quaker news summer 2005

7/28/2019 Quaker News Summer 2005

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QuakernewsQuarterly publication of Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

SUMMER 2005 No 55

Youth are a means for positivechange in society reality of Gandhisteaching and its importance wemust go through the bottom to reachthe top. This statement was writtenby Subhash Kattel, a 28-year-oldNepali whose father had been indis-criminately killed three years ago inthe violence of Nepals civil war. Foreight days Subhash had been one offifteen South Asians invited by QuakerPeace & Social Witness (QPSW) toexperience the effectiveness of thework of an Indian peoples move-ment, Ekta Parishad (EP meaningUnity Forum), as it mobilised mar-

ginalised people for nonviolent actionin support of their livelihood rights.

By building on friendships new andold, QPSWs recent involvements inthe Indian states of Orissa, Assam andNagaland have aimed to strengthenaction for peace and nonviolence inthe South Asian region.

One morning, the group, broughttogether by QPSW, was ferried acrossan inlet of the huge Chilka Lake in

Orissa, India, to the nearby village.There, Ekta Parishad, working withGandhian principles, dramatised theway in which powerful forces haderoded the livelihoods of local fisher-folk and farmers. The watching chil-dren were glued to the action; manyother villagers remained at a distance.Shortly after, the group discoveredthat EP activists had been told thatthe local mafia a small group oflandowners and business people

had warned the villagers not to attendEkta Parishads meeting. EktaParishad is at an early stage in its

sections of society it is now activein eight Indian states. Their use ofdialogue, advocacy and civil disobe-dience has helped some of Indiasmost disadvantaged to regain landand win compensation for loss of lifeand livelihood. With QPSW support,

EP is willing to share its inspiringwork with grassroots activists inBangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, SriLanka and other parts of India.

Immediately prior to this experi-ence these fifteen S. Asian peace anddevelopment activists eight beingunder thirty and five being women observed and participated in aGandhian four-day training for aboutsixty younger men and women. The

best of these trainees would be givenfurther training and become socialworkers in their own localities.

friendship with those villagers.

The group walked to another vil-lage and paid homage at a memorialstone to a village leader, who, alongwith four others, had been killed bythe police in 1999, when strugglingfor their rights. A Commission waseventually set up to look into thekillings but the report has not yetbeen released. After local spokesper-sons outlined the desperation of theirpresent situation, Ekta Parishad helda public meeting attended by overthree hundred men, women and chil-dren one key message being If youwant change you must organise. Inthe sub-continent where many resortto violence in order to solve their

problems, EP has worked for four-teen years to build a nonviolent peo-ples movement amongst the poorest

The power of a good exampleQuakers aid Gandhian activists to reach beyond India

Ekta Parishad dramatised the way in which powerful forces had eroded the liveli-hoods of local fisherfolk and farmers.The watching children were glued to the

action; many other villagers remained at a distance.

Photo:StuartMorton


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Issues such as Why women shouldhave equal participation in social

change and Why the struggle needsto be nonviolent were debated.Interfaith prayer and dynamic cultur-al activities were part of the rhythmof each day. QPSW then conducted atwo-day workshop with the SouthAsian visitors to reflect on this expe-rience and consider how new learningcould be implemented on return totheir communities.

Ekta Parishad, through its founder,

PV Rajagopal, is also adding itsstrength to the Gandhi Peace Founda-tion (GPF), a non government organi-

the ongoing armed violence. A leaderof the Naga Baptist Church broughtfive others from Nagaland, followinghis own positive experience of EktaParishad work in Orissa. We were toldthe event removed significant mistrustby some Naga people of theGandhians living in Nagaland. Anoffer was made to provide a house forpeace purposes in Assam; this will aim

to improve communication amongstthe unemployed youth of differentNorth Eastern states.

Needing four people to fulfil thepermit requirements, Peter Jackson, NRamamurthy, Penny Robbins andStuart Morton travelled on toNagaland making QPSWs fourth visitin three years. We are grateful that weare now sufficiently trusted to be ableto move freely amongst most of the

main Naga political, military and civilsociety groups. On this occasion, forthe first time, we were able to bring across section of citizens together onseveral occasions to discuss the fluidsituation and future prospects forpeace. As one Naga participant saidWhy is it that we need outsiders inorder to meet like this?

If you would like to be keptinformed about QPSWs work in South

Asia or about Ekta Parishads

work please contact Stuart Morton,Quaker Peace & Social Witness,

at [email protected].

sation based in Delhi. GPF believes itcan help as a catalyst for conflict reso-

lution work in Indias troubled NorthEast. With QPSWs long-standinginvolvement in Nagaland, one of sevenstates in Indias North East where aneight-year ceasefire with theGovernment of India still holds,QPSW agreed to co-fund a North EastConsultation in Assam. QPSW repre-sentatives attended this pioneeringevent in February 2005. More thanforty people from four Indian statesattended. There was a clear presenta-

tion on the strong links between thewide-based poverty in the Northeastand the human and financial costs of

Subhash Kattel (second left) with some members of the Ihiricon campaigning group.

Photo:StuartMorton

About 70 local Meetings and 60 indi-vidual Friends have replied to QuakerLifes request for creative and imagina-tive suggestions regarding the future ofthe Quaker Tapestry. Many Friendshave expressed the hope that theTapestry can remain in its present basein Kendal Friends Meeting House,while others have suggested the valueof using the Tapestry more flexibly,possibly with the assistance of othermuseums and organisations, or withinother Quaker locations, such as Wood-brooke, or Swarthmoor Hall. Therehave been a wide range of suggestionsand these have been incorporated asfar as possible into the thinking of the

Quaker Life Consultation Group.

Some Friends have commented thatthey would have liked more financial

Quaker Tapestry Consultation Updateinformation. However, the role of theQuaker Life Consultation Group, wasnot to suggest ways of addressing theTapestrys annual shortfall of between25,000 and 30,000. The groupsbrief was to work with the TapestryTrustees to help them clarify theirvision for the Tapestry as a Quakerresource before the Trustees presenttheir vision and a business plan toMeeting for Sufferings, who wouldconsider any request for financialassistance.

The Consultation Group report isnow with the Tapestry Trustees whohave been encouraged to submit a new

vision and business plan for considera-tion by Meeting for Sufferings Commit-tee before the proposals are taken toMeeting for Sufferings in the autumn.

Quaker Life Central Committee,

the Consultation Group and all those

concerned with the Quaker Tapestry

are grateful for all the interest which

has been shown and for the prayerfulupholding of concerned Friends.

Phil Lucas, Quaker Life TapestryConsultation Group

Richard Summers, Assistant GeneralSecretary, Quaker Life

Quaker Life Consultation Group meetingwith representatives of the Quaker

Tapestry at Kendal Trustees

PhotobyAdrianRose


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The Greenbelt Festival 2005:Non-standard Christianity in action

I had no idea how big Greenbeltwas. I had no idea how organised itwas; how free it was; how joyful it

was. And I had no idea that therewas such a strong activist, trade jus-tice plank in its platform. AnitaRoddick

Described as a mini-Glastonbury,the annual Greenbelt Christian ArtsFestival is a great celebration of faith,peace, justice and church community.

Over the August bank holiday,15,000 people gather nearCheltenham from many differentchurches to share perspectives on

their faith and the issues of the day,as well as to enjoy music, the artsand meeting new people.

Rowan Williams, who spoke atlast years festival, described it as

part of the non-standard Christianitythat keeps you going, and it is easyto see what he means. Greenbeltattracts some of the worlds bestspeakers in radical theology and wit-ness, as well as some excellent musi-

cians and artists. Ched Myers andJeffrey John were among the speakersin 2004, while the soul/folk singerTerry Callier was one of several musi-cal highlights. You can even goChristian speed-dating, but mercifullyyou dont have to.

Quakers will be there, too.Cheltenham Friends arrange aMeeting for Worship on the Sunday,while Quaker Peace & Social Witness

works with other Christian peaceorganisations to produce the festivalsPeace Zone. Using displays, discus-sion, sculpture and multimedia, we

present and explore peace as part ofa life of faith in a violent world. Thisis part of QPSWs growing ecumeni-cal peace work and an attempt to bemore responsive to younger people inparticular. There is a great deal ofcommon ground to be discoveredbetween the various churches, as wellas mutual learning, and Greenbelt isone of the places where this canhappen.

If you want to explore your faith,learn more about peace and justice,and enjoy yourself this August, pleasejoin us. Youth tickets begin at 38,adults 70 and families 185 for thefull three days, and then the campsiteis free. Visit www.greenbelt.org.uk orcall Greenbelt on 020 7374 2760 fora brochure.

For more about Quaker involvementin the festival, contactDavid Gee at Quaker

Peace & Social Witness,Tel: 020 7663 1067.

Email: [email protected]

Great news was received in March2005. The Circles of Support andAccountability project has beenextended for another twelve monthsand is expanding geographically. Thisproject, run by Quaker Peace and

Social Witness (QPSW), supports ex-sex offenders in the communitythrough small groups dedicated tohelping the individual not re-offend.Home Office has agreed to fundQPSW to run this work for a fourthyear in Thames Valley with increasedstaffing and to begin work inHampshire in addition to the work inthe Thames Valley area.

By the time the initial three yearpilot came to an end on 31 March, fif-teen high risk sex offenders had beenprovided with a small group of trainedvolunteers to help them to resettlesafely after prison and to monitorthem and hold them accountable.Some of these Circles are still running,while others have been brought to aplanned end, having completed theirtask. In a just a couple of cases, the

offender has been recalled to prison.So far, we are not aware of any newsexual offences committed by theoffenders with whom we haveworked. We are confident that Circlesare making a real difference risky

situations have been addressed suc-cessfully or reported to police orprobation.

Once Meeting for Sufferings hadapproved this work in March, wewere able to start recruiting new staff,to create a team of five (two morethan before). We are also moving theoffice base to Didcot, which is wellplaced for travelling both to ThamesValley (especially Oxford andReading) and also south to Winches-ter, Southampton and other parts ofHampshire. Although we will not besetting up Circles beyond thoseboundaries ourselves, other organisa-tions are also beginning to getinvolved and we are happy to provideadvice, support and liaison. We arealso willing to be a contact point forwould-be volunteers, giving them

details of any organisations workingin their area. Although we aim torecruit volunteers from all faiths andnone, and from all walks of life, it isa great boost to the work of all theorganisations involved to find that

individual Quakers are offering them-selves as volunteers in significantnumbers.

It is clear that Circles has thepotential to outgrow us we do notintend to stay involved once thescheme becomes firmly established.Our role, as we see it, is to help toget Circles started in the best way wecan and then to hand it over for oth-ers to run. The funding we have beenpromised by the Home Officeincludes an element to employ a staffmember or consultant to help us todesign and set up a suitable organisa-tional structure to which we can handover in 2006.

For further information contact:Helen Drewery, QPSW,

Tel: 020 7663 1022.Email: [email protected]

Expanding Circles


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One of the most important and wellknown collections in the Library atFriends House is the SwarthmoreManuscripts (MS vols. 351 360).

Thanks to a generous donation fromthe Nancy Hadwen Trust the Libraryhas been able to start an excitingprogramme of conservation of thecollection.

George Fox and Margaret Fellpreserved many papers at SwarthmoorHall, but on the sale of the Fell estatein 1759 they were dispersed andpassed into the possession of severalfamilies. Over the centuries most ofthem came into the possession of

Britain Yearly Meeting, and werepartially reassembled by the Libraryinto this one collection, known as theSwarthmore Manuscripts. The collec-tion of over 1400 original letters,accounts and other papers from the17th and 18th centuries, is the chiefprimary source for early Quaker his-tory, and also gives a distinct first-hand account of historical events thataffected people of the day.

It contains letters from various early

Friends, including Edward Burrough,William Dewsbury, Richard Hubber-thorne, James Nayler and George

Whitehead. Many were written toMargaret Fell, who, in WCBraithwaites words made it her busi-ness to create and to maintain close

relations of personal friendshipbetween herself and most of the lead-ers of the new movement.1 A largenumber are endorsed in George Foxshandwriting, and must have been care-fully looked through by him. Swarth-moor Hall became a sort of clearing-house of news about the travels andfortunes of early Friends, and so manyletters not written to Margaret Fellfound their way there too. About 150are quoted in AR Barclays Letters,etc. of Early Friends. The collection

was used extensively by WC Braith-waite when writing his classic volumeThe Beginnings of Quakerism and inNorman Penneys encyclopaedic notesto the Cambridge edition ofGeorgeFoxs Journal, and has been the sourcefor many more recent books, thesesand articles.

Many of the documents were writ-ten with iron gall ink, which is corro-sive and now considered one of themajor threats to the preservation of

old manuscripts. In the early twentiethcentury, repairs were carried out andthe collection was bound into nine vol-umes. However, many of the conserva-tion techniques of that time haveproved damaging. The consequencesare that many of the documents arenow in a poor state, and the volumesare in disrepair. Treatment now willstop further deterioration and where

possible undo some of the damagedone by previous repairs.

The conservation is being done by a

professional conservator who will firstdisbind each volume to carefullyremove the documents. The old repairswill then be removed from each docu-ment, and new repairs made, whichwill include the stabilisation of the irongall ink. All the documents will thenbe preservation microfilmed for securi-ty and surrogacy purposes, beforebeing placed in specially made foldersor fascicules and stored in archivalquality boxes. The work can only bedone one volume at a time, and the

conservator is currently working onthe first, MS vol. 351. Each volumewill take several months to complete.

With the 20,000 we received fromthe Nancy Hadwen Trust we will beable to conserve and repair three vol-umes during 2005. After that we planto make funding applications torestore the remaining six volumes.

Once completed the SwarthmoreManuscripts will continue to be a richresource for future generations ofFriends and Quaker historians.

In addition to the SwarthmoreManuscripts there are many otheritems in the Library in need of repairand conservation. You can help bydonating to BeFriend a Book which israising money for this work.

For more information on the SwarthmoreManuscripts project or BeFriend a Book,contact Heather Rowland, Friends House

Library, tel: 020 7663 1129; email:[email protected]

1WC Braithwaite, The Beginnings ofQuakerism, p134.

Swarthmore manuscriptsconservation project

Allphotos:JanetNewton

One letter before and after conservation

Removing old repairs


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Inspiring, informative, educational,

rewarding.Ann Davis, East Devon

In April, 130 Friends came together

in beautiful Derbyshire countrysidefor Quaker Peace & Social WitnesssAnnual Conference.

With glorious sunshine and thefeeling of Spring in the air, Friends,over half of them new and inexperi-enced at Quaker events, met to dis-cuss Quaker Work in the World:

Why we do what we do?

As a new Quaker, this was my firstformal conference. It was demanding,

challenging and richly rewarding. Ilearnt much with many insights

which will be of great value in thefuture.

Jonathan Morrell, Thaxted

The opening speaker, Brian Phillips,gave an illustration of what he sees asthe core reason for Quaker work:love. Using examples from OscarRomero, Simone Weill and Gandhi,

Brian drew his listeners through the

topic of love and passion and how itcan be brought to bear on every partof your life.

Rachel Barker, Programme Assistantat QUNO, the Quaker United NationsOffice in Geneva, gave a lively andconfident talk about her role at

QUNO and how her faith andupbringing have affected her choices inlife and her place within the world.Rachel talked about the frustrations ofworking on an international level withlarge unwieldy organisations such asthe United Nations and reconciling herwork with her wish to see tangibleimprovements in the world.

Space was given to discuss topicsranging from Active Nonviolence to

Altruism whats in it for me?Workshops were spread over theweekend and combined informationand a call to action on the issuesunder discussion.

Ann Davis presented a well-received workshop on Trade Justicethat outlined the issues that will behighlighted by the media over thecoming year and how a Quakerresponse on a local level willstrengthen the debate nationally.

Rachel Carmichael presented a work-shop on Asylum Seekers and Refugeesand talked about the misrepresenta-tions that are perpetuated by themedia and scare-mongering politi-cians. She led discussions on waysthat Quakers could counteract thesestories with the real facts and ensurethat debate moved away from thefear and racism that fuels much ofthis debate.

A late addition to the schedule wasa young Friend, Zarina Brooke, whoran a seminar which tried to helpFriends understand how we continuedoing what we do, despite all theproblems that we face, and how wekeep ourselves loved up.

Very inspiring and informative. Asa young friend I gained a lot of inspi-ration from other friends.

Sarah Billett, Worcestershire

& ShropshireTo enable participants to voice

their opinions and experiences while

Our work in the world:a report from the Quaker Peace & Social Witness

Annual Conference

the conference is going on there areregular base groups. Within smallgroups participants can find a spaceto express themselves and this was

remarked on by some people assomething that made them feel sup-ported and secure.

I learnt much in an educationalsense but also valued the chance,through base groups and personalconversations, to connect at an indi-vidual level with peoples deepestvalues.

Yvonne Dixon, Witney

Children are especially welcome at

Annual Conference and this yearthere were four children who weregiven their own facilities to enjoy. Itis hoped that next year older childrenwill be able to take part in parallelevents that will explore the sameissues as the conference proper.

Amazing and inspirational. Ivemet so many extraordinary peoplewho would say they were just ordi-nary. So much love and impetus to

take away.Danny Hooper, West Somerset

For further information onfuture conferences contact: Miranda

Girdlestone, tel: 020 7663 1158or email [email protected]

Rachel Barker giving her lively talk

about QUNO.

Photo:MarigoldBentley

Enquirers &

AttendersGathering in2005

Enquirers Gathering atCharney Manor

4-6 November 2005

Details from Quaker LifeOutreach Section, FriendsHouse, 173 Euston Road,London NW1 2BJ. Email

[email protected] ortelephone 020 7663 1017


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There is talk of abolishing the much-criticised UN Commission on HumanRights and replacing it with a HumanRights Council, but does the Com-mission deserve such a bad press?

In the 17th Century, William Pennwrote (Essay towards the present and

future peace of Europe, 1693) of thevalue of having a meeting at whichgovernment representatives wouldmeet face to face. In so doing, he fore-shadowed the various multilateralinstitutions and bodies which havebeen established over the years withthe idea that if those with power wereactually to meet and talk, wars couldbe averted. Unfortunately, this has notalways proved to be the case, butQuakers still value the idea of engage-

ment in face to face discussion, ratherthan seeking to impose changethrough force. This is as true in thehuman rights field as in others.

Our support for multilateralprocesses is not a nave one. Suchprocesses rarely produce clean, quicksolutions. They are often boring,politicised, and frustratingly slow.However, it is based in the idea thatreal change comes from exposure to

and discussion of different ideas, andto a certain amount of peer grouppressure.

Where else than inthe Commission onHuman Rights has theUSA in fact had todefend its policies andpractices to other

Governments, includingthe EU, in relation todetentions inGuantanamo Bay? Thishappened at the Com-mission because Cubatabled a resolution onthe subject. Of course itwas not a disinterestedmove by Cuba anymore than the Ameri-can resolution on human

rights in Cuba is.Unsurprisingly, the reso-lution was defeated(with the whole EU vot-ing against, but Canada

abstained and Mexico voted for it).Less significant than the vote, was thatthe threat of the resolution led theUSA to arrange a series of meetingswith Governments and NGOs toexplain its policy, and other Govern-ments to publicly state their concerns

and urge the USA to abide by interna-tional law and cooperate with the UNhuman rights mechanisms.

For the Quaker United NationsOffice (QUNO), the Commission hasbeen an important forum. This is thebody which mandated the drafting theOptional Protocol on child soldiers,and adopted it before forwarding it tothe UN General Assembly for finaladoption.

This is also the body which firstrecognised the existence of a right ofconscientious objection to militaryservice, and continues to discuss theissue annually. This year, QUNOhelped to organise two meetings atwhich Conscientious Objectors fromAngola, Eritrea, Israel, Russia andSouth Korea spoke, amongst others. Itmeans much for such people to havethe opportunity to expose the situa-tion in their own country publicly, to

meet like-minded individuals andorganisations. We also helped some ofthem to prepare their statements for

the formal sessions in the Commissionand to understand how they can usethe UN human rights system toaddress the situations in their owncountries.

But the Commission is much morethan resolutions and formal discus-sion. This is the annual gathering ofeffectively the world human rightscommunity governmental, NGO,independent experts and others. Asmuch or more work gets done inthe coffee bars and small group discus-sions where contacts are made orrenewed, ideas exchanged and net-works built.

This year one of QUNOs objectives

was to raise awareness about womenin prison and children of imprisonedmothers. We had a new publicationhot off the press on the specific issueofBabies and Young ChildrenResiding in Prisons with their mothers.With this the QUNO team, includingthe Programme Assistant and two vol-unteer interns, could talk to the headsof many governmental human rightsdepartments and experts from capitals;with the UN human rights experts

there to present their reports to theCommission (for example onCambodia) and with the NGOs fromaround the world. One person com-mented: I didnt know anything aboutthis issue, but now Im hearing aboutit everywhere! For this year, thatsgood enough: next year perhaps therewill be a specific section in a resolu-tion, or even a new resolution.

Ah but that presupposes there willbe a next year. The less positive

aspects of the Commission politici-sation and selectivity in the jargon have led to proposals that it should beabolished. At this stage it is unclearwhat will happen. For QUNO,Commission or Council, what isimportant is that the Commission asforum the annual gathering of thehuman rights movement and opportu-nity for informal interaction is notlost in the wish for a more efficientand effective body.

Rachel BrettFor more information see: www.quno.org

On babies and bathwater

Abraham Mehreteab lost an arm from a land mineat age 11. Here he is giving testimony at the UN.

He was jailed for being a conscientious objectoreven though he was unfit for the army because,

as a lawyer, he was attempting to help COs.

Photo:MarionFranz


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Quaker Lifes Children and YoungPeoples Committee (CYPC)Travelling Team met for an Ideas Dayin April. This team of volunteersoffers training on children and youngpeoples work to Quaker Meetings

and organisations. During the pastyear the Team has worked with about150 Friends and Attenders andapproximately 50 Quaker Meetingsat single or shared events.

Their Ideas Day usually happens inDecember following the Teamsautumn residential weekend. It isspent developing, producing andworking on new resources for theTeam to use at its events or as part of

presentations. This year their taskwas different.

The work of CYPC and Childrenand Young Peoples Section (CYPS)has been under the helpful and con-structive eye of Maxine Green, anoutside consultant. The results of thewide consultation with meetings allover the country have been published(available from CYPS, Friends House)and now committee and staff have towork out the next steps. TheTravelling Team is crucial to thisprocess. The training delivered by theTeam is of a high standard and theconsultation report emphasised thevalue placed on their work through-out Britain Yearly Meeting.

This April, the teams task was toreflect on the consultation report andthen help the committee and staff indiscerning the development of thereports recommendations. Three

strands were outlined as crucial to thework of the team.

At present, Meetings and otherQuaker groups are offered bespokeevents planned closely with the poten-tial participants. These will continue.

These will be complemented by theoffer of rapid response and themedworkshops. Rapid response eventswill enable Meetings to book andreceive a training day within a shorter

time than currently possible, so thata need or opportunity can be fol-lowed up when it arises.

The third strand is themed events.These support a range of more gener-al needs which in the past haveincluded use of the Bible, all age wor-ship, spiritual development and theoversight of children and young peo-ple.

Team members will be encouragedand equipped to link, where appro-

priate, into local networks of Friendsand Attenders this will include con-nections with people in roles verysimilar to the current MonthlyMeeting Children and Young PeoplesResource Co-ordinators.

Discernment is not always com-fortable, especially when there is acommitment to rigour and openness.

There were necessary and some-times difficult conversations about

the value placed on children andyoung peoples work. How muchdirect feeding should staff and teammembers do for people in Meetingsinvolved in activities with childrenand young people through resourcedelivery and development. How canvolunteers best be given support andsupervision.

There was also great excitementabout the potential of the new ways

of working to enable them to reachmore Friends and Attenders.

There is huge, often untapped,

Photo:JohnFitzgerald

Travelling light, travelling far

potential throughout the Quakercommunity for the sharing and devel-opment of ideas and experience. Allthose involved in the ideas day haveparticular gifts and responsibilities tobring to the implementation anddevelopment of the recommendationsof the consultation this, in its turn,can bring more of this potential intothe light.

For further information contact ChrisNickolay, Quaker Life, Friends House,

Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ,Email: [email protected]

or tel: 020 7663 1014.

Think Peace

Quaker Peace & Social Witness has

produced a series of six articles

exploring the meaning of peace.

The full set of articles is now avail-

able, without charge, from David

Gee in Quaker Peace & Social

Witness, 173 Euston Road, London

NW1 2BJ or from the QPSW

Peace Exchange pages at

www.peaceexchange.org.uk/particle.html

Wind in their sails... the Under 19s preparation for Yearly Meeting has beenboosted by ideas and experience from Travelling Team members.


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Wa mito kuc is one of the few phrasesthat I understand in Acholi, saysDavid Newton, one of four QuakerPeace & Social Witnesss (QPSW)workers in Uganda. It means, wewant peace, and forms part of the

theme song for a radio programmethat QPSWs Uganda has recently pro-duced with one of our partners,Empowering Hands. This organisa-tion consists of around forty girls andyoung women, most of whom havereturned from the LRA (LordsResistance Army), a rebel groupactive throughout northern Uganda.Some had been in captivity only a fewmonths, the longest was there tenyears. The group came together as

part of a research project intowomens strength and resilience, andhas grown from there.

The conflict in northern Uganda ischaracterized by extreme acts of bru-tality against the civilian population,and by the abduction on a massivescale of young people to act as fight-ers, porters and provide sexual servicesin the LRA. Many of these eventuallyescape, are captured by the Ugandan

army, or are occasionally released bythe LRA. But reintegration back intotheir communities is a difficultprocess. Although often welcomedback, they are also frequently treatedwith hostility and suspicion.

Reconciliation at this local levelbetween returnees, who are both vic-tims and perpetrators of violence, andthe affected communities, is a vitalpart of any attempt to build a sus-tainable peace across the region.

The radio programme, broadcastat prime-time on Saturday evenings toan audience of around 700,000across northern Uganda, has beenpart of an attempt to address some ofthese issues. The last two broadcastsin particular have generated muchdiscussion in the community at large.The first of these, in which the girlsspoke of some of the difficulties theyfaced since returning, broached atopic that is in many ways taboo.Thank you for sharing those prob-lems, one listener commented, theyare all so true, and yet we fear to talkabout them. Lucy recounts havingbeen congratulated by her neighboursfor taking part.

The most recent broadcast con-cerned the girls view on peace. Theyspoke of how the whole community istouched in some way by the conflict,and of the existence of conflict entre-

preneurs who benefit financially fromthe war. Lucy emphasised how the endof the war will not mean peace, thatthere is so much more work to do.After each programme the radio sta-

tion receivesmany texts andphone callsexpressing sup-port.

The pro-

grammes havealso given thegirls new confi-dence. I nolonger have fear.I can stand upand talk to peo-ple, commentsMilly, who waskidnapped as ayoung child andheld in the LRA

for 10 years. Shetrained as a doc-tor, learning to

give injections, nurse wounds andserve as a birth attendant and alsolooked after very young children.Milly is well respected among thegirls as she used her responsibility tolook after and protect as much as

possible those who were in hercharge.

Interest in Empowering Hands hasbeen growing as a result of the pro-grammes. Other returnees haveexpressed interest in joining the group.Two days ago, Lucy told me withobvious joy, how a friend of hers whohad remained in the bush had decidedto escape from LRA and return to hiscommunity after having heard Lucys

voice on the radio. Two factors influ-enced his decision: firstly, knowingthat Lucy was still alive, and second-ly, hearing that she was part of agroup that was actively engaged intaking decisions and shaping theirown future.

This aspect of taking control oftheir own lives is particularly signifi-cant. We have recently becomeconcerned over developments atLabora farm, near Gulu, where

returnees are engaged in food-for-work programmes. Of concern to usis that these programmes are overseenby former LRA commanders, thusperpetuating the structures of controlthat existed in the bush. Because ofthe skills, strengths, and experiencethat Empowering Hands has giventhem, and the little financial supportthey receive from QPSW, many girlshave felt strong enough to decline toparticipate in this project.

Our work together goes beyondthe radio programme. Following onebroadcast, Milly was asked by anotherformerly-abducted child in her campwhether she and her colleagues couldbe trained to provide support to othersin the camp. That is what we are nowworking on. Together with QPSW,Empowering Hands are planning onestablishing a network of peer-supportgroups in some of the Internally

Displaced Persons camps acrossnorthern Uganda, to be facilitated bythe girls, and enabling other returnees

Empowering Hands in Uganda

Pho

to:SteveMorgan

An Empowering Hands member at the microphone givingadvice to others.


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to come together. The girls also hopeto engage these groups in dialoguewith the communities in which they

are living, bringing both sides togeth-er to discuss issues around abductionand return, and to contribute to the

power, prestige, financial reward

that abound amongst individuals and

agencies engaged in peace work, as

well as amongst governmental and

military actors. Finally, there is the

recognition that an end to this conflict

will not come about by work at a

community level alone. Watching the

often cynical calculations of interna-

tional political actors, and the unac-ceptably slow progress of institutions

such as the UN Security Council,

becomes all the more difficult when I

am faced on a daily basis with the

consequences of their inaction.

Working with Empowering Hands,

and the inspiration they provide, helps

me face some of these wider challenges

and difficulties of working for peace in

northern Uganda.

David Newton is one of four

QPSW workers currently in Uganda

While Milly and her colleagues testthe painstaking steps towards reinte-gration, the wheels of the political

and diplomatic community are turn-ing around Uganda. The conflict hasentered its nineteenth year, and whileits violence feels intractable, recentmonths have seen events unfoldwhich have surprised many.

Since late last year faltering peaceefforts, brokered between theGovernment of Uganda and the rebelLords Resistance Army (LRA), haveheld out the best hope for a non-mili-

tary end to the conflict since it start-ed. A series of partial ceasefires,behind-the-scenes discussions, andpromises of commitment have ebbedand flowed, trailing wild rumour andspeculation, intense hope andrenewed disappointment. As this iswritten, the way to real resolutionseems to have stumbled again, andhopes are receding.

The dynamics of this one conflict

in the north of this African countryare hugely complicated. The recentpeace talks have been one thread;another has been senior LRA rebels

claiming amnesty and being wel-comed out of the bush by rejoicingcommunities. In response the LRA

has become harsher, and now atroci-ties are escalating, more childrenbeing abducted to bolster its forces.Already constrained within compulso-ry camps for displaced people, thefear of the people of the north can becrudely measured by the increasingnumbers of children sent to sleep intown centres by night, seen as havensfrom the LRA, if not other exploita-tion. Meanwhile the InternationalCriminal Courts investigations into

the north have been received by localpeople with much caution, promptingdebates about how civil society cansupport the Court in contributing toa justice and peace that will berelevant and lasting for Uganda.

These shifting dynamics havecaused local NGOs and their interna-tional partners to engage in new wayswith questions of reintegration, rec-onciliation and justice, necessary

ingredients for a sustainable peace,for which foundations must be laid.As well as working with EmpoweringHands, for example, QPSW is

encouraging debate on the nature ofreconciliation with the traditionalleaders responsible for local commu-

nities. We are supporting the develop-ment of a shared understandingacross Uganda of the plight of thenorth, and we are working withcoalitions of partner NGOs to carrythe voices of the people of the northto those with power to change theirsituation.

Here in London there is a part tobe played too: we are working closelywith sister organisations including

Christian Aid and ConciliationResources to bring the concerns ofour Ugandan partners to the tables ofthe British Government. And we arelinking with the Quaker UnitedNations Office in New York who areseeking UN help in this political andhumanitarian crisis. It is a challengeto ensure that all we do is rooted inthe needs and hopes of the peoplewith whom we work in Uganda, towhose call, wa mito kuc (we want

peace), we seek to respond.

Joanna Wright, QPSW ,

[email protected]

Uganda a big picture

development inthat communityof a more posi-tive response toquestions aroundreintegration.

Unfortunately,my work here isnot always as

heartening asworking withthese youngwomen. I alsohave to meet andengage with indi-viduals whosebehaviour pastand present has

directly contributed to the violence. Imeet killers and violators of humanrights, and I often find it a struggle

within myself to find that of Godwithin them. I also become frustratedby the many personal agendas of

Working on co-operation.

Photo:SteveMorgan


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10

A wonderful space in which to thinkabout me! was Rachel Barkersenthusiastic description of the annualEuropean Peaceworkers Seminar,

which was held at the Quakercen-trum in Amsterdam from 15 to 17April.

Quaker Peace and Social Witness(QPSW) organise and fund a numberof one and two-year placements forpeaceworkers in Europe, andthroughout the world. There are alsotwo programme assistants based inQuaker Council for European Affairs(QCEA) not funded by QPSW. The

European Workers seminar isarranged about halfway through theplacements, and it allows peacework-ers based in Europe to come togetherfor a brief period of reflection andconsideration of the past and also thefuture, and also on the Quaker spiritwhich informs the work.

The seminar was facilitated byHelen Bradford and Sophie Reynolds(both based at Friends House). Inattendance were Charlotte Wetton

and Robin Bloomfield, both pro-gramme assistants at the QCEA inBrussels; Rachel Barker, in placementat the Quaker United Nations Officein Geneva; Rob Rhodes, placed at theYouth Initiative for Human Rights inBelgrade; Kat Barton, placed at PeaceNews and War Resisters Internation-al, in London; and Simon Heywood,based at Conscience the Peace TaxCampaign, also in London. The thirdLondon-based peaceworker, EmmaMayhew (placed at the CampaignAgainst the Arms Trade and theBritish American Security InformationCouncil), was absent as she has takenmaternity leave to spend time withher first son William (born healthy on1 April).

Under Helen and Sophies facilita-tion, the peaceworkers did severalthought-provoking exercises aroundlistening, using these skills to explore

each others placements; both the diffi-culties and pressures; and the causesfor hope and optimism. Early on in

the weekend, we were all asked to talkin turn for ten minutes about ourplacements, and most of us found thateven after ten uninterrupted minuteswe had just scratched the surface! Infollow-up exercises, we looked incloser detail at specific issues. Welooked at our own work habits; at the

widely varying structures of the organ-isations we were working with; at theQuaker testimonies; and at our ownplans for the future. On Sunday wehad an opportunity to meet for wor-ship with Amsterdam Friends.

Creating such a space in a foreigncity gave us a chance to reflect on ourwork and to be cared for and sup-ported in a way rarely felt away fromhome, said Charlotte. Havingreceived some very scary biographies

from the QPSW workers, I was feel-ing a little intimidated by these high-flying peace workers, but by the end Ifelt like I had known them for years.The weekend also bought home tome how much peace work there isgoing on in the world, not foundamongst the daily list of disasters,

crime and bombings that make upour newspapers.

I was very moved by the honestyand openness that everyone sharedwith the group, said Rachel. Theweekend really helped me to attainclarity and reassurance regardingboth the experience of my placementand the next steps in my career.

The weekend in Amsterdam wasjust what I needed a chance to

relax, reflect and have some much-needed time out from the hecticnessof London life, said Kat. It wasgreat to catch up with the otherQuaker workers and exchange ourexperiences of the hopes, fears andchallenges of peace work.

Kat Barton, Rachel Barker, SimonHeywood, Charlotte Wetton

For further information about thePeaceworkers Programme

contact Helen Bradford,Quaker Peace & Social Witness,

email: [email protected] tel: 020 7663 1071.

A chance to reflect:European Peaceworkers meet

Lost in Amsterdam

Some of the participants at the seminar

Photo:RobinBloomfield

Photo:RobinBloomfield


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11

We have met the Quaker Life Consultant!!

Spirituality, Quaker Identity and other key themes havebeen explored in the Meet the Consultant sessions fol-lowing the Children and Young Peoples report.

Issues which have struck a deep resonance with localexperience so far are: The importance of putting spirituality at the centre of

what we do; The wish for children and young people to be actively

involved and able to make a real contribution to thelife of the Religious Society of Friends;

The necessity of children and young peoples workbeing supported, encouraged, celebrated and ownedby the whole of the Religious Society of Friends, andnot just those working directly with children andyoung people;

The welcome of an Ages and Stages resource whichwill give rationale and aims of developing the principle

Quaker themes together with appropriate activities forchildren and young people at different ages and stages;

The endorsement of the effectiveness of gatheringchildren and young people both in local link activitiesand in events such as Junior Yearly Meeting and theUnder 19s programme at Britain Yearly Meeting.Themain aim of these sessions is to see how the issues,concerns and directions identified in the report strike achord with local experience. Then to explore howthese themes these can be taken forward locally andthe best way Children and Young Peoples section andQuaker Life can offer support to this work. This sec-

ond process has been enormously important to staff at

The consultant, Maxine Green (in green) meeting with

interested Friends

We welcome Howard Nurden, who

has been appointed as Head of the

Children and Young Peoples Section

of Quaker Life. Howard is currently

the Training & Development Officerfor the Southern Synod of the United

Reform Church and is used to work-

ing with structures similar to ours

and has a wealth of relevant profes-

sional experience. He will take up his

post at the beginning of September.

The work of the Quaker Lifes

Children and Young Peoples section

is now being line managed by

Richard Summers, the Assistant

General Secretary.We have also appointed Catherine

(Cat) Burgess as the Assistant Youth

& Childrens Work Officer. Cat has adegree in Youth and CommunityWork and Applied Theology and a lotof experience directly related to our

work. She is currently working forConnexions in Cambridge and startswith us at the beginning of June.

Both Howard and Cat will attendYearly Meeting where they and ChrisNickolay, our Childrens Work Officer,hope to be able to meet with Friendsand take forward the process of dia-logue around the report with all thoseinterested in Quaker Lifes work withchildren and young people.

Janet Ferguson, the Children andYoung Peoples Section Administratorleft us on 31st May and Bevelie

Shember has been appointed to replace

her. Bevelie has most recently worked

as Service Facilitator for the NHSInformation Authority in Birmingham

and has also worked in training anddevelopment in the NHS. Bevelie is an

active Anglican and is excited about

coming to work with us. We wishJanet well for the future.

This is an extraordinarily excitingtime for Children and Young Peoples

work and it is extremely encouraging

to see Friends engaged and enthusiasticabout this in all parts of the Society.

For further information contact:

Richard Summers, Quaker Life,

tel: 020 7663 1096,

email: [email protected]

New staff for CYP Section

Friends House as it helps to identify and planresources to support the work going on in PMs andMonthly Meetings.

Maxine Green & Richard Summers


12/16

12

Friends were amongst the twenty-fivethousand trade campaigners who gath-ered in Westminster for the all nightWake up to Trade Justice Vigil on the15th and 16th April.

The event, which was part of thisyears Make Poverty History mobilisa-tion, sought to draw attention tounfair trade rules, which deprivedeveloping countries of 1.3 billionevery year and was part of a GlobalWeek of Action on Trade whichinvolved over 10 million people inover 80 countries.

The evening started with a serviceat Westminster Abbey, which featuredreadings, poetry and music fromaround the world. Throughout thenight there were a range of activitiesincluding banner making, comedy,film, dancing and a vigil at 4am, thetime when the largest number of peo-ple in the world are awake.

The Trade Justice Movement, whichorganised the night hopes that this and

the many other activities that went onup and down the country as part ofthe Global Week of Action, will per-suade the UK government, which inmany respects is more progressive thanothers, to press for changes at theEuropean Union, the G8 Summit in

July, The United Nations conferenceon poverty reduction in September andat the World Trade Organisationsministerial Conference in December,

which would see the adoption of fairertrade rules which really will helpdeveloping countries.

Getting Involved

The next big push for campaignerswill come in June and July, inadvance of the G8 summit inScotland. There will be a major rallyin Edinburgh on Saturday 2 July atwhich it is hoped

more than100,000 peoplewill attend.Other events willbe going onacross the UK.Campaigners willbe demandingthat the G8 takesurgent action toend poverty byagreeing fairer

trade rules, can-celling unpayable

Wake up to Trade Justice

Five staff from Friends House at theWake Up to Trade Justice vigil.

Allphotos:JohnFitzgerald/QCD

debt and increasing the quality andquantity of international aid.

Through its membership of boththe Trade Justice Movement and theMake Poverty History mobilisation,Quaker Peace & Social Witness isworking to support Friends cam-paigning on these issues.

For more information, or to receive aTrade Justice action pack and campaign-

ers guide to the Edinburgh event contactSuzanne Ismail. Tel: 020 7663 1055,

email: [email protected].

Friends may also wish to log on to theMake Poverty History Website

www.makepovertyhistory.org where youcan sign up to receive monthly bulletinson the campaign including information

about simple actions you can take to helpmake poverty history.


13/16

13

Laying bricks or building a cathedral?Wherever there is action for changethere are usually Quakers; yet mostrequests for work to the Turning theTide (TTT) programme of QuakerPeace & Social Witness (QPSW) comefrom non-Quaker groups and activists.This puzzles us.

Could this be to do with a percep-tion that TTT is about cutting fencesand bashing nuclear submarines alegacy of the controversy some yearsback about our nonviolence trainingfor Trident Ploughshares? Whilst thismay still be a factor, it may not be thewhole story.

Being spiritual folk Friends oftenperceive political and social problemsas symptoms of a world in spiritual

disorder. Since Quakerism is also apractical faith we find Friends every-where actively involved in helping toalleviate suffering brought by this dis-order.

Many others are engaged at theroot cause level, struggling to changethe structures that create the suffering.It is the radical and prophetic work ofthis kind that brought Turning theTide into being. However Friendsdont always recognise their work as aprofound contribution to socialchange, which challenges oppressivepower in society.

What is social change work? Itincludes routine activities such as

involvement inlocal peace andjustice groups,managing stalls,writing letters topeople in power,giving money to

campaigningorganisations, tak-ing part in a vigilor allowing ourMeeting House tobe used by cam-paigning groups.Yet this is thebread-and-butterof social change.These activities are deeply political.Lets celebrate what we are doing.

At a TTT workshop last year,QPSW Representative Council mem-bers were asked to name the range ofsocial change activities their Meetingswere involved in. Responses inclinedheavily towards individual activitiesrather than Meeting projects. Is thisQuaker work? Work by Quakers?Whilst there is clear guidance for test-ing individual concern before owningit as Quaker work, to what extent dowe consider our activities as expres-sions of our faith?

We incorporate these activities as anatural part of our lives; we might noteven consider them as extraordinary.But the cumulative sum is impressive.

Do we regard what we do as duty?Good Deeds? Or witnessing to a bet-

ter world? Im reminded of the storyof two builders: when asked what hewas doing one answered, I just laybricks. The other said, Im helping tobuild a cathedral!

TTT offers to work with bricklayersand cathedral-builders on Visioning Empowering ourselves and each

other Understanding nonviolence; why

Gandhi, King and others found it

powerful . and being effective.

Turning the Tide: 020 7663 1064/1.Email: [email protected] or

[email protected]

Visioning on the balcony at Friends House

Photo:SteveWhiting

Courses at SwarthmoorHome of two of the founders of Quakerism, Margaret

Fell and George Fox, Swarthmoor Hall is a very interest-ing conference centre with a variety of courses available.There are still places on some of those coming up thisyear. The courses are as varied as The Testimonies (23July), Understanding the World Family of Friends (16-18September), Forgiveness (22-23 October), Celebratingdiversity (4-6 November), time to reflect on the Advicesand Queries (12 November) and Wax Wonders makingindividual cards by painting with beeswax (26November). Such a variety should give something foreveryone. Courses are available as either residential ornon-residential. For further information email:

[email protected] or visit the website:www.swarthmoorhall.co.uk or contact Bill Shaw on01229-583204.

Advertising & OutreachOutreach Committee are working on a new strategyfor advertising. Advertisements are being timed and

targeted to fit with Quaker coverage in the media.For example, adverts were placed to coincide withthe broadcast meeting for worship from LeightonPark School in April and an advert was placed inBBC History magazine which is featuring Come toGood meeting house. Is there anything happeningnear you that would provide a good platform foradvertising in your local press? Quaker LifeOutreach Section can provide advice and support onplacing advertising strategically. Contact CarmelKeogh, Quaker Life Outreach Administrator atFriends House, by e-mail on [email protected] by telephone on 0207663 1096.


14/16

14

RECAST: Simpler or secular?In August at Yearly Meeting a set ofover ninety recommendations willcome before Yearly Meeting to tryand make the Society more accessibleto newcomers and less cumbersomeand burdensome to those already

involved. Here, Ben Pink Dandelion,a tutor at Woodbrooke Quaker StudyCentre, reflects on what is being sug-

gested.

Is accessibility more important thantradition? How far does simple lan-guage lose the sense of tradition, thesense of coherence, and most impor-tantly its religious basis? The grouplooking at REpresentation,Communication, Accountability inour STructures (RECAST) are sug-gesting changing the way Quakerismworks.

Preparative and Recognised andNotified Meetings would all becalled Local Meetings. MonthlyMeetings would be called AreaMeetings. So, my meeting wouldbecome Sawley local meeting, part ofMarsden area meeting (and we wouldthen have to change our name fromMarsden as that is no longer accu-

rate). So the names become descrip-tive, but clear, instead of reflecting atraditional less literal sense. Theybecome more geographically descrip-

tive rather than refer to the event.Most monthly meetings dont meetmonthly after all.

Will freedom give way to a lack ofcare? Friends locally will have a lotmore freedom to be flexible about

their appointments, structures andmeeting arrangements but some areworried this will lead to abandon!

To further ease the number ofposts needing to be filled each year, itis suggested that General Meetings belaid down as part of the officialstructure except in Scotland andWales. Area Meetings would commu-nicate directly with those who deter-mine policy and trusteeship at the

Yearly Meeting level, currently the200 strong Meeting for Sufferings.But this too, it is suggested wouldchange. The two roles would bedivided between a slimmerRepresentative Meeting who woulddetermine policy, perhaps 90 strong,and a group of 15-20 Trustees. MostFriends agree it could be useful tosplit these functions but what hap-pens if you lose the seventeenth cen-tury name of Meeting for Sufferings

and replace it with the descriptive butworldly name of RepresentativeMeeting. Representative of whom?Area Meetings? A cross-section of

interests in the Yearly Meeting? God?

When has the Quaker theology of

discernment been about being repre-

sentative?

It is suggested that RepresentativeCouncils be replaced with conferences

or standing conference and that they

should no longer be part of the for-

mal structure. What happens when somuch of Quakerism, from the local to

the Yearly Meeting, becomes option-

al? Will this increase the self-selection

of the committed? How will the

reluctant Quaker find a transformingexperience in something they never

thought they were interested in? Is

Quakerism becoming led by our own

needs and preferences rather than bythe faithful following of religious

leading sometimes in spite of our-

selves? On the other hand, does

increased flexibility do enough to

assuage the burden felt by someMeetings of finding so many nomina-

tions? Should Area Meetings be abol-

ished?

Where is the balancing point

between freedom and faithfulness,

flexibility and stability, tradition andaccessibility? Come to Britain YearlyMeeting in York and help in the dis-

cernment.

New head of Quaker Communicationsand Fundraising

We welcome Rachel Rees, who joins Friends House as Head ofQuaker Communications and Fundraising in mid July. Rachel willbe replacing Beth Allen who retires on 3 June after approximately20 years at Friends House.

Rachel has most recently been looking after her daughter Kathryn,now eighteen months old, and she will be working four days aweek. She lives in Leicester and attends meeting for worship there.

Before fulltime parenthood, Rachels work has been with charities,always in fundraising and communications. She has worked forCitizens Advice, the Refugee Council and the National HousingFederation, as well as for Methodist Homes. She also had a spell in alarge local authority Sheffield where she was responsible for set-ting up a new communications department.

Rachel said: I hope I can bring skills which will be useful to Friends I am also aware that I have a lot to learn.


15/16

15

hension on the outside about what

happens on the inside.

Newsletters help QPMs keep in

touch with one another as well as the

annually produced directory of

QPMs. The directory can help make

connections between QPMs when a

prisoner is transferred to another

prison or can provide contact details

of a QPM who might have special

experience of say working with lifers

or writing parole reports which

might help with a specific query.

If you feel you could offer time as aQPM, please speak to your Monthly

Meeting or contact Alison Prout for moredetails 020 7663 1035,[email protected]

Monthly Meetingand are support-ed by the QuakerPeace & SocialWitness QuakerPrison MinistryGroup and a staffmember based inFriends House.We offer practicalresources to helpQPMs throughthe appointmentprocess and foruse whilst work-ing in prison.

Training and networking opportu-nities are provided by an annual con-

ference with speakers and work-shops. A special training course runin conjunction with WoodbrookeQuaker Study Centre has been devel-oped and a prison ministry compo-nent of the Equipping for Ministrycourse is now offered.

Although some QPMs are wellcared for by their Monthly Meetingthrough a support group or perhapsa number of Friends who regularly

accompany the QPM into prison,others can feel physically and emo-tionally isolated by the challengingnature of the work. This is exacerbat-ed by the need for confidentiality andan understandable lack of compre-

In 1997 Jamie began a spiritual jour-ney with Quakerism supported andencouraged by a number of Quakerprison ministers (QPMs) with whomhe has been in contact during his 13-year spell in prison. Now 31, he isworking towards reconciliation withhimself and his past.

Participation in an Alternatives toViolence course at HMP WormwoodScrubs and Shepton Mallet intro-duced Jamie to Quakerism. Many ofthe facilitators were Quakers and hewas struck by the ease he felt withthem and the values they represented.

The relationship between a QPMand an inmate is a two-way process.The way to reach each other is bybeing open and honest, thats the waytrust builds, hour by hour. Its likebeing a learner pilot, clocking up thehours, before going solo!

Jamie says that being with aQuaker or a QPM gives me a senseof normality in an abnormal situa-tion.

QPMs ask nothing in return, giv-ing not taking, giving leads to givingback. With a QPM I can be myself,as I am now, and not play a role asyou would usually need to do [onthe wing].

Being with QPMs and Quakers,Jamie says has helped me to get intouch with who I really am such thatI am no longer afraid to just bemyself. I feel released by the Quakernon-judgmental ways. I feel upliftedand more confident even when I amdown. Being with Quakers over time

has allowed in peace where there waschaos, my outlook is brighter as aresult.

Approximately 80 QPMs operatein two thirds of UK prisons workingwith hundreds of people like Jamie.Sometimes prisoners of no faith orother faiths need a QPM to just bethere and able to listen; other timesthey develop a more long-lasting rela-tionship with Quakerism that contin-

ues beyond their prison sentence.QPMs are nominated by their

A spiritual journey with help

A day conference for Quaker employ-

ers is being planned for the autumn by

John Batt, Human Resources

Manager at Friends House and

Richard Summers, Assistant General

Secretary of Quaker Life. The aim of

the workshop is to respond to the

needs of employers and to provide

advice on employment law and good

practice. In planning the event, Johnand Richard are keen to know how

Employment

Law and Practicemany Friends would be interested inattending and the sorts of issues andquestions that are of concern toFriends as employers.

If you are interested in coming to thisevent please let either John and Richard

know and indicate the issues that youwould like them to put on the agenda.

They can be contacted in writing atFriends House, by email at

[email protected],or by telephone on 020 7663 1000.


16/16

Quaker News, MMV The Religious Society of Friends, publishes news of the centrally-managed work of the Religious Society of Friends(Quakers) in Britain. This work is one outward expression of the Societys religious beliefs. Central to Quaker work and life is the quiet meet-

ing for worship, which takes place in almost 500 centres in England, Scotland and Wales every week. Quaker Communications Committeeoversees the publication ofQuaker News, which is produced quarterly by Quaker Communications Department, Friends House, 173 Euston

Road, London NW1 2BJ. Tel: 020 7663 1000. Fax: 020 7663 1001. www.quaker.org.uk. E-mail: [email protected]: Trish Carn. Printed on environment friendly paper by Headley Bros. Ltd. Ashford, Kent.

No Extraordinary Power: Prayer,Stillness and Activism is the 2005

Swarthmore Lecture by Helen Steven.The answer to prayer may be quitesimply, What are you going to doabout it? The book will be availableimmediately after the lecture at BYMin York 30 July-6 August. ISBN: 085245 379 5 Price: c.9.00

This book is an attempt to expressTruth through the vital personal andcorporate experience of Friends. It islargely composed of extracts: a fittingway of expressing the breadth ofQuaker theology. It also describes theconstitutional structures and proce-dures of Britain Yearly Meeting of theReligious Society of Friends. Hdbk18.00 + 3.00 p&p; Pbck 12.50 +3.00 p&p; Supplement 4.00.

Promoting an InclusiveSociety is designed tohelp Friends influencesocial policy introducedby legislative bodies inEngland, Scotland andWales. It is available free

from Paula Harvey. Tel:020 7663 1036 or email:[email protected].

New publications availablefrom the Quaker Bookshop

Friends House, Euston Road, London N12 8HG,Tel: 020 7663 1030

QUAKER

FAITH

&PRACTICE

THIRD EDITION

The book of

Christian discipline

of the Yearly Meeting of the

Religious Society of Friends

(Quakers)in Britain

For a free information pack on QUAKERS today,please fill in the form below

Name: ..........................................................................

Address: .......................................................................

.....................................................................................

Postcode: .............................

Email: ..........................................................................

Send to Quaker Life, Outreach (QN), Friends House,173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ

Tel: 020 76631017 Answerphone: 020 7663 1025

Email: [email protected]

Just who are Quakers?

www.quaker.org.uk

Comingsoon:

Checkpointsand Chances: aQPSW volun-teer inBethlehem inOct 2002 writesabout her expe-riences. ISBN: 085245 366 39.00

Knowing the Mystery of Life Within:

Selected Writings of Isaac Peningtonin their Historical and TheologicalContext; selected and introduced by

R. MelvinKeiser andRosemaryMoore; manu-script transcrip-tions by DianaMorrison-Smith. ISBN 085245 378 7.

Price: c18.00,352pp.

LIBRARIANS PLEASE NOTE: Quaker Lives ceased publication with number 16 (Mar 2005) and

Quaker Meetings will be published in July 2005 at Britain Yearly Meeting as an 8 page issue.

This may also be its last issue.

The Journal ofGeorge Foxreprinted by

Quaker Books(UK)/ FriendsGeneral Confer-ence (USA) fromthe JohnNickalls edition.ISBN: 0 85245291 8 Price. 15+ 3.50. p&p.

quaker news summer 2005

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