Quakers open more warm banks
'One Quaker said that the gatherings were starting conversations on ‘What are the Meeting houses for?’'
Quakers are continuing to set up warm spaces to help the cost-of-living and energy crisis.
Meeting houses including Central Edinburgh and Friargate in York opened warm spaces last month, as did Stourbridge and Lancaster Meetings in December. New Earswick Meeting in York opened one in November, while Chichester Meeting is due to set one up later this year.
Speaking at a Zoom event run by Ailish Carroll-Brentnall for Quaker Peace & Social Witness, Friends shared their experiences about organising the services. There was a general consensus that some of the ‘drop-ins’ were not attracting the numbers they hoped, so they shared ideas on advertising and reaching more people.
Friends agreed that the warm spaces were proving really valuable in terms of fellowship. One Quaker said ‘it was witness in itself’ and ‘a service to the Meeting’; as it connected them more to the building, which can be seen as ‘just a place we go on Sunday’.
Some also spoke of divisions within the Meeting, with not all Friends agreeing that setting up a warm space was a good use of resources, and they could volunteer or donate to other foodbanks or warm spaces instead – as many Friends already do. One Quaker said that the gatherings were starting conversations on ‘What are the Meeting houses for?’
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