Meeting for Sufferings: The future of Woodbrooke
‘It’s important that BYM looks to support Woodbrooke Learning as much as possible, even if the site becomes financially unviable.'
Friends also considered the future of Woodbrooke, which was another item at the meeting of BYM trustees. Caroline Nursey said: ‘Woodbrooke trustees are now clear that Woodbrooke Learning and Woodbrooke Site need to be looked at separately. BYM trustees are clear that we must give support to Woodbrooke Learning. So now we need to work out what that means and Paul Parker and senior management will bring that back later in the year.’
Friends expressed their warmth and concern for Woodbrooke. ‘I think people need to understand the situation better,’ said one Friend. ‘It’s important that BYM looks to support Woodbrooke Learning as much as possible, even if the site becomes financially unviable. Woodbrooke as an institution is critical to Quakers.’
Caroline Nursey said that it was ‘very helpful that Woodbrooke trustees have reached a decision that there is a difference between learning and the site, and our minute makes it very clear that we do see a need to support the learning as it is so integral to what Friends need across the country’.
Alison Breadon, another BYM trustee, also emphasised the ‘strategic relationship’ between BYM and Woodbrooke. ‘We’ve done some really good thinking on how the two of us can work together as an organisation with mutual aims, and ways in which we can support each other and not get in each other’s way.’
