coast. Birding. Walking. With Lupine Adventure Co-op [email protected] Comfortable house. Central location. Isle of Skye, English Lakes, Glencoe Sleeps 4. Details, prices and availability: 7 nights from £550 all inclusive. www.cornerhouse-burystedmunds.co.uk Or phone 01284 766297. From Palestine to Portugal 0845 217 8917 The holiday ads in the Friend [email protected] www.lupineadventure.co.uk FIND YOUR HOLIDAY in nature are different!
18 the Friend, 1 April 2011 Ad pages 1 Apr 27/3/11 13:09 Page 5
for sale & to let PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY &TAXATION SERVICE NORTH OXFORDSHIRE. Self-contained Quaker Accountant offers friendly flatlet, own entrance, small balcony. service countrywide. Would suit quiet Quaker person. Self-assessment & small businesses. £450pcm inclusive. 01869 277770, Richard Platt, Grainger & Platt [email protected] Chartered Certified Accountants 3 Fisher Street, Carlisle CA3 8RR Telephone 01228 521286 Conference homes wanted [email protected] www.grainger-platt.co.uk Sales SEEKING ACCOMMODATION TO RENT Co-ordinator around Esher, Surrey. Mature Quaker WRITING YOUR FAMILY’S HISTORY? lady. 01372 465392. Books typeset for your family’s pleasure. Help our conferencing Photos and other graphics can be included. Contact Trish on 020 8446 5772. business at Woodbrooke to miscellaneous [email protected] thrive in a challenging and Other printed material also prepared. rewarding role that will suit A SMALL AD IN the Friend gets noticed¡ YOU’LL WANDER CHEERFULLY in made- someone who has excellent to-measure shoes from James Taylor & interpersonal, administra- Son, Est. 1857. 4 Paddington Street, (near ACCOUNTING SERVICES Baker Street), London W1U 5QE. tive and sales skills. Charity Accounts prepared. Telephone 020 7935 4149. Independent Examinations carried out. www.taylormadeshoes.co.uk For more information and Bookkeeping Services. to download an application Contact David Stephens FCCA pack, visit our website at on 07843 766685. Email: [email protected] Does your group produce www.woodbrooke.org.uk a newsletter? Share it Closing date: 12pm, DISCOVER JOHN MACMURRAY. with everyone as an insert in Visit our new website to learn more: the Friend! Call 01535 630230. Monday 18 April 2011 www.johnmacmurray.org
DO YOU WANT TO LIVE ADVENTUROUSLY? Come to explore and share with the Quaker Universalist Group. Write to: Carol Wise, Enquiries Secretary, 24 Rose Bank, Spring events? Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ilkley LS29 7PQ. www.qug.org.uk These issues of the Friend are ideal for use at your Spring events, or to share with your Meeting. Copies can be sold or given away.
INDEPENDENT HOME ENERGY Just £1 each UK post paid, min. 5 copies per issue CONSULTANCY • Comprehensive survey of your home. • Whole-house strategy report. • Face-to-face consultation. • Information on grants and finance. Serving Wiltshire but willing to travel. [email protected] Outreach issue www.environomic.co.uk Fairtrade issue 0800 612 5942 Quaker Week ‘10 4 March 2011 _____ copies _____ copies LIVING FURNITURE TLC for your furniture Name...... Professional furniture restoration, upholstery, gilding, carving. Ornate period antiques 350th anniversary Address...... to simple Quaker benches. Nationwide...... Roland Carn, 56 Alexandra Grove, of the Peace London N12 8HG. 020 8446 5772 Declaration Postcode...... [email protected] 21 January 2011 www.living-furniture.co.uk Cheque enclosed payable to _____ copies The Friend for £______. QUAKER MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES, Return to: Penny Dunn, The Friend, 173 Euston Rd, London NW1 2BJ. partnerships, commitments, notices and Single copies £2.20 each incl. UK postage. All subject to availability. other calligraphy. Liz Barrow 01223 369776.
the Friend, 1 April 2011 19 Ad pages 1 Apr 27/3/11 13:09 Page 6 vol ADVERTISEMENT DEPT EDITORIAL 169 54a Main Street 173 Euston Road Cononley London NW1 2BJ Keighley BD20 8LL T 020 7663 1010 No
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Swarthmoor Hall Ulverston, Cumbria Resident Friends We are looking for a Quaker couple to live in the staff house at Swarthmoor hall for a period of a year and embody the Quaker presence at the Hall. Resident Friends are volunteers giving Quaker service as ministry. However, we provide accommodation in a furnished three bedroom house, pay any council tax due and meet the cost of gas, electricity and water. We also provide a telephone, meet the cost of any calls associated with the role and make a small subsistence allowance. The duties of the Resident Friends are intended to support the worshipping and spiritual life at the Hall. They will normally take responsibility for the weekly lunchtime meeting for worship; epilogue (where appropriate) in the evenings; tours of the Hall (currently Tuesday - Friday afternoons 1.30 -4.30); dealing with enquiries about Quakerism; supporting the programme events and engaging with visiting Quakers. Resident Friends have a role in promoting the Quaker aspects of the Hall in the local area and amongst Friends. They will also assist with welcoming visitors and be the contact point on site for users during evenings, some weekends and times when there may be no other members of staff on site. Closing date for applications: Tuesday 3 May. Further details and application pack are available at www.quaker.org.uk/jobs or email [email protected] or call Richard Summers on 020 7663 1096 for an informal chat or enquiry about the role. Registered charity 1127633.