Eye - 08 November 2013

From bright stars to raindrops and brollies

Star light, star bright

Jean Marenghi, of Stone Meeting, contacted Eye to share this moving story of a star: ‘This is a story with no beginning, middle or end. Perhaps it is not a real story at all – just a collection of drops and small pools, linking and spreading to become a small part of the ocean, which is the love of God.

‘Perhaps the first drop is a young man called Alan Dickinson, a Quaker who became part of the Friends Ambulance Unit, was captured and died in prison during world war two.

‘The second drop concerns my sister, Constance, as a young student at a college in Darlington, which has a strong Quaker ethos. She was awarded a bursary to go to an International Youth Conference in Strasburg. This bursary was given in Alan’s memory. The college staff, with Quakerly generosity, helped to send a second student as well.

‘The third drop, or should it be a pool by now, concerns preparations for the Quaker Service Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, which were well under way in Staffordshire when I moved to Stone two years ago.

‘One day at Meeting I saw and fell in love with the bronze stars to be laid in the Arboretum paving to commemorate each life lost in the Friends Ambulance Unit in world war two. I thought of Constance as I held one, and felt the power of love which links the joys of her youth with a present happiness already marred by dementia.

‘My hopes were fulfilled when I put one in her hand and she felt the weight of a star made for her.

‘So these drops and pools are truly part of the infinite ocean of God’s love.’

Raindrops and brollies

As raindrops patter and Friends seek creative ways of reaching out – a grassroots idea has taken shape.

John Roycroft, of Edgware Meeting, has designed an umbrella to keep Quaker heads from undue sogginess.

It was inspired by a mysterious disappearance: of all the ‘freebie bins’ on Station Road in Edgware, including one holding Quaker News. John ‘looked round for some other way, hopefully more secure, for a small, elderly, Meeting to “spread the word”.’

Having hit upon the idea of an umbrella, John got to work and, after discussions at Friends House and finding a supplier, tackled the design: ‘…once in a while an idea turns out well, especially if it hasn’t been hurried. For instance, the “tongue” of the authorised Q is at an angle, so why not have the website address at the same angle? Then, with alternating black and white panels (simplicity?), the impact seemed to be enhanced… only after receiving and using the umbrella did I see the analogy with the ancient yin and yang eastern symbol.’

John hopes Friends will be tempted by the combination of practicality and visual impact: ‘unfurling several Quaker umbrellas at the same time in the course of a demonstration will be genuine outreach.’

After an initial twenty-five were produced, priced at £20 each, only three remain unsold. Interested Friends can contact John at roycroft@btinternet.com or ‘for bulk orders an Area (or Local) Meeting is free to negotiate direct with the supplier [Total Merchandise Ltd of Little Braxted, Essex]. The design allows for space to add, for instance, a Local Meeting’s name.’

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