Big increase in attenders, says Woodbrooke
‘Many new Friends, Friends from across the world, and the Quaker-curious are experiencing Woodbrooke for the first time.’
The numbers of people signing up for Woodbrooke courses increased by over a third in 2020, the Quaker centre has reported.Total attendance for its online worship in 2020 was also more than 18,000.
‘We have been really encouraged by the engagement from Friends’, it said. ‘Many new Friends, Friends from across the world, and the Quaker-curious are experiencing Woodbrooke for the first time.’
Jon Martin, communications manager from Woodbrooke, told the Friend that course participation increased by thirty-seven per cent, with attenders coming from twenty-nine countries. ‘Woodbrooke has always been an internationally-minded institution, but this really developed in 2020. We have seen a lot more people coming on courses for the first time, including people who found Quakers during the pandemic and our online worship. Feedback suggests much greater diversity in general, particularly age.’
Woobrooke also ran a series specifically for Friends in New Zealand and a second for all Friends across the Asia and West Pacific Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) Section, as part of Woodbrooke Where You Are. The statement says that Woodbrooke continues to face ‘huge financial challenges’.
