Latest News
Friends join faith leaders in opposing nuclear weapons
Quakers in Britain have signed up to a statement issued by twenty-six faith leaders across the UK calling for new initiatives to eliminate nuclear weapons. Senior representatives from eight faiths, including Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, say that nuclear weapons ‘violate the principle of dignity for every human being...
NZ Quakers write to their prime minister
Members of the Yearly Meeting of Aotearoa/New Zealand have asked their prime minister to ensure that the country responds effectively to its environmental responsibilities, in particular the control of greenhouse gas emissions.
Friends invited to become citizen-journalists
Citizen journalism has been selected as a key focus for the 2015 spring gathering of the Quakers and Business Group.
Jean Vanier wins Templeton Prize
Many Friends have welcomed the news that Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, has won the 2015 Templeton Prize.
Campsfield expansion on hold
The application was submitted by the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice. It was withdrawn on 12 March on the instruction of the home secretary. ‘This is a great achievement for Stop Campsfield Expansion, a coalition of local organisations which has devoted an enormous amount of time and energy into...
American Friends win landmark environmental victory
A Quaker group has succeeded in stopping an American bank from investing in a controversial mining practice. EQAT – Earth Quaker Action Team – has been working since 2010 to deter PNC Bank from financing mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia.
Quaker Trust confirms end of controversial funding
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) has announced that it will not fund the campaign group Cage again. The decision was announced on 6 March and follows a request from the Charity Commission to JRCT and the Roddick Foundation for ‘unequivocal assurances’ that they ‘have ceased funding Cage and have no...
Quaker students in living wage campaign
Ten Friends are among those campaigning for the University of York to become a Living Wage-accredited employer. The university’s Labour Club, Socialist Society, Liberal Democrats and Greens have joined Friends in demanding that all university staff be paid a living wage.
Anti-fracking Friend arrested in Downing Street
Banbury Quaker Paul Mobbs was arrested on Thursday 5 March for blocking the entrance to Downing Street. He had hoped to make a citizen’s arrest of members of the government. Paul wanted to perform a citizen’s arrest because he believes that members of the government are guilty of misconduct...
QARN welcomes Detention Inquiry report
The findings of the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into the Use of Immigration Detention in the United Kingdom Report have been welcomed by the Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network (QARN) as ‘a starting point for change’. Sarah Teather MP chaired the Inquiry. Its findings were released on 3 March and listed four...