QVA volunteers on a working retreat. Photo: Courtesy of Sue Glover Frykman.
Labours of love: Sue Glover Frykman on QVA
‘Small actions, pursued in peace, love and friendship, have consequences beyond the retreats themselves.’
A Friend asked me recently if Quaker Voluntary Action (QVA) was still alive and kicking. Very much so! As a new QVA trustee, I’m keen to talk about our activities and retreats.
The pandemic affected a lot of face-to-face activities. QVA was no exception, but we are back with a new working retreats coordinator – Kit King – and a programme in the making. A retreat held at Svartbäcken, Sweden, in July, was a great success.
Our strong belief is that small actions, pursued in peace, love and friendship, have consequences far beyond those of the retreats themselves. Thus, QVA enables participation in spirit-led volunteering that makes a practical and social difference. Our projects build community and work towards a more just and peaceful world.
So, what are these retreats?
There are working retreats, where the focus is on places where people are upholding concerns of global significance, such as cross-community peace initiatives or environmental work. Quaker values are upheld throughout the retreats, with a common understanding of, and respect for, each other’s beliefs. Working retreats are held in Britain, Europe and beyond. Volunteers participate in practical projects and reflective sessions that promote spiritual development with meaningful engagement in the world. Activities include gardening, decorating, refugee support, sustainability projects, woodland management, food production, or kitchen tasks. These retreats usually run for a week but can be anything from a weekend to a fortnight. Accommodation is often provided free by the host organisation, onsite where available. Some working retreats aim to connect people with local voluntary services. In these cases, accommodation is not provided, and the participants commute daily.
A typical group size for a working retreat is six to ten participants, plus one or two facilitators. Participants must be eighteen or above, and can range in age up to eighty. Materials and tools are provided. All tasks can be undertaken by non-specialists and are tailored to include participants with disabilities where possible. The likely level of physical work is made clear in advance.
A typical day includes three hours of work, shared meals, free/social time, reflection, and Meetings for Worship (both unprogrammed and structured). Some retreats take place in situations where more intensive work is required, and in these cases the workload and scheduling of free time and reflection are more closely governed by the host.
There are also encounter retreats, in which participants explore a topic of social concern in a specific local context.
Finally, there are online retreats, via videoconferencing (usually Zoom), which involve guided reflection on a subject of social concern. These take place on evenings or weekends, with three or four sessions, weekly or fortnightly. We aim for a balance between information and interaction, with eight to sixteen participants.
In 2024 the theme for our retreats is ‘What does Love require of us?’ See https://qva.org.uk/retreats for more.
