Living Our Quaker Faith Trustees’ Annual Report for the Year Ended December 2014

Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Living our Quaker faith Trustees’ annual report for the year ended December 2014

Q Logo - Sky - CMYK - Black Text.pdf 1 02.02.2015 01.27 pm

CMY

K What happened next? Last year, our annual report front cover showed children enjoying peace week 2013, Friends at the 2013 outreach conference, and Joseph Mamai Makokha, one of the peacebuilders featured in our This Light that Pushes Me exhibition.

Since then we have continued to promote and develop peace education in schools and communities (see page 11). After the popularity of the exhibition, we published an accompanying book of This Light that Pushes Me, and the exhibition has travelled to meetings and other venues around the world (see page 16). We offer ongoing support to Quakers with outreach in their communities (see page 5); in 2016 our outreach conference will help explore the links between outreach and witness.

Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Registered charity number 1127633 Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ

This report is available as a PDF and for e-readers: please go to www.quaker.org.uk/annualreport. For a printed version of the financial statements that accompany this report, please contact [email protected] or write to the publications manager at the address above. The financial statements are also available as a PDF at www.quaker.org.uk/annualreport. www.quaker.org.uk Contents

From the Clerk of Trustees and the Recording Clerk 1 Speaking out 3 Strengthening our spiritual roots 7 Witness through action 11 Using our resources well 19 Governance 20 Generating income 23 Table of giving 24 Thank you 25 2014 at a glance 26 From the Clerk of Trustees and the Recording Clerk

Meeting for Sufferings guided and supported the decision to register under the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014, though the Act has been controversial in its drafting. We continue to work with other charities on the legal implications. Hospitality staff at Friends House, Quaker Life and local Friends ensured the successful transfer of responsibility for the management of the commercial activities of Swarthmoor Hall “In the long experience of the to the Hospitality Company. The completion of Quaker tradition, (our business the refurbishment of the Large Meeting House method) has worked best when it at Friends House (also known as ‘The Light’), has is rooted in other aspects of our enhanced the physical facilities of Friends House communal life – when people know and created substantial opportunities for links with each other well, and when most people present other bodies who want to use this imaginative, are familiar with the practice of reading the beautifully finished space. Our meeting houses gathered sense of the Meeting in worship and in across the UK have considerable architectural and business.” cultural significance. A survey jointly funded with Margaret Heathfield, Being together, English Heritage will provide a starting point for 1994 Swarthmore Lecture consistent analysis for future reference. Understanding our obligation to witness for When trustees come together to conduct business peace gave rise to a number of initiatives in relation on behalf of Britain Yearly Meeting, we bring our to the commemoration of the outbreak of World experience of our local meetings, our familiarity War I, including the recognition of the part played with many of the issues occupying Friends, and our by over 18,000 conscientious objectors. The White expertise from a wide variety of backgrounds. We Feather Diaries made extensive use of social media also bring a profound commitment to conducting in order to engage a younger generation. our affairs in a faithful willingness to be guided by We have remained aware of our obligations to the Spirit. This report provides an account of the a wider world. Work has continued in relation to many ways in which committees, departments, the Israel–Palestine conflict; to peacebuilding in staff, volunteers and partner organisations have Africa, expressed in part through the publication maintained a tangible, living witness to this of This Light That Pushes Me; and to the growing guidance. inequalities, financial and material, in our own One of our greatest joys comes with those society, manifested through attitudes to economic opportunities, locally and nationally, to ‘see one injustice and harsher regimes of social welfare. Our another’s faces’. In August around 2000 Quakers duty and our passion continue to call us to action. met for a week at the University of Bath for Yearly At the end of the year it is heartening to see Meeting Gathering. Nearly 300 children and young Friends have continued to give reliable financial people attended, contributing to a richly diverse support to centrally managed work. We now look community. It was the culmination of three years’ to a new method of distributing legacy income consideration of the theme ‘What it means to be to create a firm basis for project work and new a Quaker today’, with an emphasis this time on initiatives. commitment and belonging. Throughout 2014, we have looked to improve coordination between central committees to enhance work done both centrally and locally. The introduction of an operational plan has enabled staff to see the complete picture of the work.

1 From the Clerk of Trustees and the Recording Clerk In this report we describe the challenges and Our challenges for 2015 include: highlights of 2014. Last year our key challenges l the expression of an accessible, clear vision for were to: work undertaken by Friends both centrally and l see plans for Swarthmoor Hall consolidated around the Yearly Meeting through the drafting (see page 21) of a new long-term Framework l consider the effectiveness of our committee l support Friends in preparing for a decision on structures and make changes where the revision of Quaker faith & practice appropriate (see page 21) l finding simpler, more effective structures to l develop the operational plan and work reduce duplication of work and with Meeting for Sufferings on a new long-term over-governance in some areas framework for centrally managed work l responding to the issue of militarisation in (ongoing challange for 2015) British society and especially in schools l begin to implement a new way of using legacy l helping Friends consider the issues being raised funding to give greater stability and better by the 2015 general election forward planning for projects (see page 23) l developing properly-managed, workable, l support the holding of Yearly Meeting consistent partnerships with groups and Gathering in Bath (see page 7) organisations that share our objectives and l raise awareness of peacebuilding activities in values East Africa and elsewhere (see page 16) l launching the new Quakers in Britain website. l strengthen our advocacy work on the situation in Israel–Palestine (see page 16) Our charitable objectives express our duty to l mark the centenary of the outbreak of society and its expectations. The tradition of World War I through raising awareness about service in our Quaker faith illumines and shapes conscientious objection, alternatives to violent those responsibilities, giving them joyful and conflict and telling stories of peace (see page 4) worthwhile expression. l prepare for a decision on the revision of Quaker faith & practice (see page 9) l launch the refurbished Large Meeting House as a major new conference venue for central London (see page 19) Jennifer Barraclough, Clerk of Trustees l consolidate new communications and services functions following the 2012 restructure (see page 19). Paul Parker, Recording Clerk

From the Clerk of Trustees and the Recording Clerk 2 Speaking out

We speak out about our Quaker couple to do so were married the same day. Three faith and witness so that we can weeks later the Marriage and Civil Partnership be a strong presence in the world. (Scotland) Bill was enacted, permitting same-sex In 2014 we engaged with MPs on marriages and civil partnership conversion issues likely to be of importance ceremonies in Scotland. Religious bodies need to in the run up to the May 2015 general election, opt in to perform same-sex ceremonies. provided an alternative voice on the centenary Throughout this period of legislative change of World War I, and made a corporate call for Quakers worked closely with civil servants and Palestinian statehood and a just peace for all in ministers and developed enriching relationships the region. We continued to work in partnership with new partners in the interfaith, political and with others whose goals we share and to forge secular worlds. These bonds have helped to new connections with like-minded groups and strengthen Quaker work in other areas of concern. individuals. We reached out to diverse Quaker communities and helped those looking for a Engaging with politics spiritual home to find us. In 2014 we spent £2m Our political engagement work is about speaking supporting this work. out and speaking truth to power. We work to create opportunities for local meetings and help Celebrating marriage Friends speak out more effectively. Since 2009 we have been calling for the In 2014, as the political parties drafted their recognition of same-sex marriages in law, seeing manifestos ahead of the 2015 general election, we this as an expression of the equality of all. engaged with politicians on a number of key issues. Last year we reported on how we helped These included the economic system, criminal bring about a historic change in the law to allow justice, extreme fossil fuel extraction, and the same-sex couples to marry. The Marriage (Same replacement of Trident – Britain’s nuclear weapons Sex Couples) Act 2013 became law in England and system. Wales in March 2014, and the first marriage under this Act of a same-sex couple in a Quaker meeting house was celebrated at Keswick Local Meeting on 3 May. In England and Wales couples in a civil partnership were finally able to convert it to marriage on 10 December, and the first Quaker

Britain Yearly Meeting staff met with MPs and representatives from other faith groups at the Conservative Party Conference 2014.

The party conference season is an important opportunity to share concerns and find common ground with those in positions of influence. We attended five party conferences in 2014 as part of a delegation of churches, and spent time with 18 parliamentarians and a number of candidates. This strengthened both our political presence and our bonds with other churches. We were able to take Tim and Aod were the first same-sex couple to marry in our concerns directly to politicians, which helped a Quaker meeting house since the Marriage Act became us in later discussions with them on legislation such law in England and Wales. Photo: Penny Kay as the Modern Slavery Bill.

3 Speaking out Lobbying Act UK government to recognise Palestine as a nation Last year we reported on our concerns about this state and to impose an arms embargo on all sides legislation, which became law in January 2014. It involved in the Gaza conflict. restricts the activities of non-party campaigning We urged the government to join the 134 groups in the year before an election. While not states that already recognise Palestine as a nation preventing us from speaking out, it does limit how state. Many Friends wrote to their MPs and shared much we can spend on advocacy work. their responses with us. We welcomed the result In October Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) of October’s parliamentary vote in which MPs Trustees met to consider whether to register. We overwhelmingly supported a motion to “recognise did not want to alter our work plans to avoid the state of Palestine alongside the state of coming under the remit of the Act, and we found Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated there were competing reasons for registering and two-state solution”. We will continue to urge the not registering. Registering would mean supporting government to convert this vote into policy and transparency in politics and saying we have an there will be many opportunities to get involved. important role to play in political discussion. Not registering would demonstrate our concern over Marking the centenary of World this particular law. War I In December Meeting for Sufferings – our The centenary of World War I offers us the national representative chance to speak out for peace and counter any body – considered some of glorification of war. In 2014 we highlighted both the underlying principles of the efforts of Quakers and others who worked the Act. BYM Trustees then to prevent World War I and the courage of took the decision to register those who resisted the call to arms. In March we as a non-party campaigning produced Witnessing for peace on the centenary organisation while continuing of World War I, a resource pack that has helped to speak out about our meetings to engage with the wider community disquiet over the legislation. about pacifism. It proved popular, with over 200 meetings ordering one or more copies. Posters help Around 18,000 conscientious objectors refused Friends speak out to fight in World War I. Quakers believe their In the spring we stories are of courage and deserve to be told. produced a set of four In August we launched an online storytelling eye-catching posters to project that draws on the wartime diaries of five help Quakers speak out pacifists. The White Feather Diaries charts their about peace, sustainability personal journeys from the outbreak of war to and economic justice. the introduction of conscription in 1916. The They have been used project makes use of social media to reach new to great effect at and younger audiences, inviting them to reflect on demonstrations and how they might have responded to the war and to vigils as well as outside share their views. Over 1,200 people followed the meeting houses, helping project on Facebook and around 500 on Twitter, to strengthen our public with one post reaching almost 14,000 people. presence and witness. “Amazingly important Friends call and beautifully done for Palestinian […] highlighting the statehood efforts and sacrifice In August, during Yearly of the people featured Meeting Gathering, Friends here.” were deeply moved by the renewed violence in Gaza and felt impelled by their testimonies to speak out corporately. We issued a statement calling on the

Speaking out 4 Reaching out during Quaker Week Quaker Week is an annual opportunity for meetings to reach out to their local communities – to welcome them and enable them to find out more. Quaker Week 2014 ran from 4 to 12 October and our theme was ‘Let your life speak’. We produced a set of posters featuring Quakers living out their faith in the world and illustrating the way in which their faith shapes and inspires their daily life. The posters and a new catalogue of resources were available Kendal Clerk from Leicester Local Meeting attended from May to support local Conscienscious Objectors’ Day. Photo: Michael Preston activities, and uptake has been enthusiastic. On 15 May we joined other peace groups to mark International Conscientious Objectors’ Day The Quaker in Tavistock Square, London. We hosted events Centre at Friends House at Friends House and a number of meetings The Quaker Centre at Friends House offers held events in their communities. Bradford a bookshop, café and worship space. Its core Quakers organised a football match in the city’s purpose is to serve and support Friends and Centenary Square that ended when 100 goals meetings and to welcome all. The Quaker Centre had been scored. Watford Quakers produced and its staff and volunteers serve a vital outreach a short documentary film about three Quaker role by offering information and advice to visitors conscientious objectors from the town, which wishing to discover more about our faith. It made important links with contemporary continues to grow in popularity, allowing us to conscientious objection. showcase Quaker hospitality. In 2014 the café served more than 154,000 people; 98.7 per cent A Quaker presence online of those who were asked said they would come Our online presence and engagement with social again. media extend our reach, helping our concerns and actions to be more widely known and supported. A growing number of people follow us on social media, receiving a regular feed of key information. Around 4,500 Facebook users and 4,000 Twitter users share our messages and engage with Quaker events and actions. These two sites generated 23,000 visits to our website in 2014, and some of our Facebook posts reached as many as 18,000 people. We are currently developing a new Quakers in Britain website. We have chosen a web agency with extensive experience of working with charities to undertake the work. Development began in December. Friends from Canterbury Meeting gather in the worship space of the Quaker Centre during a visit to Friends House. Photo: Britain Yearly Meeting

5 Speaking out The Library at Friends House Founded in 1673, The Library’s collections include Celebrating marriage books, manuscripts and pictures. It brings Friends In December Rosie Adamson-Clark and Chris Smith together as they explore their history and helps to became the first Quaker couple to convert their show the world what Quakerism is all about. civil partnership to marriage. In 2014 the Library launched a new online “We met in 1991. I was the Union Women’s officer catalogue. For the first time records of our and arranged a weekend to Pardshaw Meeting House archival and manuscript collections, alongside a in November 1994. This is when we realised we were growing catalogue of printed materials, can be in love and became a couple. searched online. Among the unique holdings “Faith and spirituality are very dear to us, as is our now catalogued are the archives of the Friends wish to be equal in all things. As God made it so, man Ambulance Unit and over 1,000 manuscript made it not so, but we hope equality will be a reality collections, including Elizabeth Fry’s diaries. This is a for all those people in the world who are made lesser great outreach tool and allows users worldwide to in the world. see the breadth of the Library’s collections. “Our marriage on 10 December in Bolton Meeting The Library provided information and images House was a dream come true. The celebration was for numerous World War I projects in 2014, on International Human Rights Day. It’s our human and its displays of material from the period right to love and be loved with equal freedom. It was attracted many new visitors, including on also the day the law changed and the secondary legis- Conscienscious Objectors’ Day. In November lation of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 a 15-month cataloguing project, funded by the came into effect in England and Wales, allowing our Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, culminated ceremony to be in a Quaker meeting house. At 58 in an enlightening exhibition at Friends House (me) and 56 (Chris) we don’t do fuss or glamour, on the Friends Emergency & War Victims Relief so it was a very plain affair. But full of [the] Committee, a major example of Quakers putting Light!” their faith into action.

Rosie and Chris at their civil partnership in 2008. Photo: Ingrid Thompson-Bevan

The exhibition of Friends’ relief work during and after WW1 has attracted many visitors. Photo: Michael Preston Hall continues to be a venue for local and area meetings and hosts regular mid-week events. Swarthmoor Hall Volunteers are a vital component of life at the Hall, A place of refuge for early Friends, Swarthmoor delivering many aspects of the work. Activities Hall in Cumbria became the first spiritual home such as our Friends in Residence programme bring of Quakerism. Today it runs a diverse programme together Friends from far and wide and serve as of courses, retreats and events and is a visitor valuable outreach. attraction in its own right. We began to redevelop the property in 2014. In 2014 activities included the Woodbrooke We are upgrading seven rooms, building a café at Swarthmoor Hall educational programme, and refurbishing our Friendship Room. From pilgrimages and tours of the Hall telling the early 2015 Friends House (London) Hospitality (see Quaker story. We were delighted to see visitor page 23) will manage the commercial activities of numbers in 2014 grow to well over 1,000. The Swarthmoor Hall, supporting its spiritual life.

Speaking out 6 Strengthening our spiritual roots

We work to strengthen the life of Quaker meetings in Britain by offering support, training and advice. Community is at the heart of our faith and we provide opportunities for Friends of all ages to come together. Yearly Meeting Gathering 2014 was an inspirational event and affirmed Quakerism as a ‘do-it-together’ faith. We continue to create connections between Quakers in Britain, with Friends around the world, and with other faith communities. In 2014 we spent £2.5m on strengthening our spiritual roots. A gathering of Quakers Yearly Meeting is at the heart of our Quaker Many Quakers spent time together in craft activities at community in Britain, when Friends gather to YMG. Photo: Platform 1 2014 discern the will of God. By strengthening the connections between us, it nurtures Friends on all-age worship. Friends enjoyed a short film on their spiritual journey and supports the work of the centrally managed work undertaken in 2013 local and area meetings. and we looked ahead to the next Yearly Meeting Every three years we hold Yearly Meeting theme of ‘Living out our faith in the world’. Gathering (YMG). A week-long residential event, YMG was made possible not only by it brings together Friends for worship, learning, committees and Friends House staff, but by the celebration, fun, spiritual growth, and Quaker hundreds of Friends who offered service. We business. In August around 2000 Quakers met for were supported by 45 adult volunteers and a week at the University of Bath for YMG. Many the Children’s Programme benefitted from an children and young people attended, contributing additional 28 daily volunteers. The gathering was to a richly diverse community. a model of how a community can be created for a week, rooted in Quaker values.

Swarthmore Lecture 2014 Ben Pink Dandelion delivered the annual Swarthmore Lecture at YMG, organised by Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre. Open for transformation: Being Quaker challenges Friends to reflect on contemporary Quaker identity, suggesting “we need to be clear about what we are and what we are not.”

Children and young people at Yearly Meeting Gathering We supported almost 300 children and young Young Quakers at YMG. Photo: Platform 1 2014 people to take part in YMG, providing a wide range of activities for the different age groups and It was the last of three Yearly Meetings to consider working with young people to produce Junior the theme ‘What it means to be a Quaker today’, Yearly Meeting. with an emphasis this time on commitment and Under-18s on the Children & Young People’s belonging. On the centenary of the outbreak of programmes at YMG: World War I we reflected on conflicts past and l Children’s Programme (0–11s): 129 present and affirmed our commitment to building l Young People’s Programme (11–14s): 61 peace in the world. l Junior Yearly Meeting (14–17s): 81 (plus 25 There was a rich tapestry of arts and Quaker young Friends from Tokyo). group activities and many chances to engage in

7 Strengthening our spiritual roots Children and young people offer ministry and to share more fully in the life of Children and young people are a vital part of their meetings. our religious community, with their own unique “I enjoyed seeing our children inspired and gifts and insights. We nurture this by producing hearing them discuss peace work and other resources and offering support, events and training. wonderful work.” Tall ship event Young Friends have their say Over Easter 2014 a crew of 40 young people In December we held a participation day for from 23 British area meetings sailed the Irish Quakers aged 14–18. It ran alongside Meeting for Sea from Liverpool to Belfast and back on a tall Sufferings and was a chance for young Quakers to ship. Some were new to Quakerism and others get involved at national level. They explored the new to Quaker events for children and young possibility of developing a version of Quaker faith & people. During their five-day adventure the crew practice by and for young people. of 14- to 17-year-olds worked as a team, explored “Today has allowed me to express my feelings Quakerism and worshipped together. with people that understand me… I liked that it “I can honestly say that this voyage has been both was easy and felt right to talk to people.” a physical and spiritual journey and it has changed me as a person.” Bringing people together Our annual Quaker Youth Work Conference is an informal networking event for anyone involved with running events and activities for young adult Quakers. In November 2014 it took place at Sheffield Central Meeting. There 30 participants shared ideas and approaches, learning about issues and challenges they had in common. Workshops in local meetings In 2014 workshops took place in 11 local meetings, Young Quakers on the tall ship event. including Dundee, Lancaster, Peterborough, and Photo: Ruth Charles Cardiff. Facilitated by a pair of Children & Young Re-imagining young people’s work People’s work trainers, the workshops developed Friends’ engagement with children. They also Over 70 Friends from 44 local meetings gathered strengthened local meetings and provided at Friends House in November to take part in opportunities for Friends of all ages to meet and Re:Imagine. The day was for Friends who wished share experiences. to explore how their meeting might develop new approaches to engagement with children, young “I gained more confidence and many suggestions people and families. It enabled Friends to consider for action, lots of activities and an understanding what they could do differently and take some of the spiritual element that should be present in practical ideas back to their meetings. children’s meeting.” “We will now bring children into the business aspects of our meeting and will organise new events inspired by this day.” Children and Families Day In April over 50 children and accompanying adults attended our Children and Families Day at Friends House. It was a chance for young Friends aged 14 and under to visit our central offices and learn more about the work done on behalf of all Quakers in Britain. It also encouraged adult A workshop about Quaker faith & practice by young Quakers to invite children and young people to people. Photo: © Mike Pinches 2015

Strengthening our spiritual roots 8 Expressing our faith book of discipline. It will experiment with media Quaker faith & practice is the core expression of and formats and begin collecting possible content. what it means to be a Quaker in Britain today. A successful revision of Quaker faith & practice, if Parts of it are regulatory, guiding us with good undertaken, will reflect contemporary thought and practice in running our meetings, while other practice and require broad engagement. sections help us understand our spiritual roots and illustrate the richness of Quakerism. A network of Quakers Over the next three years a revision preparation The Quaker Life Network brings together Quakers group will engage Friends across the yearly meeting willing to share ideas, experiences and good and work collaboratively with other groups and practice to help strengthen and sustain meetings committees. The group will help Friends to thresh in Britain. Network members lead training events, issues that may require changes or additions to our help Friends explore their concerns and offer help to meetings in difficulty. During 2014 network members passed the Involving young Friends 1,500 mark and several new clusters were formed. Ellie McCarthy was a Young Friend Helper at Yearly These include the Chaplaincy clusture and Island Meeting Gathering 2014. Quakers cluster. We are driven by Quakers “I responded to a call for Young Friend Helpers at wishing to connect around different concerns or Yearly Meeting Gathering on the Quakers in Britain interests. The Island Quakers cluster is an example website. Before and during the event our group of of this: we became aware of the challenges that ten volunteers was supported by two members of face Friends who live on smaller islands and the Friends House staff. They explained our role and common experience they share despite being at helped us create a system for splitting up the work. a distance from each other. This cluster is helping We did everything from setting up the areas used for its members to develop into a community through sessions, to making sure water tanks were filled, to electronic communications. charging mobility scooters at the end of each day. “I enjoyed working with and getting to know the Connecting with other faiths other volunteers. We spent a lot of our time off Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith together, exploring the area around Bath, and felt Relations (QCCIR) is a standing committee close by the end of the week. The work could be of Britain Yearly Meeting. It works with other tiring, and finding a good system of working that churches and faiths to achieve common goals, agreed with everyone was a challenge. The reward engaging in interfaith dialogue and supporting was knowing that the week had gone relatively Friends in local ecumenical and interfaith work. smoothly, showing we had done our job right! To ensure it continues to appropriately “It was wonderful to see 2,000 Quakers gather for represent Friends on national church and a week to discuss important issues and decide on faith bodies, QCCIR engaged in a year-long business matters in a peaceful and passionate way. conversation with British Quakers on theism The joy and sense of community at Quaker and nontheism. These discussions began with events will never cease to amaze me, and I felt a day-long conference called ‘Faith: what’s God really happy to help make that week a success.” got to do with it?’ and continued with a series of exploratory sessions at Yearly Meeting Gathering. In 2014 QCCIR members were active in Churches Together in England and were delighted to host a speaker from Action of Churches Together in Scotland at their meeting in Dunblane in June. Mindful of our role as a peace church, members were active in interfaith peace dialogue, particularly where we witnessed international events impact heavily on the Jewish and Muslim communities. Connecting with Quakers The Young Friend Helpers enjoying some time out. worldwide Ellie is third from the right. Photo: Colin Billett Quaker World Relations Committee (QWRC) works to sustain and develop Britain Yearly

9 Strengthening our spiritual roots Meeting’s relationships with other yearly meetings in shaping a programme that meets their needs. and Quaker groups around the world. Globally, We developed some initial proposals and in the Quakers span a broad spectrum of beliefs and spring invited meetings to take part in a national disciplines. By connecting with Friends overseas consultation. We are now exploring a model in and experiencing their traditions we may deepen which regional workers act as a bridge between our own faith and practice. local meetings and the many types of support At Yearly Meeting Gathering we hosted Friends available from Woodbrooke and BYM. We are from other European yearly meetings, including beginning to work out details and to talk with France, Finland, and the Netherlands. We will be Quakers locally to find out where and how we forming a QWRC Quaker Life Network cluster could develop a pilot regional worker scheme. to broaden the reach of our work. This will help develop international Quaker work, contacts and Supporting spiritual community and enable more Friends to connect development: new resources with one another informally. Autumn saw the launch of Being Friends Together, an online learning project that will support Quaker Supporting Quaker chaplaincy meetings to develop Working in a variety of settings including prisons, spiritually and grow as universities and hospitals, Quaker chaplains communities. The joint offer friendship and spiritual advice to people project from Britain of all faiths and none. We support them by Yearly Meeting and providing conferences, training and development Woodbrooke Quaker opportunities, while offering specialist support to Study Centre is based our prison chaplaincy teams. At present about 90 around easy-to-use prisons in Britain benefit from a Quaker chaplain. online resources, In 2014 we brought together a group of Quaker complemented by chaplains to explore their role and to share their optional support visits experiences and approaches. from experienced Friends. The resulting insights led This is a major project that brings together us to produce A brief guide a comprehensive range of learning materials to Quaker chaplaincy in and ideas for activity and engagement. The key July. It draws on the direct purpose is to nourish and strengthen the life of experience of Quaker meetings, encouraging them to begin by reflecting chaplains and what their on their life together and to identify areas of ministry means to them. challenge, growth and possibility. The group also formed a In 2014 we published several new resources Chaplaincy Cluster within the to support Friends and meetings. Living eldership: Quaker Life Network (see a journey of discovery is a personal account of page 9). The cluster will help eldership as spiritual accompaniment and includes to connect Quaker chaplains, a course guide to help Quakers explore the promote positive approaches topic. Sharing our meetings’ stories is a collection and best practice, and of meetings’ experiences contribute to the development and training of new showing how our spiritual Quaker chaplains. journeys can strengthen both the life of our meetings and Supporting vibrant meetings our engagement with the Vibrancy in Meetings is a project that aims wider world. New expressions to create support structures that will enable of Quaker community Quaker meetings in Britain to be more positive, challenges meetings to coherent, confident and sustainable. A joint engage with some stimulating initiative of Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) and questions about how we Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, it will help might find new ways of being both organisations shape their work to strengthen a Quaker community. It too and support local meetings and bring vibrancy to forms part of Being Friends our yearly meeting. Together. Input from local and area meetings was vital

Strengthening our spiritual roots 10 Witness through action

All of our work is rooted in our ones. One initiative was our comment upon the Quaker faith. By putting our testi- Tower of London’s poppy installation, ‘Blood Swept monies into action in Britain and Land and Seas of Red’, which represented the overseas we live out our faith in the number of British military deaths from World War world. In 2014 we challenged milita- I. We developed a map to show all global deaths risation, called for climate justice and an end to from the war. Published online by The Guardian, the food poverty in the UK, and continued to support map was viewed by over 13,000 people within a grassroots activists in Britain and East Africa. We matter of days and quadrupled the usual traffic to spent £2.3m on witness work in 2014. our website. Peace education Disarmament We promote and develop peace education in The Quaker peace testimony leads us to promote schools and communities by creating resources, disarmament. We work with other organisations, nurturing the peace education movement and policymakers and the public to campaign for a supporting the initiatives of Friends. In 2014 we peacebuilding approach to security. developed our work to challenge the militarisation Last year we reported on our growing concern of children and young people. We produced at the UK government’s efforts to militarise society. two World War I (WWI) We have responded by working both to expose school resources, Conscience and stem this policy. In March we released a and Conviction, to help briefing, The new tide of militarisation, to highlight students think critically about the government’s militarisation strategy and its militarism and the conse- effect on many aspects of quences of warfare and learn public life in Britain. It met about conscientious objection with an enthusiastic response as a human right. These from Quakers particularly at have been widely promoted Yearly Meeting Gathering, by Quakers to their local where it generated a great schools and used in lessons deal of discussion. We are and workshops, museums, now collecting stories from libraries and conferences. Friends that will form the Initial social media work basis of a follow-up publi- generated interest among cation on how they are 5,000 people and the responding to militarisation. resources are now available Quakers across Britain on a wide range of websites, celebrated the UN Inter- including those of the Imperial national Day of Peace on War Museum and the Times 21 September, for which we produced ‘Ideas for Educational Supplement. action’ leaflets. Later that week, ahead of the We also published special issues of Journeys in the Spirit, our monthly resource for use in children’s meetings. We challenged the accepted WWI narrative, which rarely features conscientious objectors and fails to criticise war itself. Many schools embarked on WWI-related projects in 2014 and we were gratified to hear from teachers expressing both their discomfort at militaristic messages and their appreciation at having alternative resources to hand. A child watches the Armed Forces Day national event In August we boosted capacity to promote and in Plymouth. Photo: UK Ministry of Defence / Flickr CC enhance existing pieces of work and initiate new BY-NC

11 Witness through action parliamentary vote on air strikes against Islamic State, we sent a letter to the Prime Minister Working for peace urging restraint and the pursuit of peace through Angharad Thain was a UK Quaker peaceworker diplomacy and multifaith dialogue: in 2013/14 “During my year as a peaceworker I was based at “…it is often easier to start a war than to end it, St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace and additional violence itself fuels a bloody and in London. My role involved coordinating the Conflict destructive cycle. Such violence threatens us all.” Resilience Programme, which aims to support faith community members and leaders to become more Trident conscious in their responses to conflict and more Trident – Britain’s nuclear weapons system – is confident in their approach to challenging issues. mounted on four submarines, which are due to “The programme had been developed through a be retired over the next ten to fifteen years. The series of consultations and conversations with faith three main political parties all plan to replace communities when my peaceworker year began, Trident at enormous expense, with a final decision but without the staff capacity to carry it through. due to be taken in 2016. My placement enabled the Conflict Resilience Following the Trident Commission’s disap- Programme to happen, and also provided an extra pointing conclusion in July that there is no credible member of staff to a small team, further increasing alternative to the UK retaining its nuclear weapons, programme, event and administration support. we have been campaigning for the government “The placement was a privilege, and my link with to meet its legal obligation under the Non-Prolif- Quaker Peace & Social Witness and Quaker networks eration Treaty to negotiate the elimination of its has had a profound effect on the future direction of nuclear weapons. my life and work. It gave me amazing experience in In a letter to The Times in September we joined the sector and opened my eyes to what it means to with other churches to call on the government to work for peace. cancel the replacement of Trident and lead the “After my year I was lucky enough to be able to stay way in creating a nuclear weapons-free world. on at St Ethelburga’s, and I am currently working as We have been working with peace organisations Programme Coordinator for the Community Recon- to ensure that the issue of Trident gets onto the ciliation, Christian-Jewish and Coaching through political agenda ahead of the 2015 general election. Conflict programmes.” Peaceworker scheme Through our peaceworker scheme we fund one-year placements with organisations working for peace in Britain and abroad. The scheme strengthens the peace movement and host organisations, develops individuals and builds lasting relationships. In 2014 three UK peaceworkers completed their placements with organisations in Britain whose work we support:

Andrew Dey (War Resisters’ International (WRI) The 2013/14 UK and Africa peaceworkers. Angharad is and Action Atomic Weapons Eradication (AWE)): bottom right. Photo: Britain Yearly Meeting

“Relationships, skills, experience, knowledge of nuclear issues… I see [my next job] as a direct “We’re extremely grateful to you for choosing product of this year.” Angharad, who was a perfect match for us. She now has a significant place in our future.” “A big thank you for supporting Action AWE in this way. We couldn’t have built the campaign Andy Pask (Cord). This led to a full-time job with without this support.” this organisation, working for sustainable peace.

Angharad Thain (St Ethelburga’s Centre for Recon- ciliation and Peace).

Witness through action 12 Three new peaceworkers began their placements report examining military recruitment methods in in September: the UK with Forces Watch. Elisa Haf is placed jointly with WRI and Betsy Barkas is placed with Oxford Research ForcesWatch. She is helping to produce a new Group in its Sustainable Security programme. international handbook on conscientious objection She is developing their work on climate change, with WRI, and a revision of Informed Choice, a environmental justice and resource conflict. Matthew Burnett-Stuart is placed with Campaign Against Arms Trade, working on two projects: using research on the arms trade at the Bringing together Quaker time of WWI to mobilise campaigns around similar activists situations today, and working with the Labour Colin Hall, Luton Quaker Meeting attended the Party and trade unions to convert arms trade jobs Activist Gathering in November to renewables. “On 15 November 2014 I attended the Quaker Activist Gathering at Friends House in London. Before Quaker activists come together I became a Quaker about five years ago I had never In November we held a Quaker Activist Gathering been on any sort of march or street demonstration. I in the newly refurbished Large Meeting House had hesitated whether to attend the gathering. I have at Friends House, London. Around 60 Quaker been deeply inspired by what individual Quakers have activists came together to share their stories and achieved in their campaigns for peace and justice. But understanding and to develop ideas for future what had I done in comparison? actions. “A workshop raised profound questions. What are The event explored ways of bringing about key characteristics of specifically Quaker activism? effective and lasting change on a wide range of Some answers included: expressing a ‘Truth-force’, issues and in a variety of ways. Parts of the day ‘being driven against my own inclinations’, persisting were held in worship: witness is a central part in the face of uncertainty of outcome. The means of the Quaker tradition and our activism stems must mirror the ends: nonviolence in what we do from our faith as we discern the route forward. and how we get there. Most movingly for me, some Workshops helped participants explore this of us shared our sense of vulnerability, our fear in relationship, share common tactics and develop confronting the powers that be. their social media skills as a networking tool. “Two weeks later I remembered the gathering at a mass ‘die-in’ on the cold, hard tarmac of Regent “[It was] a chance to feel connected to others Street to mark the thousands of deaths resulting who share my values and concerns.” from fuel poverty. We were all vulnerable individuals, but speaking out against the system of corporate “A lot came out of a short event.” ownership and exploitation of the planet and its people in whatever ways we could find.” Those present were keen to meet again, and we are considering how to build on this in 2015. Turning the Tide Our Turning the Tide Programme aims to advance the understanding and practice of active nonviolence to bring about a just and peaceful world. Nonviolent approaches to conflict spring directly from Quaker testimony and the programme is one of the few of its kind to be rooted in spiritual practice. In 2014 we delivered workshops for the Northern Friends Peace Board, Action Atomic Weapons Eradication (AWE) and the Iona Community. We attended The Spark activist festival, Northumbria Quakers’ Hexham Debates, Colin taking part in a ‘die-in’ for ‘No more deaths from the Quaker Activist Gathering (see above) and fuel poverty: Energy Justice Now!’. Photo: Sunniva Taylor held exploratory sessions at Yearly Meeting Gathering. We contributed a section to the revised

13 Witness through action Handbook for nonviolent campaigns published On 21 September, UN International Day of by War Resisters’ International and had articles Peace, Quakers were among those taking part in published in Peace News and The Friend about the the Global Day of Climate Action. Hundreds of origins of transformational social action training. thousands of people joined marches and actions Much of the year was spent reviewing and around the world to call for climate justice and repositioning the programme for the future. We peace. Quakers joined marches in London, are developing a new model of work in which we Edinburgh, Newcastle, Bristol and Cambridge and will work alongside activist groups and Quaker held vigils in Birmingham, Norwich and Ashburton. meetings over a period of time to increase their The actions took place two days before the effectiveness, as opposed to our traditional one-off UN Climate Summit in New York, where world workshops. This will be supported by a process leaders announced actions intended to avert the of developing and strengthening the skills and worst effects of climate change. knowledge of our volunteer Resource People, who We will continue to put pressure on decision- undertake the work, and a more effective commu- makers as they engage with the ongoing UN nications strategy. climate negotiation process, which is intended We know that individuals can feel isolated in to result in a new international climate change their activism so in the year to come we aim to agreement in Paris in December 2015. tailor the support we offer to their needs. By Ahead of the summit in New York we joined creating and cultivating links between them we with 11 other Quaker bodies from around the hope to make them more effective in their work world in signing up to a shared Quaker statement for social change. on climate change:

Quakers and education “We recognise the connections between climate In August we facilitated a Quaker Values in change and global economic injustice as well Education Conference at Woodbrooke Quaker as unprecedented levels of consumption, and Study Centre. The event arose from a growing question assumptions of unlimited economic concern, in particular about the current state- growth on a planet with limited natural maintained education system in England. Several resources.” area meetings had raised the issue at Meeting for Sufferings – our national representative body – in late 2013. Some Friends from those and other area meetings wanted to continue to explore these issues, and with Woodbrooke we agreed to support this process of Quaker discernment. The conference was attended by over 40 Friends, who brought their expertise and a wide range of involvement with the state education system. At the end of a productive weekend participants agreed a statement intended to communicate with Friends and to provide a foundation for action. Sustainability and economic justice Quakers gather at the Global Day of Climate Action in We help Quakers and others to live more November. Photo: Andrew Dey sustainably and to explore the connections between sustainability, economics and peace. We The Global Day of Climate Action demonstrated work to influence politicians and decision-makers the depth and breadth of concern about climate to help transform Britain. We actively challenge change, and we were inspired by the number the current economic system, which causes huge and variety of local Quaker actions. Events like inequalities and climate change, and seek alter- these help us forge links with Friends willing to native models for a fairer and more sustainable take action in the future and we will continue to society. support them in their witness.

Witness through action 14 Supporting meetings to take action on management choices, and we hope that this will economics, sustainability and peace be confirmed by a survey of Quaker treasurers In the spring we grew our capacity to better in 2016. We delivered five workshops for local enable us to support Friends to be active and area meetings and community groups. These campaigners on economic justice and sustain- have proven to be a valuable opportunity to think ability. We are now developing our networking together about how meetings’ finances reflect and communication tools, and helping to organise Quaker values. events such as the Quaker Activist Gathering (see page 13). We also hope to improve links and End Hunger Fast skills-sharing across the yearly meeting to build an In 2013 more than 900,000 people received active community and strengthen the impact of support from UK food banks. During Lent 2014 our work. Quakers throughout Britain took part in the End Hunger Fast campaign, which pushed concerns Sustainability and New Economy Grants about hunger and food poverty to the top of the Our relaunched Sustainability and New Economy political and media agenda. Grants opened for applications in April, and a The campaign was launched with a high-profile total of £5,000 was distributed to Quaker-backed open letter to the Prime Minister, in which we projects at the end of the year. These included: and senior representatives of other Christian faiths stated that the rapid growth of food banks l ‘Footpaths’, a community carbon reduction amounted to a “national crisis”. The letter called on project initiated by Stocksfield Quaker Meeting the government to tackle the root causes by inves- l Northfield Ecocentre’s urban orchard project, tigating failing food markets, securing a living wage initiated by Central England Quakers and ensuring the welfare system provides a robust l a grant towards the establishment of a local last line of defence against hunger. currency for Exeter, a project of Transition Exeter and supported by Exeter Friends l a grant towards a grass-free lawn for Dorchester Quaker Meeting.

These grants help Quakers realise our faith commitments to sustainability and a ‘new economy’ based on equality and justice. We renamed the grants to reflect the increasing link between climate and equality issues, fuel poverty being a case in point. As part of our central support for grassroots initiatives, we aim to provide crucial funds to small, radical projects that might otherwise have difficulty securing financial support and getting off the ground.

Your Faith, Your Finance As an expression of Quaker testimony we aim to empower Friends and meetings to make active choices about the way in which they use their money. Last year we reported on a new website designed to enable religious communities and individuals to explore ethical and spiritual questions around finance. In 2014 we maintained, developed and promoted the Your Faith, Your Finance site and published articles and briefings to Friends around the country took part in a ‘National Day raise awareness of the issues. We were pleased of Fasting’ for the End Hunger Fast campaign. Staff at to witness increased traffic to and prolonged Friends arranged a ‘foodless picnic’ (top: photo Britain browsing of the site. Yearly Meeting) and Stroud Friends organised a ‘foodless Feedback from Friends has shown that dinner party’ (bottom: photo Monica Jones) to raise meetings are increasingly making active money awareness of increased levels of hunger in Britain.

15 Witness through action Quakers joined over 40 other faith leaders and increase their opportunities to engage with taking turns to fast for a day or more, as part MPs, building public pressure on the UK and Irish of a fasting relay over Lent. Throughout Britain governments and the EU to make policy changes Friends and meetings joined in with their own acts necessary for a just peace. A good example of this of witness, with many Friends taking part in the was our work on Palestinian statehood following National Day of Fasting on 4 April. Some used the Quakers’ statement on Gaza at Yearly Meeting campaign period to begin dialogue with elected Gathering (see page 4). representatives or to secure local media coverage. We are now working to expand the programme Others took to the streets to help get the message and are helping to establish EAPPI India. out. We helped to broaden the coalition, showing that many different faith communities share the Peacebuilding in East Africa same concerns. Quakers work with local partners to build a nonviolent grassroots peace movement in East Ecumenical Accompaniment Africa. We support peace activists in Kenya as they Programme in Palestine and spread the tools of active nonviolence to those Israel who want to challenge injustice. The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in In 2014 our active nonviolence work in Kenya Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) is an initiative of the continued to thrive. We expanded to a new region World Council of Churches. It aims to contribute of the country – Nyanza Province – and are now to ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine and working in four regions. We organised an exchange works for a just and sustainable peace. Quakers visit, inviting delegates from Burundi, Rwanda in Britain manage the programme on behalf of and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Churches Together in Britain & Ireland and its come to Kenya to witness first-hand our peace- partner organisations. Between 2002 and the end building approach and campaigns. We are justly of 2014 we have trained 195 volunteer ecumenical proud of our campaign success stories, which in accompaniers (EAs) to provide a protective 2014 included a disability rights group success- presence, support peace activists on both sides, do fully campaigning for the provision of services in a advocacy work and monitor human rights abuses local school, and preventing a private developer in the region. from illegally building on land used by children as a playground.

This Light that Pushes Me Last year we reported on our powerful African Quaker peacebuilders exhibition, first held at Friends House during Yearly Meeting 2013. In April we published a book inspired by those featured in the exhibition. EA Patrick Costello speaks to a local teacher in Al Khader, This Light that Pushes Me tells the personal stories a village near Bethlehem, in November 2014. of Quaker peacebuilders from sub-Saharan Africa Photo: Lorena Pianezza. who are committed to reconciliation and trauma recovery. It has been a very popular title and has In 2014 we enhanced the capacity of the sold around 500 copies. programme’s research and advocacy work. A new Following its release we held a further exhibition post enables us to strengthen ecumenical, inter- at Friends House featuring photographs and faith and NGO partnerships, to better support stories from the book. The exhibition has since ecumenical accompaniers in their advocacy efforts been hosted by Quaker meetings up and down and to take advantage of advocacy opportunities the country, often with accompanying talks and as they arise at national or EU level. We are better discussions. It has now been seen by over 2,500 able to involve Quakers in urgent calls for action people at venues in the UK and US, including the

Witness through action 16 Quaker United Nations Office in New York. It was Supporting projects abroad also shown at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in June, co-chaired by William Through our relief grants scheme we are able to Hague, then Foreign Secretary, and Angelina Jolie, support local, specialist projects. John McConnell, Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for member of Craven & Keighley Area Meeting, Refugees. describes the work of Scholarships 4 Street Kids. “Quaker Peace & Social Witness is currently funding “Humbling, encouraging, inspiring and two of Scholarships 4 Street Kids (S4SK) Non-formal mind-blowing! All of them have beautiful hearts Education classes in Pakkoku, about 650km North of doing extraordinary things in love.” Yangon in Myanmar. “There are currently 24 children in the two classes, “I came across this exhibition by accident. It is of whom nine have never been in school at all, and very humbling and very powerful in its simple the rest dropped out before completing primary truths. I’ve learned a lot. Thank you and God school. They work as scavengers, bean peelers, bless these people in their healing work.” welding assistants, and on construction sites for around $2 per day. “A timely reminder as we pause to reflect on “We provide a small payment to compensate the other wars. An incredibly hopeful, inspiring families for the time while the children are in class. exhibition.” Classes of three hours take place five days per week, and are packed with activities that make learning fun. “This Light that Pushes Me […] will illuminate the We train our teachers in Active Learning. rest of my life. Thank you.” “The children love it and put lots of energy into learning. They learn handicrafts too, and there is an additional sewing and tailoring class they can join if they wish. We provide scholarships for vocational training, then low interest micro-loans to help older students start small businesses. “Our vision is that with successive interventions, each building on the other, we can bring change to these children’s lives. “At the time of writing, S4SK-Myanmar is running 17 Non-formal Education classes, providing education to around 225 out-of-school children across Myanmar.” Our This Light that Pushes Me exhibition at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in June. Photo: Victor Ochen

Africa peaceworkers Our peaceworkers build the capacity of local organisations and learn a great deal during their placements, lessons they carry with them throughout their careers. We now have a network of past peaceworkers working in the field who have been exposed to Quaker values and ways of working in authentic partnership.

Crime, community and justice Quakers’ historic involvement with the criminal Photo: Scholarships 4 Street Kids justice system continues today. We campaign for a restorative rather than retributive approach to justice, encouraging greater compassion at all levels, and advise on how to offer practical help to prisoners’ families and friends.

17 Witness through action Voting rights for prisoners Quakers at the United Nations Prisoners in England, Scotland and Wales are From its offices in Geneva and New York, the denied the right to vote in local or national Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) facili- government elections. We believe their incarcer- tates dialogue between governments, NGOs and ation is punishment enough and that even in prison experts to help the UN work effectively for peace they remain citizens. and justice. The work is done on behalf of Quakers The European Court of Human Rights has around the world and brings Quaker concerns declared this blanket ban illegal since it breaches and values to the UN and related agencies. Britain prisoners’ right to take part in free elections. Yearly Meeting provides substantial funding for We have been calling on MPs to support this work and appoints half of QUNO Geneva’s prisoners’ right to vote and published a briefing governing body. for Friends setting out how to take action. Sadly, QUNO provides a unique space for UN a draft Bill to allow prisoners to vote, due to diplomats to talk off the record, enabling them be brought to Parliament in 2014, has yet to be to explore together ways to make progress debated. However, a new Private Members’ Bill within the UN’s structures. It also works to get was presented in December. We will be writing to issues or groups of people that may otherwise the sponsoring MP and releasing a revised briefing be overlooked onto the agenda. During 2014 in early 2015. QUNO developed a series of ‘quiet dinners’ for Other areas of criminal justice policy we have those involved in the climate change negotiations responded to this year include: and addressed the issue of children whose parents have been sentenced to death or executed. We l The Sentencing Council’s Theft offences also provided training and preparation for the guideline consultation, which allowed us to QUNO Geneva programme assistants as part of renew our call for more effective, restorative the peaceworker programme. practices in prisons and the community. l The Justice Select Committee’s inquiry, Prisons: planning and policies. Quakers have expressed concern about the increasing privatisation of prisons and probation services. Grants programme Grants are one expression of our testimonies to equality and peace. Many come from legacies and gifts entrusted to Britain Yearly Meeting and support the discernment and concerns of local and area meetings. In 2014 we awarded a Simmons Grant to an Ebola relief project. This supported 42 people linked to the Future View Film Group, a group of young actors and film-makers from Sierra Leone. They composed a song called ‘Ebola Does Not Discriminate’ to educate citizens about safe practices and to encourage them to heed precau- tions issued by the country’s health authorities. Our grants programme underwent a process of change in 2014. We worked towards a merger of the Quaker Peace & Social Witness Grants Group and the Education Grants Group, which will happen at the start of 2015. The two groups distributed £117,000 in 2014 to programmes including the Gerald Hodgett bursaries and awards dispersed by Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre and the Quaker Peace Studies Trust at the University of Bradford.

Witness through action 18 Using our resources well

Consolidating our energy collectively. The scheme enables its Communication & members to buy renewable electricity on Services Department an annual joint contract to show support for 2014 was a period of consolidation renewable energy while also keeping costs down for the Communication & Services by benefiting from group purchasing discounts. Department at Friends House, which was created Friends House and 37 meeting houses have following a restructure in 2012. A larger pool of joined the scheme and it is hoped that REGBI’s staff helped us deliver a vibrant and enriching group purchasing power will grow as more Yearly Meeting Gathering. The department gained meeting houses, church buildings and charities sign greater news coverage for Quaker stories in 2014. up. The scheme started as an idea at Huddersfield We provided workshops for Friends planning to Quaker Meeting and is provided through 2buy2, work with the media, led national responses to a national procurement service for charities and the Lobbying Act and promoted pacifism on the businesses. It is helping Friends House and meeting

centenary of World War I (see pages 3 and 4). houses reduce their CO2 emissions by a total of We commissioned a web agency to develop 188 tonnes per year by supplying 400,000kWhs of a new Quakers in Britain website and our social renewable electricity. media following exceeded 8,000 people. We improved the efficiency and effectiveness of our Relandscaping Friends House office systems, from the processing of financial garden contributions and offers of service, to developing In 2013 new regulations were introduced the suitability of committee papers for use with requiring buildings drawing more than 200amps text-to-speech and digital formats. of electricity from the national grid to have their own substation. Britain Yearly Meeting Quaker meeting houses heritage Trustees responded with a proposal to excavate project Friends House garden and locate the substation In 2014 English Heritage began assessing the below ground while taking the opportunity to architectural and cultural significance of Quaker relandscape the garden to incorporate a new meeting houses in England, and the project will entrance ramp and terraces outside Friends extend to Wales, Scotland and the Channel Islands. House Restaurant and the Quaker Centre Café. We have been supporting this survey by providing The proposal, firmly emphasising accessibility and relevant information, drawing on a network of outreach, was approved and excavation work Quaker volunteers to provide cost-effective and began in June 2014. well-placed support for English Heritage. The survey aims to:

l assess the heritage values of 329 meeting houses and 27 associated burial grounds for all those involved in their care and management l develop a holistic approach to assessing significance, threats and opportunities facing sites and their associated burial grounds l provide local and area meetings with a planning tool suitable for the strategic management of their historic buildings l increase, where appropriate, the use of meeting houses l engage the Quaker community, as volunteers, in helping to conserve their heritage. Supporting renewable energy Early 2014 saw the launch of the Renewable Energy Group Buying Initiative (REGBI), designed Artist’s impression of the re-landscaped Friends House to help churches and charities buy renewable garden. Image: John McAslan + Partners

19 Using our resources well Governance

Over the last 40 years I have wrestled with what prepared annually for trustees by Management it is to be a person of faith, and what that does to Meeting. my day-to-day life. I have found myself living in the Our governance relies upon wide participation public sphere as a known Quaker, and have had to of members, and we depend on Friends to come to terms with the expectations that this lays on discover and exercise their gifts and to offer them me. I have developed a passion for good governance in service to God and our community. – in Quaker terms, Gospel Order – and see this as something of which we, you and I in the Religious Governing document Society of Friends in Britain, are stewards as surely as The governing document of Britain Yearly Meeting we are stewards of the Earth… (BYM) was reviewed by Yearly Meeting in 2014. It is drawn largely from passages in Quaker faith & Stewardship involves prayer, and it involves thought, practice, which constitutes the Christian discipline and it involves applying what emerges from the two. of BYM. In addition to governance, Quaker faith As individuals our particular talents may lead us to & practice contains advice and counsel, the greater emphasis on one of those elements, but they encouragement of self-questioning, and of hearing can never be wholly divided within any of us, and as a each other in humility and love. community we need to be faithful to all three: prayer, Quaker faith & practice was first compiled in thought and application. manuscript form in 1738 and is revised at intervals. The last complete revision was approved by BYM Christine A M Davis, 2008, in 1994 and has been amended regularly since Quaker faith & practice 15.01 then. A fifth edition was published in 2013. Yearly Meeting 2014 commissioned Quaker The Trustees of Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) are Stewardship Committee to carry out a review responsible for ensuring that the governance of of the terms of reference of BYM Trustees, with matters relating to the church and to the charity is a new version expected to be laid before Yearly carried out with integrity. Trustees are accountable Meeting in 2016 to Quakers in Britain for the central work carried out in their name, and for ensuring that BYM The duty of Trustees complies with the law. It is the duty of Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) The Recording Clerk and Management Meeting Trustees to: advise, and are accountable to, Trustees and oversee the work that is undertaken. This work is l ensure that the priorities for the work set out contained within the operational plan and budget by Yearly Meeting and Meeting for Sufferings are taken forward with the right use of our resources l ensure that the governance and management of the work carried out are in accordance with the objectives set out in the governing document and compliant with the law.

In addition, the board of directors of Friends House (London) Hospitality Limited is appointed by, and reports annually to, BYM Trustees. Trustees have three subcommittees: Audit Committee, Employment Committee, and Finance & Property Committee. Trustees are further supported by standing committees, whose work is included in this report. The Trustees, together with the standing committees below, define policies and decide the work to be done.

Quaker faith & practice, Britain Yearly Meeting’s book of l Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith discipline. Photo: © Mike Pinches 2014 Relations

Governance 20

l Quaker Life Central Committee The conduct of business and the review of l Quaker Peace & Social Witness Central standing committees Committee As reported last year, Trustees continued to work l Quaker World Relations Committee. on the review of standing committees asked for by Yearly Meeting in 2011. The intention is to develop Britain Yearly Meeting staff greater capacity for strategic decision-making and Trustees delegate the responsibility for closer links with trustees to inform resourcing and implementing decisions and managing the work policy decisions. Trustees have now established to senior staff (Management Meeting). In 2014, a pattern of reporting designed to ensure they Management Meeting comprised: remain well-informed and the work of standing committees is well scrutinised. Trustees approved l Helen Drewery, General Secretary of Quaker new terms of reference for all four committees. Peace & Social Witness All Trustee, committee and subcommittee l Gina Fenton, Head of Communication & meetings are held as meetings for worship for Services business in accordance with Quaker faith & practice. l Paul Grey, Head of Facilities & Hospitality Trustees appoint two elders each year to sustain l Paul Parker, Recording Clerk and support the right holding of the meeting. l Vincent Poupard, General Secretary of Quaker Trustees receive copies of the full minutes of Finance & Property Management Meeting, thus ensuring that those l Juliet Prager, Deputy Recording Clerk matters which are under consideration by our l Richard Summers, General Secretary of officers are known, whilst also ensuring that the Quaker Life. boundaries between operational and strategic direction are preserved. The Recording Clerk Britain Yearly Meeting employed 144 staff attends all meetings of Trustees and reports (133.7fte) across its departments in 2014, including to them on each occasion about the work of 49 (42fte) at Friends House (London) Hospitality Management Meeting. Trustees also spend time Limited. without staff at each of their meetings. Trustees have a good relationship with Meeting Developments in governance for Sufferings, the standing representative council Trustees keep their collective strengths and of Quakers in Britain. All trustees are members weaknesses under constant review. Trustees of Meeting for Sufferings and attend its meetings use regular training to reinforce those strengths regularly to participate in the discernment. There and to address any weaknesses. All trustees are regular opportunities for members of Meeting are offered training in a range of areas related for Sufferings to engage with Trustees to ask to their responsibilities. New trustees receive questions and seek explanation and clarification of induction and briefing materials. They take part in aspects of Trustees’ business. Trust is central to all a reflective review at the end of their first year of our relationships, and its preservation is a matter service, and again when they complete their term. of vigilance and sensitivity. The findings of these reviews are reported back to the Trustee body. Securing the future of Swarthmoor Hall In reflecting on the Trustees’ work in 2014, Following a review of options, Trustees decided several areas of governance merit particular during 2014 to transfer responsibility for the attention: day-to-day running of Swarthmoor Hall from Quaker Life to the Hospitality Company. The l the conduct of business, including the home of Margaret Fell, this historic house in implementation of a major review of the Cumbria will continue to offer accommodation, relationship between Trustees and the standing tours, courses and outreach opportunities. committees l the transfer of responsibility for the The Large Meeting House project commercial activities of Swarthmoor Hall from In November, the refurbished Large Meeting Quaker Life to the Hospitality Company House at Friends House was launched for public l the completion of the Large Meeting House and Quaker use. The two-year project, funded refurbishment project from the proceeds of the sale of a long lease l responding to new legislation covering on Courtauld House, saw improvements to non-party campaigning and lobbying. accessibility, acoustics, sustainability and versatility

21 Governance We have procedures in place to ensure that appropriate staff and volunteers who work with children and young people obtain criminal records checks as required. Our safeguarding procedures and policies are kept under review, with changes to safeguarding legislation and regulation being a useful and periodic prompt.

Trustees serving during 2014 Jennifer Barraclough Clerk Oxford & Swindon Area Meeting (AM)

James Eddington Lancashire Central & North AM Meeting for Sufferings met for the first time in the refurbished Large Meeting House, otherwise known as ‘The Gethin Evans Light’ in December. Photo: © Mike Pinches 2014 Mid Wales AM of the space. It had remained largely unaltered Nick Francis since its construction in 1926. Friends House West Wiltshire & East Somerset AM Quaker Meeting held the first meeting in the refurbished room in November, which trustees Sheila Gatiss were glad to join. Cambridgeshire AM The space will remain the home of Britain Yearly Meeting in session when held in London, and is Ingrid Greenhow Assistant Clerk available for commercial hire under the name ‘The Chilterns AM Light’ through Friends House (London) Hospitality Limited. These lettings will raise income for our Sandy Horsfall charitable work and contribute to the running London West AM costs of the building. Alison Ironside Transparency of lobbying Central England AM This legislation, which requires any charity campaigning in ways which might be deemed to Roy Love influence the outcome of an election to register Sheffield & Balby AM with the state if its expenditure exceeds certain (transferred to York AM during 2014) limits, came into effect in the autumn of 2014. Following careful consideration, and consultation Lynn Moseley with Meeting for Sufferings, Trustees decided to South Wales AM register as a non-party campaigner, but reaffirmed that, above all, our responsibility is to act and David Olver speak as we are guided by faith. Trustees continue Craven & Keighley AM to make known Friends’ disquiet about the effects of this legislation. Michael Phipps Chilterns AM Safeguarding procedures “How can we make the meeting a community in Geoffrey Rendle which each person is accepted and nurtured?” North West London AM (Quaker faith & practice 1.18) As Quakers, we seek to create a community where all can worship Graham Taylor safely, whatever their age. There are also legal and Northumbria AM regulatory safeguarding requirements laid upon us as a charity. The ministry of working with children Peter Ullathorne Treasurer or vulnerable adults may not be right for everyone, Central England AM or open to all.

Governance 22 Generating income

We thank Friends whose financial In 2015 we intend to address the issue of support during 2014, individually, tax justice, both through engagement via our in their meetings or through their brokers and through our own research on those trusts, has made a connection with companies in whom we invest. our work in the world and the The total surplus for the year of £1.3 million support we have been able to offer to meetings. has been taken to reserves; much of this arises Our 2014 income from all sources was £11.3 from the unrealised surpluses on the revaluation million. Although income from any single source of Britain Yearly Meeting’s listed securities; it may vary from year to year, the aggregate is should also be recognised that legacy income again sufficiently predictable that we are able confidently exceeded our expectations. to plan our programmes of continuing work. In 2012 we designated the sum of £4.959 million Over the recent past, legacies are the most to cover the past-service deficit in respect of the volatile of our income streams. Trustees have pension scheme administered by the Pensions worked to allocate above average legacy receipts Trust. Since 2013 we have been making additional in ways that make a difference to the level of work regular monthly payments with the intention of we can undertake, but without creating long-term eliminating the deficit over ten years. As reported obligations that may not be sustainable. Although last year, it was decided to cease membership the slower flow of contributions during early 2014 of the Pension Trust Growth Plan in 2014. We caused some concern, we are pleased to note that anticipate that we will exit the Plan during 2015. by the end of the year we had slightly exceeded Our general reserves as at 31 December 2014 the 2013 total. We are greatly encouraged by this amount to some £13.5 million. Trustees regard evidence of Friends’ continuing support for the this as the minimum level required for the prudent work done in their name. stewardship of the Yearly Meeting’s affairs. The Large Meeting House is largely complete, at a cost of just under £5 million and within budget. Financial position The result is a meeting space that can justifiably Our net current assets (short-term bank deposits, be called a fitting worship room in the Quaker monies owed to us, less monies owed by us and tradition. Further work in 2015, including a redesign payable within one year) stood at £6.8 million. of the garden entrance and improvements to These provide a suitable level of cash resources accessibility will provide a more welcoming space for our activities and enable us to meet the cost of together with a mandatory upgrade to our power capital projects, without the need to sell any of our supply. long-term investments. Friends House (London) Hospitality Limited continues to raise income from conferences, Looking forward meetings and catering provision. The company’s Our financial position at the year-end was trading surplus and share of the premises costs, sufficient to accommodate most unforeseeable totalling £1.2 million, covered most of Friends fluctuations in income or expenditure. We continue House running costs. 2014 trading activity was to monitor carefully both income and expenditure. lower than in 2013 because of the Large Meeting House refurbishment, but by the end of the Support of Friends year it was back to normal, with added income Acknowledging that in seeking resources for our generated by the Large Meeting House, marketed work from Friends we are in competition with to outside users as ’The Light‘. The Quaker Centre many other good causes, and that we cannot Café has also been refurbished and is consistently expect to be immune from the general economic appreciated by visitors. situation, nevertheless. We affirm our belief that Our investment portfolio, whose market value regular prayerful giving to support our work is part now exceeds £23 million, has performed well, of our personal Quaker witness, and so we look to seemingly unaffected by our decision to reject Friends for their continuing financial support of the fossil-fuel extraction investments. Our investment Society’s work. policy and a listing of our investments as at 31 December 2014, is published on our website Explanation of our income and expenditure can at www.quaker.org.uk/britain-yearly-meeting- be found in full in the financial statements that investment-policy. accompany this report.

23 Generating income Average giving by member, by area meeting Bournemouth Coastal Area Meeting (AM) Mid-Thames AM Brighouse West Yorkshire AM Norfolk & Waveney AM Cambridgeshire AM North West London AM Craven & Keighley AM Northamptonshire AM Devon AM South East London AM East Cheshire AM South East Scotland AM East Kent AM South London AM

£150+ East Scotland AM Surrey & Hampshire Border AM Hampshire & Islands AM Sussex East AM Hertford & Hitchin AM Teesdale & Cleveland AM Leeds AM Thaxted AM Leicester AM West Wiltshire & East Somerset AM Lincolnshire AM Wirral & Chester AM Manchester & Warrington AM York AM Central England AM North Wales AM / CCR Gogledd Cymru Dorset & South Wiltshire AM Northumbria AM Gloucestershire AM Oxford & Swindon AM Ipswich & Diss AM Pendle Hill AM Kendal & Sedbergh AM Sheffield & Balby AM

£100–150 Kingston & Wandsworth AM West Cumbria AM Lancashire Central & North AM West Scotland AM London West AM West Somerset AM Luton & Leighton AM Worcestershire & Shropshire AM Banbury & Evesham AM North Somerset AM Bristol AM Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire AM Central Yorkshire AM Pickering & Hull AM Chilterns AM South Wales AM / CCR De Cymru Cornwall AM Southern East Anglia AM Mid-Essex AM Southern Marches AM / CCR y Gororau Deheuol Mid-Somerset AM Staffordshire AM £50–100 Mid-Wales AM / CCR Canolbarth Cymru Sussex West AM North Cumbria AM Wensleydale & Swaledale AM North East Thames AM West Kent AM North London AM West Weald AM North Scotland AM

Hardshaw & Mann AM Swarthmoor (SW Cumbria) AM £0–50

These figures are calculated using membership information from the 2013 tabular statement and all contributions to Britain Yearly Meeting funds received during the 2014 calendar year. Some contributions given via meetings in 2014, but received by us in 2015, are therefore not included in the figures above.

Table of giving 24 Thank you We warmly thank the following trust and agency donors for their support in 2014:

The 1970 Trust John Cutforth Charitable Trust Bryan Lancaster Trust Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust Bunney Reckitt Trust Larren Art Trust CAFOD Methodist Church CB & HH Taylor Trust Network for Social Change Christian Aid Oakdale Trust Church of Scotland Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation Dennis Family Trust Pollock Memorial Missionary Trust Drewry Charity Trust Roger & Sarah Bancroft Clark Trust E Robson Charitable Trust S C Witting Trust Edith M Ellis Charitable Trust SC & ME Morland’s Charitable Trust Evan Cornish Foundation Scottish Episcopal Church George & Mary Crosfield Charitable Trust Sir James Reckitt Charity Hermon Trust United Reformed Church Hilda & Alice Clark Charitable Settlement Trocaire Hillcote Trust W F Southall Trust HT & LB Cadbury Trust William A Cadbury Charitable Trust Inlight Trust William P Bancroft Charitable Trust JA Trust

We thank Alfred and Isabel Bader for their continuing generous support.

We are grateful to those who left legacies for Quaker work in their wills:

Alan Ivamy Erika Phillips Mary Crompton Pring Alice Allott Geoffrey B Easton Mary Donald Ann Strauss Gordon Richmond Michael Eric Wandless Anne Brooke Helen Major Peggy McGeoghegan Anne Faulkner Henry Alfred Wilson Richard Arkle Avis Swarbrick Jack Slaney Ronald Keith Hillier Beatrice Ethel Minto Jane Douglas Rosemarie Shepherd Caroline Wise John Atkinson Sybille Marie Van der Sprenkel Constance Joan Catteau Joyce Patterson Thomas Marsh Daphne Ogg Kathleen Mary Wright Tobias Brandt Dorothy Cohoe Lucy Aynsley Vera Martin Dorothy H Mounsey Margery P Baillie William Arthur Marsh Dorothy Hoon Marjorie White William Grigor McClelland Dorothy Marshall Mary Alice Perkins William Rowan Edith Walden Mary Beryl Gould

25 Thank you 2014 at a glance

Income (£m) Total = 9.9

0.9

1.3 Legacies Voluntary income

3.7 Legacies

Grants

Contributions

Contribution of the 1.2 Hospitality Company

Investment income

Charitable activities

0.8 2.0 Grants Contributions

Expenditure (£m) Total = 9.1

0.9 Promoting Quakerism Governance costs 2.0 0.3 Cost of generating voluntary income Hospitality Company’s share 1.0 of Friends House costs

Investment management costs Sustaining our 0.4 0.1 church and faith Cost of charitable objectives

Witness through action

Supporting meetings

Sustaining our church and faith

Promoting Quakerism 2.1 2.3 Supporting meetings Witness through action

2014 at a glance 26

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.

0329.CS.0315

0329.CS.0315.RV1