Latest News
BYM protest military taxes to HMRC
Forty-nine staff members of Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) have written to HMRC to protest against the uses of taxes for military purposes. The action, which is taken every year, is part of a campaign organised by ‘Conscience – Taxes for peace not war’. The letter says: ‘The government’s response to...
Central England Quakers on Earth Day
Climate campaigns need to engage with the heart as well as the mind, experts at a Quaker-facilitated Earth Day Gathering said. The recommendation was one of many that emerged from the online event on 22 April organised by Central England Quakers, Footsteps (Faiths for a Low Carbon Future), Climate Action Network...
Quaker Africa Interest Group highlights food insecurity
Food insecurity is a key issue in several African countries, according to the Quaker Africa Interest Group. Lee Taylor, co-clerk of the group and member of Milton Keynes Meeting, told the Friend that a Zoom meeting on 23 April organised by the Quaker Africa Interest Group, involving Quaker and other charities...
Quakers call for ‘liveable income for all’
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) has written to the prime minister asking him to ensure no one is left without a liveable income during the COVID-19 crisis. The open letter backs the New Economics Foundation’s (NEF) proposal for a temporary minimum income guarantee which would be unconditional and not means...
Friends celebrate Earth Day 2020
Quakers across the world celebrated Earth Day 2020 last week, which this year marked its fiftieth anniversary. Central England Quakers (CEQ) joined three other groups to hold an online gathering for the day, focusing on how cities are responding to the climate emergency. The interfaith event ‘Our Cities and Climate’ on 22...
BYM moves forward with Vibrancy plans
The joint Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM)/Woodbrooke project to radically reshape support for Quaker communities took what it described as ‘a significant step forward’ this week with news of more local development workers and a key hub office in Leeds.
Roots of Resistance write to MPs
Huddersfield Quakers and the local Roots of Resistance (RoR) group has sent an open letter to MPs raising concerns about the University of Huddersfield’s links with police in Bahrain.
Eurosatory 2020 cancelled
The French Quaker group ‘Stop Fuelling War’ has been celebrating the news that the Eurosatory arms fair in June has been cancelled due to health concerns surrounding COVID-19. The group said on its website: ‘This year we have a unique opportunity: to recognise and act to secure the quality of...
Woodbrooke launches Twitter-based learning
Woodbrooke has launched its first Twitter-based course in response to the coronavirus lockdown, as its online presence grows. The ‘Talking to God’ course, launched on 17 April, is led by Rhiannon Grant, the tutor for Quaker roles at Woodbrooke and deputy programmes leader for the Centre for Research in Quaker Studies.
FWCC furloughs staff
Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) has furloughed two members of its five-strong staff due to the coronavirus outbreak. Gretchen Castle, FWCC general secretary, told the Friend that the staff were furloughed from the World Office as ‘the work of booking flights and updating information dwindled’.