Britain Yearly Meeting 2016: Quaker Disability Equality Group
The AGM of the Quaker Disability Equality Group was held at Yearly Meeting
A dozen Friends met for the annual general meeting of the Quaker Disability Equality Group (QDEG) at a special interest group at Friends House on Sunday. QDEG’s annual report reflected an active year in which, among other things, the Group had been consulted by the Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre on accessibility, worked with the Quaker Life Network mental health cluster and added new pages to their website, including Guidelines for Inclusion.
A lively and wide-ranging discussion followed the formal business, during which Friends shared their experiences, concerns and ideas for growing the community. Friends talked about the need to support disabled Friends and carers within Meetings, raising awareness of QDEG, the challenges faced during nominations, how to share disabled Friends’ gifts as well as needs, and how individual Friends felt inspired to move their concerns forward.
Friends also reflected on the nature of spiritual gifts. One commented that not all gifts are joyful and could, indeed, be painful.
