Stocksfield Meeting House. Photo: Courtesy of Michael Long.
Eye - 1 March 2019
From Friendly Fridays to repairs and refills
Fun, reflection and fellowship
Fridays have taken on a Friendly theme for one Meeting in Northumberland.
Michael Long, of Stocksfield Meeting, told Eye that local Quakers are now into their second year of ‘Friends on Fridays’: ‘Our Meeting house is open to all from 2pm to 6pm (or later) on the last Friday of the month with free coffee, cakes and conversation on offer.’
The gatherings have drawn Friends from across Northumberland Area Meeting. Michael described evenings spent ‘sharing poetry, music, discussion and reflections on matters spiritual and eternal. The Area Meeting has several published poets in its midst and their work has been recited with delight’.
One Friend has commented: ‘It’s such a simple idea, yet so powerful in creating community and supporting friendship.’
In 2019 Stocksfield Meeting also plan to offer talks on Quakerly topics during the gatherings, one of which will include two local Quaker poets describing their spiritual journey and its relationship with their work.
Michael added that reaching out to the village community is a high priority: ‘We are responding to comments from villagers who have wondered if we have closed up and abandoned the Meeting house… The Lights are on! Quakers are at home! Welcome stranger!’
‘A Quaker nanosecond’
Friends in Southampton have appeared in a film offering insights into their faith and experiences.
Local Friend Hazel Inskip told Eye that, although ‘Quaker business is not famous for its speed… a film about Southampton Quakers was proposed and made in what one Friend described as a Quaker nanosecond’.
The film came about after the Meeting was approached in late November by a student from Southampton’s Solent University, who wanted to make a film about Friends for his documentary film-making degree.
Hazel explained: ‘We asked him to produce a proposal by close of play on 30 November so that it could be discussed at the Local Business Meeting on 2 December…
‘The Business Meeting loved the idea, thinking that we’d been given a gift, and appointed three Friends to meet the student and his two colleagues that week. His project deadline was 10 January so there was no time for lengthy discernment or detailed preparation.
‘Filming went ahead on 16 December, with various Friends being interviewed, a “staged” Meeting for Worship, and a visit to the Quaker burial ground. The resulting film can be seen at http://bit.ly/SouthamptonRSOF
‘Sometimes we need to act quickly and, when the opportunities arise, we can and should do so.’
Repairs and refills
Quakers in Horsham have seen a local environmental project go from strength to strength.
Its roots go back several years, when Friends began to offer a refill service staffed by volunteers. Members of the public are able to refill plastic bottles with household essentials, including laundry detergent, shampoo and shower gel. Increasing demand has seen other services introduced to the Meeting house, most notably the volunteer-run Repair Cafe. The Cafe is a free monthly event where people can get broken or worn-out items repaired, from clock radios to laptops.
Helen Whittington, who is Resident Friend at Horsham Meeting, told local magazine All About Horsham that: ‘The Horsham Repair Cafe ties in with the sustainable ethos of what we do as Quakers, so when they asked to share the space, we were delighted.
‘More people are coming every month and it’s reached the stage where it’s becoming harder to fit everything in… we need to expand into the afternoon.
‘In the morning, our focus will remain on repairs, refills and energy saving, with a new fabric and textile swap shop, as well as upcycling, moving to the afternoon session.’
