Quaker news 87 by Quakers in Britain

Quaker News C

A quarterly update on Quaker work in the care of Britain Yearly Meeting CMY

Celebrating marriage for all No 87 Autumn 2013

Contents Bring a friend to meeting for worship Dialogue with our neighbours Helping local Quakers make a difference Resisting the rise of the killer robots News in brief Busting economic myths

4 6 8–9 10 12–13 14

Cover: Rachel and Sally Xerri-Brooks celebrating their civil partnership at Bournville Quaker Meeting House in June last year. Photo: Hannah Eno

Editorial Welcome to Quaker News 87. It is six months since my last editorial for Quaker News; I hope you enjoyed the film which replaced our summer edition this year. If you missed it, you can still watch it at www.quaker.org.uk/film2012. Quakers have been speaking out for peace, equality and justice since the 1650s. This leads us to campaign against all forms of war and activities that, for us, contain the seeds of war. In this issue, we focus on drones (page 10), the centenary of World War I (page 12), our work in the occupied Palestinian territories (page 7) and the work of the Quaker United Nations Office (page 12). As Quaker News goes to press, the UK parliament has just voted against military intervention in Syria. Many Quakers contacted their MPs to express the hope that our government would seek nonviolent alternatives. For more information about how you can help to get this message to decision-makers, see www.quaker. org.uk/syria-crisis. The Quaker call for peace and nonviolence needs to be heard. Since I last wrote, marriage has become legal for same-sex couples in England and Wales (page 3), with legislation planned for Scotland. The first same-sex marriages to be legally recognised are expected in Quaker News – Autumn 2013

2014. This is a major step towards equality in our society, in which the confident Quaker voice played an important part. These concerns, and the shared experience in meeting for worship from which they spring, are among the things that unite us as Quakers in Britain. Quaker Week this year, from 27 September to 6 October (page 4), encourages us to ‘bring a friend’ to meeting, to experience Quaker worship and the Quaker all-age community (page 5) for themselves. Quakers are getting ready to welcome newcomers of all ages to our Quaker meetings around the country. Quaker Week is an opportunity, at least once a year, to talk to others, our neighbours, friends, family and community, about our faith and our spiritual stories. As Marigold Bentley writes in her article about Jewish guests at Yearly Meeting (page 6), “the impact of Quaker work goes beyond our shores, yet it is about our neighbours too”. Paul Parker Recording Clerk

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

Also available in large print Quaker News, Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ qn@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1119 Printed by Headley Brothers on paper from sustainably managed forests.

Please don’t throw this magazine away – pass it on to others to read or recycle it.

Celebrating marriage for all Anne van Staveren reports on how Quakers in Britain have helped to change the law on marriage, receiving praise from peers and public in the process. Celebrating the success of the Marriage Bill, outside the Houses of Parliament, Labour peer Waheed Alli said: “Quakers created a space for debate on equal marriage that made real change possible.” Earlier, in the House of Lords debate, another peer quoted from the collection of essays Towards a Quaker view of sex, fifty years on from its publication. Since Yearly Meeting in 2009 we have been seeking a change in the law to treat all Quaker marriages in Britain in the same way. Friends in local and area meetings and staff in Friends House have engaged with parliamentarians, policymakers and media. We have spoken about Quaker faith and helped focus the debate on real people. Our advocacy work has reached countless people with this message: “All are born equal and our love is equal too.” Media from New York to New Zealand, as well as national television and radio here, have reported our words. On the day the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act became law, the BBC News website quoted Paul Parker, Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain: “It’s wonderful to see same-sex marriage achieve legal recognition. Quakers see the light of God in everyone so we respect the inherent worth of each individual and each loving relationship.” Our post on Facebook welcoming the new law had over 2,000 ‘likes’. Personally, I feel like just one speck in a long process of Quaker discernment on sexuality. This was exemplified for me by hearing Baroness Brinton quoting from Towards a Quaker view of sex. In the House of Lords she said: “The Quakers, as ever, set the pace on this. In 1963, in their paper,

Towards a Quaker view of sex, they said: ‘Surely it is the nature and quality of a relationship that matters; one must not judge by its outward appearance but by its inner worth’.” Soon – maybe spring 2014 – all Quaker marriages in England and Wales may be registered with the civil authorities, regardless of the genders of the couple. But first regulations and procedures need to be put in place. Until then, the Recording Clerk advises registering officers to follow the current process of having separate Quaker marriages and civil partnerships for same-sex couples. In Scotland, legislation is currently before the Holyrood parliament. Britain Yearly Meeting and General Meeting for Scotland continue to monitor progress. All this has raised our public profile: meetings may receive queries about marriage. However, Quaker marriage is not an alternative form of marriage available to the general public, but is for members and those who,

whilst not in formal membership, are in unity with its religious nature and witness. Michael Booth (michaelsb@quaker.org.uk; 020 7663 1023) can advise meetings on marriage procedure. In praise of our support for marriage equality, one young man emailed the Recording Clerk: “I’m only 21 years old, but I’ve suffered a lot of abuse due to intolerant people using religion as the basis for their hate. Finding out about your long-standing stance toward equality has restored my faith in humanity… that you can be forward-thinking and open to people due to them as a person, rather than judge them for their sexuality, is wonderful.” Anne van Staveren is Media Relations Officer for Quakers in Britain. Anne van Staveren annev@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1048 www.quaker.org.uk/news

Rachel and Sally Xerri-Brooks celebrating their civil partnership at Bournville Quaker Meeting House in June last year. Photo: Hannah Eno

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Bring a friend to meeting for worship 4

From 27 September to 6 October Quakers across the country will stage events and activities to mark Quaker Week. Alistair Fuller explains how reaching out for Quaker Week can be as simple as inviting a friend to meeting for worship. Each year during Quaker Week we invite Friends and meetings to think about how they share their faith with those around them. We encourage them to take part in an event or activity that will raise their profile in their local community and allow others to discover something about the Quaker way. This year we have created a range of leaflets, posters and other resources to help Friends share the experience of Quaker worship. Meeting for worship is our central, uniting and defining experience and yet one that it can be difficult to explain or describe. So, rather than talking about worship, we are suggesting that meetings hold a ‘bring a friend’ Sunday, with each person in the meeting inviting someone to come along and try it for themselves. There are some new resources available to help Friends to do this, with suggestions about how someone coming to

meeting for worship for the first time might want to prepare and also about how the meeting itself can prepare. ‘Bring a friend’ was inspired by Newcastle Local Meeting’s Quaker Week event last year, when the children’s meeting said that they would like to bring their friends to meeting. The whole meeting took up this idea, and held a very rich, joyful and inspiring event. A diverse group of visitors of all ages were welcomed and introduced briefly to what might happen during meeting for worship, and afterwards were invited to share what the experience had been like. Worship was followed by tea and cake and lively conversation. ‘Bring a friend’ is something that a meeting of any size can do and it doesn’t require a huge amount of planning or publicity, nor does it require weeks of preparation. All that is needed is a willingness to

welcome and to talk about what meeting for worship means to you and to Quakers more widely. If you have not already planned a Quaker Week event, ‘bring a friend’ could be an ideal opportunity to get involved. It is also something that you could try at any time – it doesn’t have to be just for Quaker Week.

Meeting for worship is our central, uniting and defining experience and yet one that it can be difficult to explain or describe. To help get ready for a ‘bring a friend’ Sunday you can order a free Quaker Week resource pack from the Quaker Centre (quakercentre@ quaker.org.uk or 020 7663 1030/ 1031). This includes a set of four posters, a leaflet designed to help visitors prepare for their first time at meeting, a leaflet to help newcomers through the worship experience, and ‘What do you do during meeting for worship?’ – a resource to help Friends talk about their own experience of worship. Whatever you are planning to do during Quaker Week, we would love to hear from you, even after the event. The best way to let us know what you are doing is to fill in the online form at www.quaker. org.uk/qwmap or contact Andrew O’Hanlon, Outreach Development Officer (details below). Alistair Fuller is Head of Outreach Development for Quakers in Britain.

One Friend in each of this year’s Quaker Week posters looks out engagingly from meeting for worship. The simple strapline tells the viewer “You are welcome at a Quaker meeting”. Photo: Mike Pinches

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Contact: Andrew O’Hanlon andrewo@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1017 www.quaker.org.uk/outreach

Quaker worship for all ages The way we worship is a defining characteristic of our religious community. Howard Nurden looks at the support and resources available to help us share this experience with our children and young people. On a sunny July weekend 25 children and 22 adults came to Woodbrooke for a weekend exploring worship. The children explored questions such as “What is God?”, “What is worship?” and “What is in your worship kit?”. The adults separately considered similar queries. Comments from children included: “I felt more able to minister when I was with other children”; “It gave me more confidence about speaking to my meeting” and “At the start I already knew what I thought God was but this event helped me further my thoughts”. If we see worship as being at the heart of our Quaker communities, we should seek to explore such questions together and to offer worship experiences for all ages. Yearly Meeting in May did just this by being aware of the contributions of the children and young people’s programmes throughout the

Children exploring Quaker worship at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in July. Photo: © Ruth Davey/Look Again

weekend and by holding a meeting for worship for all ages. Quaker Life Central Committee designated March 2013 as a month for meetings to organise an all-age meeting for worship, under the banner of ‘Spring into all-age worship’. Workshops were offered in advance of this for people to think and plan. A free guidance and resources pack was made available. Lots of meetings gave it a go and comments received included: “There were 35 of us, we were aged 8 to 80 and although we had invited vocal ministry we were all held by the power of the silence” and “The meeting had a sense of oneness of the whole community”. If you’d like to host a workshop in your meeting to explore all-age worship, we can arrange for experienced facilitators to help you. Our all-age worship guidance and resources pack has been updated following feedback from users and is available to all. Quaker worship is one of the things that makes us unique. It is not always easy to offer children opportunities to experience Quaker worship for themselves. A special issue of Journeys in the Spirit written by John Lampen sets out ways to help children and adults explore and develop a personal practice of worship. This simple but insightful guide is freely available. There are just 65 local Quaker meetings in Britain offering a children’s meeting every week. In total less than 150 local meetings have a children’s meeting at least one a month. Can we be bold in promoting a children’s activity to the communities our meetings are in? Many parents of young families are looking for a spiritual home and if children come they’ll bring a

Resources available

Guidance and resources for all-age worship: www.quaker. org.uk/working-with-all-ages Journeys in the Spirit special issue on worship: www.quaker.org.uk/journeys/ special-issues-children Being ready for children in your meeting: www.quaker.org.uk/ working-children-0-12-years-0

Workshops available

‘All-age worship’ and ‘Being ready for children in your Quaker meeting’ – full details and a workshop request form available through www.quaker. org.uk/workshops To request paper copies of resources or for further information about workshops email cypadmin@quaker.org.uk or phone 020 7663 1013. parent or relative with them. It is hard for many meetings to know how to be ready for children. To help with this the resource Being ready for children in your meeting aims to help meetings to think about what they can do to be ready and expectant. Meetings can also request a workshop on this topic. Quaker worship enables us to be ourselves as individuals and as part of a meeting community. Are we doing all we can so that children can come to know the liberating possibilities opened up by experiencing Quaker worship? Howard Nurden is head of the Children & Young People’s Staff Team for Quakers in Britain.

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Dialogue with our neighbours 6

This year Quakers welcomed Jewish representatives to Yearly Meeting for the first time. Marigold Bentley explains why this was so significant, and reflects on the dialogue that made it possible. Quakers in Britain welcomed two representatives from Jewish organisations to Yearly Meeting this summer. Rabbi Laura JannerKlausner, Rabbi to the Movement for Reform Judaism, and Laura Marks, Senior Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, attended as interfaith guests of Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith Relations. This was a first in our history, but not all Friends may realise quite how significant their attendance was. Quakers in Britain have had active work in Israel and Palestine since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Through that work on the ground and by influencing international law at the United Nations, Quakers have consistently sought to work alongside those committed to peace in the region. Yet our engagement with the situation in Israel and Palestine has put a strain on our relationships with some Jewish groups. For more than a decade, Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) has managed the UK and

Ireland section of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) on behalf of churches and organisations in Britain and Ireland (see www.quaker.org.uk/eappi). EAPPI is an initiative of the World Council of Churches that aims to contribute to ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and to work for a just and sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. EAPPI takes a position of ‘principled impartiality’. This means that EAPPI does not take sides in the conflict and does not discriminate against anyone, but it is not neutral regarding principles of human rights and international humanitarian law. Despite this emphasis on principled impartiality, EAPPI is seen by some as biased against Israel. In 2011 Meeting for Sufferings – the national representative body for Quakers in Britain – agreed to a boycott of products from the settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Following that decision, there was an immediate surge of correspondence to Friends in which many people expressed their dismay and hurt that Quakers, of all people, would do such a thing. The correspondence included a formal letter from the Board of Deputies of British Jews – the representative organisation for Jews in Britain. Since then, a group of Quakers and a group from the Board of Deputies have met regularly. Together we have covered a lot of ground. We have listened carefully and with respect. Hurt and anger has been expressed. Misunderstandings have been explored. It is a challenging and painful journey together. An invitation to join us at Yearly Meeting was offered as a means of enabling members of the Board of Deputies to gain an insight into our decision-making processes. Laura Marks pointed out at Yearly Meeting that she had been in education in Bloomsbury, had lived most of her life in London and spent a lot of time at the offices of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which are also in Bloomsbury. Yet despite passing Friends House many times, this was the first time she had been inside our building. The impact of Quaker work goes beyond our shores, yet it is about our neighbours too. Marigold Bentley is Secretary to Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith Relations.

Laura Marks (left) and Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner (right) with Quakers in Britain Recording Clerk Paul Parker and Marigold Bentley. Photo: Anne van Staveren

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Contact: Marigold Bentley marigoldb@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1060 www.quaker.org.uk/qccir

Trade with illegal Israeli settlements: moving from words to action Quaker Douglas Rennie met with the Foreign Office in July to call for action on UK trade with illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Suzanne Ismail explains why the settlements are an obstacle to peace in the region. The UK government should take a stronger line on the labelling of produce from illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. That was part of the message given to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister Alistair Burt by a delegation of organisations working for peace in the region. The group included Douglas Rennie, Clerk of Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) Central Committee, and representatives of Christian Aid and the Council for Arab-British Understanding. The meeting was part of a continuing dialogue with FCO officials. It was set up to discuss recommendations made in the report Trading away peace: How Europe helps sustain illegal Israeli settlements, published last year by 22 organisations including QPSW and the Quaker Council for European Affairs. The settlements are areas inhabited by Israeli and Jewish civilians on land occupied since the Six Day War in 1967. They are illegal under international

Douglas Rennie, Clerk of QPSW Central Committee. Photo: Blake Humphries

humanitarian law – specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention, which forbids an occupying power from transferring civilians onto occupied territory. Nevertheless, there are now over 200 settlements with a combined population of over half a million people. Further expansion is planned as part of an Israeli policy that has been denounced by the European Union (EU) and described by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague as “counter-productive, destabilising and provocative”. QPSW’s work on the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel has given us experience of the harm caused by the settlements. They are a key reason for the hundreds of checkpoints and roadblocks that prevent Palestinians from freely going about their daily lives. They also fragment Palestinian territory, threatening the viability of the ‘two-state solution’ to which Israel and the Palestinians are, in theory, both committed. Yet despite condemnation of the settlements by the UK and EU, European economies are bolstering them through trade. Almost £200 million of settlement goods including fruit, vegetables, wine, cosmetics and household goods are exported to Europe each year. In 2009 the UK introduced voluntary labelling guidelines to help shoppers identify fruit and vegetables from the settlements. This was a useful start but the government could do more – either unilaterally or in cooperation with EU partners. Options include mandatory labelling of all settlement products, discouraging businesses from operating in the settlements and an outright ban on

Get involved ll Write to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton in support of the new EU regulations. l Read Trading away peace. l Sign up to the settlement goods boycott email list. See www.quaker.org.uk/ settlement-produce for details. the import of settlement goods. Reflecting on the meeting with Alistair Burt, Douglas said: “This is an opportunity for Quakers to join with others in speaking truth to power. Alistair Burt wanted to hear us and would like our dialogue to continue. We cannot know what effect meetings like this have; is it enough to know they form a small part of our witness to the work of the Spirit?” The EU recently announced new regulations preventing its institutions awarding “grants, prizes or financial instruments” to Israeli organisations based in the settlements. It is too early to know how this will work in practice, but campaigners hope it is a sign that politicians are starting to move from rhetoric towards practical action. Suzanne Ismail is Economic Issues Programme Manager for Quakers in Britain. Contact: Suzanne Ismail suzannei@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1055 www.quaker.org.uk/ economic-justice Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Helping local Quakers make a difference at home and abroad 8

The Relief Grants scheme helps local Quakers to secure funding for specialist projects that change lives for the better. Helen Thomas reports on two of this year’s recipients.

MANGRO – mangrove regeneration project, eastern India MANGRO is a community-based mangrove regeneration project based in Orissa, a state in eastern India. It provides training and support in mangrove cultivation as well as in non-mangrove planting and care. It also helps to establish cooperatives and small businesses using tree products to increase the incomes of local families. The coastal area of Orissa is vulnerable to cyclones, floods, tidal surges and coastal erosion. Four major cyclones since 1967 have cost countless lives, shattered livelihoods and damaged the ecosystem; people live in fear of the inevitable recurrence of such events. Every year the state has major floods that bring similar problems. MANGRO’s work helps protect the local communities from damage caused by cyclones and floods, whilst improving their economic position so they are

Planting a tree as part of the mangrove regeneration project. Photo: MANGRO

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

better able to deal with disasters. In 2009 Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) awarded a Relief Grant of £5,285 to enable the setting up of 12 tree nurseries and an additional mangrove nursery, and to provide training in ecofriendly methods of increasing crop yields. A second grant of £5,984 this year has helped to create an environmental resource centre that is a home for the project. Helen Nightingale of Truro Local Meeting is Chair of Trustees for Integrated Village Development Trust, which supports MANGRO: “Knowing that I have such strong support from my own meeting and from Friends generally is sustaining and inspiring,” she said. “From being an idea in my head, the resource centre is now a real space through which it is possible to walk, where it is possible to work, sit and talk, to read and sleep – a place which, even before it was finished, drew people to it.”

Solace – support for refugees and asylum seekers, Leeds UK Solace is a Leeds-based charity that was set up in 2006 to alleviate mental ill-health among refugees and asylum seekers resulting from experiences in their country of origin and ongoing trauma in the UK, which in extreme cases can lead to attempted suicide. Research indicates that a much higher proportion of the asylum seeking and refugee population (about 50 per cent) suffer from mental health problems than any other population group. Solace provides a ‘whole person’ service, covering not only mental and physical therapies but also the advice and representation that

helps to alleviate the cause of their distress. To begin with, Solace only had the resources to help individual adults, but it was soon apparent that the needs of children and their families were paramount. In 2010 Solace started a service for children, adolescents and their families. This is organised and mainly provided by an experienced professional children’s therapist aided by volunteers. Children and young people are referred to Solace by a wide range of agencies, and different approaches are taken depending on the child’s age and stage of development. Reza and his brother Hassan, from Kurdish Iran, were aged 11 and 12 when they were tortured in prison and sentenced to death, commuted until they reached age 16. They escaped but Hassan was shot dead. Reza eventually reached the UK and is living with foster parents. Experiencing anxiety and depression, he was referred by Social Services to Solace, where he was able to use his own language. Reza recently started school for the first time aged 14. “I will be born again. Up to now it’s been a nightmare. I have had a lot of help from people including Solace, where I can say how I feel because there is always an interpreter. I want to learn English; I want to join in the conversation, but I can’t. Here is like another world for me.” During the past three years the Solace project initiated by Otley Meeting has been supported by Leeds Area Meeting, its trustees and Adel, Carlton Hill, Ilkley, Rawdon and Roundhay meetings, as well as some others in Yorkshire. QPSW has provided grants of

Quaker-funded kitchen garden. As well as mangrove regeneration, MANGRO’s work includes income-generation projects and environmental education. Photo: MANGRO

£6,000 in 2011, £5,000 in 2012 and £4,000 in 2013. Social Return on Investment conducted a review of Solace in 2012. Its assessment was that Solace generates a social value of between £4 and £8.50 for every £1 spent on its work.

New grants awarded for 2013: ll £1,100 to Baripur Sittakundu Sneh Kunja to provide a project coordinator and field workers for a

About QPSW Relief Grants

Relief Grants are given for the alleviation of suffering as a result of war, conflict, natural disasters and climate change, but not for crisis relief. They can be applied for by individual Quakers with the backing of at least one Quaker meeting. By raising a concern and applying for a relief grant, you could help to make a difference in a community that matters to you. Application packs for 2014 grants are available from 1 October to 31 December 2013 from www.quaker.org.uk/ qpsw-relief-grants.

community-based disaster risk management scheme on Jharkhali Island in the Sundarban Delta in West Bengal (supported by Bainbridge Meeting). £5,248 to Chisikili Support Group to purchase a solar water pumping system. Chisikili is a support group for people living with HIV near the town of Monze in Southern Zambia. The pump will allow this small community to grow more crops and generate income (supported by Bridgend Meeting). £5,900 to Hope School to fund the building of a cafeteria at the school for underprivileged teenagers on the West Bank. The cafeteria will provide a place for children to eat their meals and will also generate income through being open to the public during school holidays (supported by Sunderland Meeting). £2,210 to Palestinian Child Relief & Development Association to provide supportive courses for poorly achieving children to enable their continued education in marginalised areas in the West Bank (supported by Bath Meeting). £3,370 to Purple Field

Productions to fund equipment and production expenses for a film for the majority agricultural communities of Malawi. The film will present new ideas and farming techniques to help community members realise the potential of the land they are farming in the context of climate change (supported by West Somerset Area Meeting). ll £1,423 to Scholarship 4 Street Kids to run non-formal education classes for children of scavenging and begging families in Myanmar, coupled with family support payments to compensate families for the lost wages of the child whilst attending classes (supported by Keighley Meeting). ll £3,320 to Scottish Detainee Visitors for the establishment of a drop-in facility to provide practical and emotional support for detainees held at the Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre (supported by Glasgow Meeting).

Ongoing grants awarded for 2013: ll £6,000 to Children of the Forest to support a package of projects enabling some exciting jungle school activities for refugee children in the Sangkhlaburi province of western Thailand (supported by Halifax Meeting and Brighouse West Yorkshire Area Meeting). ll £1,800 to Tabora League for Children to set up incomegenerating projects for families in Tanzania who are struggling to buy food due to climate volatility pushing up prices (supported by Bewdley Meeting). Helen Thomas is Grants Officer for Quakers in Britain Contact: Helen Thomas helent@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1117 www.quaker.org.uk/ qpsw-relief-grants Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Resisting the rise of the killer robots 10

This October will see the third annual Week of Action Against Drones. Sam Walton looks at the crucial role of Quakers in opposing the use of these lethal machines. Quaker meetings have recently been expressing their concern about military drones. Drones are unmanned aircraft used for reconnaissance and surveillance or to deploy missiles and bombs. They can be controlled by remote pilots on the ground or programmed to function autonomously. Drones represent a worrying new frontier in warfare and raise a number of grave concerns: high civilian casualties, targeted extrajudicial killings, kill decisions made half the world away and even the possibility of drones killing without human involvement. The first major report into drones in the UK, Convenient killing: Armed drones and the ‘Playstation’ mentality, was co-written by Mary Dobbing during her placement at the Fellowship of Reconciliation as part of the Quaker UK Peaceworker scheme: “My year as a Quaker peaceworker meant that I could acquire the skills and confidence to change careers and realise my witness for peace more concretely. I am now working as a researcher for Drone Wars UK – maintaining a database of the world’s drones and mapping British-based companies that make drones or components for them.”

Drone Wars UK is directed by Chris Cole, who recognises the crucial role of Quakers in resisting the normalisation of drones in Britain: “Quakers have been at the forefront of opposition to this new way to wage war. From giving space at Friends House to the Drone Campaign Network, to hosting dozens of public meetings on the issue at Quaker meetings across the country, to attending vigils and demonstrations at drone factories and bases, Quakers have been in many ways the backbone of drone war resistance in this country. Now, more than ever, with drones becoming more and more normalised, we need Quakers to continue to oppose them.” Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) has been taking action on drones since 2010. It is a founder member of the Drone Campaign Network and also took part in the founding of Stop Killer Robots, the campaign to stop autonomous drones. Autonomous drones would be able to target, decide to kill, and then kill humans and are already being developed in the USA. During the UK launch of Stop Killer Robots QPSW hosted an inviteonly meeting for key anti-drone campaigners at Friends House. Though QPSW has contributed

Take action on drones l

Sign the petition to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding drones – http://chn.ge/ PtYWQW l Sign up for monthly updates from Drone Wars UK – http://dronewarsuk. wordpress.com/ l Host a speaker to talk about drones in your town l Take part in the Drones Week of Action, 5–12 October 2013 – http://bit.ly/RglZ3X l Attend a meeting for worship at RAF Waddington – the base from which the UK’s drones are controlled l Contribute to Quaker work to help sustain our peace campaigning and networking. to the opposition to drones in the UK, it has not tried to take the lead. QPSW’s approach is to enable networking and nurture emerging areas of the peace movement. This has been integral to its work on drones. Quakers across the country have also been very active on this issue, and – as Chris Cole points out – this grassroots opposition is vital. See the box on this page to find out how you can take action. Sam Walton is Peace & Disarmament Programme Manager for Quakers in Britain.

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Contact: Sam Walton disarm@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1067 www.quaker.org.uk/disarm

Now is the time to say no to tar sands oil Exploiting tar sands could mean ‘game over’ for the climate, a leading scientist has warned. Chris Walker explains why it is crucial to resist this destructive industry in autumn 2013. Tar sands oil extraction in Alberta, Canada, has been described as the most destructive industry in history. Companies are forcing water and chemicals through the earth or digging vast open mines to obtain bitumen, a heavy form of crude oil. Bitumen is then heavily refined to produce a carbon-intensive fuel. Emissions from tar sands oil, and its extraction, are now a key threat to a stable climate. Former NASA climate scientist James Hansen has claimed that fully exploiting the tar sands would mean “game over for the climate”. The Alberta tar sands are just the pinnacle of a range of ‘extreme energy’ projects developing, and meeting resistance, around the world. As the price of fossil fuels rises, and governments continue to subsidise their extraction, refinement and use, companies are unlocking previously untapped sources of carbon-intensive fuel with extreme and often destructive methods. Extreme energy methods now operating in the UK with support from the government, like shale gas ‘fracking’, have been met with local concerns and organised resistance this year. Political and financial support for these extreme energy projects has become one of the biggest challenges to building a sustainable global economy. Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) is working with and on behalf of Friends to end UK dependence on fossil fuels. This stems from the commitment made by Quakers in Britain in 2011 to become a low-carbon, sustainable community and to speak out for wider social action for sustainability. Staff and Friends are taking action with a coalition of campaign

groups to block tar sands oil from Europe. Over the past year the UK government has supported Canada in undermining proposed changes to the EU Fuel Quality Directive that would help block tar sands oil and other heavy crude oils from Europe. The legislation could help the EU achieve important carbonreduction targets and challenge the expansion of the tar sands industry. QPSW is calling on the UK government to support the legislation at the EU Environment Council this year. In July, QPSW staff joined a delegation of campaign groups to meet Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport Norman Baker to discuss the issue. Britain Yearly Meeting’s action on the tar sands is just the latest resistance to the industry by Quakers. Both Canada Yearly Meeting and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting have expressed deep concern about its effects on the climate and on communities. In February, US Quakers joined 40,000 people in a march through Washington DC to oppose a proposed pipeline from the tar

sands through their country. This autumn provides an essential opportunity to help block tar sands oil from Europe. The UK is due to vote on the proposed tar sands policy at the EU Environment Council in December. Now is an important time to pressure the UK government to support the legislation. You can ask your MP to call on the government on your behalf to support policies to block tar sands oil from Europe as part of the EU Fuel Quality Directive. For more information visit www. quaker.org.uk/speak-out, or get in touch using the details below. You can also sign up to receive QPSW’s Earth & Economy news updates at www.quaker.org.uk/ earth-economy-signup-1. Chris Walker is Sustainability & Peace Programme Coordinator for Quakers in Britain. Contact: Chris Walker chrisw@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1009 www.quaker.org.uk/sustainability

Tar sands mining outside Fort McMurry, Alberta, Canada. The photo represents just one part of a huge area of activity. Photo: David Dodge, The Pembina Institute

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

News in brief 12

QUNO recognised for armed violence reduction work

The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) has been named one of the 100 most influential global actors in armed violence reduction by Action On Armed Violence, recognising the work of Quakers to put this issue on the UN agenda. “Like Quakers in general, we tend not to publicise our work but instead just get on and do it,” said Diane Hendrick, associate representative for peace and disarmament at QUNO’s Geneva office. “However, we are glad to be recognised by others and we hope this will help us further increase our effectiveness as we continue.” QUNO has worked on both the supply and demand sides of the armed violence equation, providing space for off-the-record meetings to support negotiations on small arms and light weapons but also playing an important role in focusing international attention on the roots of the problem – why people resort to armed violence in the first place. Staffing of QUNO Geneva is largely funded by Quakers in Britain.

UN to debate children of parents sentenced to death

Children of parents sentenced to death or executed will be the subject of a UN Human Rights Council panel debate this autumn. It will be the first time the subject has been considered by the UN. QUNO Geneva is working to support the debate and has already released two briefing papers on the issue. The first briefing paper on this subject was written by Helen Kearney in 2012, whilst placed at QUNO though the Peaceworker scheme run by Quakers in Britain. The latest briefing – Lightening the load of the parental death penalty on children – was released this summer. Both are available at Quaker News – Autumn 2013

www.quno.org. This follows on from QUNO Geneva’s work on the issue of children of imprisoned parents. In 2011 QUNO helped to bring about a Day of General Discussion on this issue hosted by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, getting it onto the UN agenda for the first time (see Quaker News 81).

Witnessing for peace on the centenary of war

Worldwide commemoration of the centenary of World War I will begin in 2014, presenting opportunities for Quakers to speak confidently about remembrance, reconciliation and paths to nonviolence. All local Quaker meetings will be sent a resource kit in February 2014 including a guide to resources in the Library at Friends House, a Quaker timeline for the period, and ‘how to’ guides on running events, engaging young people, responding to media interest and capturing stories. Another resource to help Quakers engage with the centenary is an interactive online map of events. If you or your meeting are planning an event, even if you are in the very early stages, you are invited to add it to the map to help build a picture of Quaker activity across the UK. Visit www.quaker.org.uk/WW1map to access the map or contact Miranda Girdlestone on 020 7663 1158 or at mirandag@quaker.org.uk to find out more about the resources available.

Project to shine new light on Quaker wartime relief work

The World War I centenary activities planned from 2014 to 2018 are an opportunity to show that although there were differing opinions at the time, many Quakers were keen to live out their beliefs, whether by assisting with medical activities or by providing relief from famine, hardship and disease. A new project will enable

the Library at Friends House to catalogue the records of the Friends Emergency and War Victims Relief Committee (FEWVRC) and create an online exhibition, making material such as photographs and field reports more accessible to Quakers and others by the end of 2014. The work of FEWVRC is less well known than that of the Friends Ambulance Unit, but they were active in France, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Russia, Poland, Holland and the UK. The project has been made possible by a grant of £46,150 from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.

Stampede! Help wanted

Thank you to all those who have sent stamps to QPSW (Quaker Peace & Social Witness) Stamp Club. After the story about the club in the last issue of Quaker News, they have received so many stamps that they are now in need of extra volunteers to help sort through them. QPSW Stamp Club has raised nearly £20,000 for Quaker work over the last ten years by selling stamps to collectors, at auction and in bulk by the kilo. The sorting team usually meet together at Friends House in London on an ad hoc basis to sort through the stamps. If you would like to help with the sorting, or if you are a collector interested in buying, please contact Helen Bradford – the staff contact for the club – on 020 7663 1071 or at helenb@quaker.org.uk. If you would like to donate stamps, please send them to Helen at Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ. Foreign stamps and British commemorative issues are particularly welcome, but the club would rather not be sent ordinary first- and second-class stamps as these do not raise any money.

Government cuts

Government cuts to welfare benefits and other expenditure are hitting hardest those with the smallest incomes. Should Quakers challenge the growing inequality in our society? Should we help individuals and if so how? Can we address the structural basis of this inequality and if so how? How do we question and change underlying social attitudes? Quaker Peace & Social Witness and Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre are holding a conference on ‘Gathering for action: welfare cuts and inequality’ at Woodbrooke, Birmingham, 25–27 October 2013. The event will explore these questions and share tools for taking action. See www.woodbrooke.org.uk for details and booking information.

Your faith, your finance

A new website will soon be helping people to make ethical and Spirit-led decisions about their use of money. The site, ‘Your Faith, Your Finance’, is being developed jointly by Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) and the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR). It is aimed at churches and Quaker meetings as well as individuals. It will cover issues ranging from banking and credit unions to payday lenders and the portrayal of money in the Bible. Rather than tell people what to do, the site will give people information and resources to help them make decisions for themselves. The site’s formal launch date has yet to be set, but watch out for more news in National Ethical Investment Week, from 13 to 19 October.

Yearly Meeting Gathering heads to the West Country

On 2 August 2014, Friends from all over the UK and the wider global Quaker community will be arriving in the historic spa town of Bath for a week of spiritual refreshment and renewal at Yearly Meeting Gathering. Under the canvas of a huge big top, around 1,600 Quakers will

come together for deep worship, Yearly Meeting sessions and exploration of the theme ‘What does it mean to be a Quaker today?’, surrounded by the lush green gardens and excellent facilities of the University of Bath campus. Friends of all ages will spend the week living together – either on campus or camping close by – and building a community. With the option to take part in a wide range of workshops and special interest activities as well as a fantastic children and young people’s programme, Yearly Meeting Gathering will be a rich week of sustained learning and a deepening of the spirit that will last far beyond the time spent together. Booking details will be sent to meetings this winter, but in the meantime Friends can find more information about plans for the gathering and get involved at www. quaker.org.uk/ymg2014.

Going through the roof

Beams in the roof of Friends House, London, were exposed to the light of day for the first time in almost 90 years in August. Contractors working on a fullscale renovation of the Large Meeting House broke through the original roof, which was too badly damaged to restore. The Large Meeting House was purpose-built to house Yearly Meeting, the annual gathering of Quakers in Britain. Yearly Meeting will be held in the newly renovated Large Meeting House for the first time in summer 2015. You can follow the progress of the refurbishment at www.quaker. org.uk/news/lmh.

New paper

Eagle-eyed Quaker News readers may have spotted that this issue is printed on a different type of paper. We have switched to ‘Explorer Offset’, which is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC is a non-profit organisation that aims to encourage management of forestry resources in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable way.

Tell us what you think about Quaker News We are keen to hear what you think of Quaker News. It is our most widely distributed printed resource, sharing news of the work of Quakers in Britain with members of our faith community, enquirers, supporters, partners and the general public. We want it to be the best it can be. Whether you’ve just picked up your first copy or you’ve read it for years, we would value your opinion. The best way to tell us what you think is to complete our online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/ qn87 – it only takes a few minutes to do. In line with our commitment to sustainability, we have not included a paper copy of the survey as an enclosure with the printed version of this issue of Quaker News. This is because we know that many copies would not be returned and the paper wasted. But we are also aware that not everyone can access the online survey. If it is easier for you to complete the survey on paper, we would be happy to send a copy to you, along with a Freepost return envelope. To request a copy, please phone Blake Humphries on 020 7663 1063, email qn@quaker.org.uk or write to Quaker News at Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ. Every completed survey will be much appreciated and will help us to improve Quaker News. The closing date for survey responses is 1 December 2013, but feedback on Quaker News is always welcome via the contact details given above. The new paper is brighter and smoother, meaning that text and images are reproduced more crisply and that we can significantly reduce the amount of ink used in printing. It is also cheaper than the previous stock. Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Busting economic myths The state of our economy is seldom out of the news these days. But are the assumptions behind the headlines valid? Suzanne Ismail reports on a course that has helped Quakers across the country explore contemporary economic myths. “The problem with Britain is that there are too many skivers and not enough strivers.” “Welfare is there to help people who work hard, it shouldn’t be there as a sort of lifestyle choice.” We hear political speeches and news headlines along these lines every day. They’ve been used to justify controversial changes to our social security system that are contributing to levels of inequality not seen in this country since World War II. But what’s the truth behind these divisive statements? According to the New Economics Foundation (NEF), very little. Far from being a nation of skivers, we appear to be a nation of job-seekers. On average, there are at least four Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) claimants chasing every unfilled vacancy advertised at the UK’s jobcentres. In some parts of the country this rises to more than 20. Over half of JSA claimants find work within 13 weeks, with only 10 per cent claiming for over a year. In fact, only 2.6 per cent (£4.9 billion) of the UK’s social security spending is spent on the unemployed, whereas nearly three

times that figure – £13.8 billion – is paid to people who are in work but don’t earn enough to afford the basic costs of living. The ‘strivers versus skivers’ myth was just one of the issues tackled by the 120 or more Friends who took part in the innovative Economic Mythbusters online course run this summer by NEF in cooperation with Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) and other partner organisations. The sevenweek course was designed to help participants challenge a series of economic myths, which can hinder the discussion of economic reforms that could help to create a more sustainable and equal world. The sessions were led by journalists and economists including Polly Toynbee, Owen Jones and John Christenson. QPSW staff provided reflections from a Quaker perspective and there were also question-andanswer sessions and breakout groups where participants could practise ‘busting’ that week’s myth. Although many Friends took part in the course as individuals, over 30 meetings organised groups of

Friends who gathered together to share the experience. “It is great to have the evidence to back up my feelings that we are not being told the truth about the economic situation by politicians and the media,” said course participant Faith Goodfellow, of Newcastle Meeting. “I now feel better prepared to talk about the myths and realities.” QPSW enabled Friends to take part in the course as part of its response to recent discernment about economic justice and sustainability and to support the yearly meeting as it continues to discern the way forward on these issues – particularly in relation to the latest government cuts. “Running an online course like this was somewhat of an experiment for us,” explained QPSW Programme Manager Sunniva Taylor. “There were some technical difficulties at first, and we know these caused frustrations for some participants. However, by the end of the course most of these had been ironed out. It was great to be able to bring Friends together like this without everyone having to travel to a central location and the associated carbon emissions that this brings.” Resources from the course are now available at www.quaker.org. uk/mythbusters. Suzanne Ismail is Economic Issues Programme Manager for Quakers in Britain.

On average, there are at least four Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants chasing every unfilled vacancy advertised at the UK’s jobcentres. Photo: Lydia Shiningbrightly

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Contact: Suzanne Ismail suzannei@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1055 www.quaker.org.uk/ economic-justice

Join us for the Quaker Life Network Big Day Contribute to Quaker work

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

Subscribe to Quaker News Over 100 Quakers will have the opportunity to attend a free event at Friends House on Saturday 8 March 2014. The day-long conference will focus on the Quaker Life Network and how it supports meetings by connecting Quakers across Britain. There are now over 1,000 network members, who receive regular emails and are part of the resource that is available to meetings and to support the wider work. Not everyone connected to the network is asked to work actively, but upholding others in what they do is an important contribution. Some of what the network does is responding to requests for help from Quaker meetings; Friends also offer service to smaller networks (or ‘clusters’) within the Quaker Life Network that hold a common interest or goal. Clusters have developed around Quaker Life’s main areas of work, and as connections through the network have grown we have linked with other areas of Quaker work such as peace education. The Quaker Life Network Big Day invites Friends to discover more about each of the areas that the network is involved with.

Participants can choose from a selection of workshop sessions, which will be based around the clusters and will give a flavour of the work that they might offer to become more involved with. The theme for the day will be ‘Stories of service’. Plenary sessions with speakers will open and close the day, and there will be sharing from network members of their stories of service. The event is open to all and we hope to encourage Friends to come who have not regularly been part of Quaker Life’s work in recent times. There is no charge for attending the event, but if you would like to come we ask that you share your experience of the day with your local or area meeting afterwards. Participants’ travel expenses will be reimbursed, and to help those whose travel will make a day event in London prohibitive, we are planning to offer a B&B scheme similar to the one offered during Yearly Meeting. If you would like to book a place at this event please use the online booking form at www.quaker.org. uk/QLN-BigDay. If you do not have access to the internet please phone us on 020 7663 1143.

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

Connect with Quakers in Britain

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

Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Quakers: committed to caring for peace and planet 16

Meet Gill Alcock

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

Request a free information pack: Name Address

Postcode Email Please send completed form to: Quaker Outreach (QN) Friends House FREEPOST NW2259 London NW1 2BR FREEPHONE: 0808 109 1651 E: outreach@quaker.org.uk Quaker News – Autumn 2013

Gill Alcock is a member of East Cheshire Area Meeting. An assistant area meeting clerk, children and young people’s (CYP) advocate and elder, she sees great value in how children’s meeting and all-age worship underpin our witness and social action. When I came to Quakers some 15 years ago, it was the stillness and silence of meeting for worship that fed my soul and allowed space for the quiet reworking from inside. This is still central. But much of what has most changed me and brings me towards wholeness is anything but still and quiet – the challenges of new roles and encounters, taking me out of my comfort zone. In each role I’ve taken on I’ve been supported by my area meeting and often generously sent for training, usually at Woodbrooke. Experiencing and sharing the spiritual underpinnings of the work keeps me going. Since I took the plunge and volunteered for CYP work I’ve learned so much – both from our children and young people and from wise adults. I am so proud that our Quaker community is supportive, not competitive. We can all ask for help and guidance, from other Quakers as well as from the Spirit, and in my experience that support is always forthcoming. Centrally managed CYP work is a beacon of British Quakerism. My area meeting encouraged

me and my young daughter to attend the fantastic Stirling Summer Gathering in 2007. We look forward to national events with CYP provision – Britain Yearly Meeting, Yearly Meeting Gatherings and all-age conferences – as big get-togethers of our Quaker family. From them stems much of our strength and joy for outreach, sustainability, equality and peace. I feel very lucky to be part of Frandley Local Meeting and East Cheshire Area Meeting. Frandley, though small and rural, is passionate about running a weekly children’s meeting, whether or not children regularly attend. As a result we always have children as part of the meeting, and new families come. I often adapt the brilliant resource Journeys in the Spirit from the CYP team for local and area meetings and residentials. All-age worship is a joy. The key point to me is that all-age worship is worship. If the session has resonance and allows everyone to worship in their different ways, then an all-age community is forming and growing spiritually and practically together.