11th January 2013

Business Meeting innovation

by Symon Hill

With many Meetings struggling with low turnouts at Meeting for Worship for Business, Friends in Nailsworth in Gloucestershire are experimenting with a radical new format.

14th December 2012

Homelessness rise endangers lives

by Symon Hill

A leading housing charity has predicted an increase in the number of people dying from the cold while sleeping on the streets. Housing Justice, an ecumenical Christian group, said…

14th December 2012

PM’s backing of religious same sex marriage welcomed

by Symon Hill

Quakers have welcomed the prime minister’s decision to back the right of religious groups to host same sex marriage ceremonies.

14th December 2012

Mount of Olives military base protest

by Symon Hill

Quaker campaigners have condemned proposals for an Israeli military base on the Mount of Olives. The plan has caused controversy because the Mount has sacred significance for…

14th December 2012

Dickens goes to chancellor by bike

by Symon Hill

A Quaker will cycle to George Osborne’s constituency office this week – to give him a copy of Charles Dickens’ festive classic A Christmas Carol. Alan Pinch from Manchester…

14th December 2012

Census figures

by The Friend Newsdesk

The number of Christians living in England and Wales has fallen by four million in the past decade, the 2011 census reveals.

7th December 2012

Meeting for Sufferings: Minute 36

by Ian Kirk-Smith

The main agenda item of Meeting for Sufferings, held at Friends House on Saturday 1 December, was the commitment made at Canterbury in 2011 for Quakers to become a low-carbon…

7th December 2012

Meeting for Sufferings: Vibrancy in Meetings

by Ian Kirk-Smith

Jonathan Fox, who has been a model of calmness and lucidity over the years, gave his last Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) trustees report. Was there a hint of sadness in his voice?

7th December 2012

Meeting for Sufferings: Swarthmoor Hall

by Ian Kirk-Smith

Meeting for Sufferings were informed, very clearly, that no firm decision on the future of Swarthmoor Hall in Cumbria had been made.  The Swarthmoor Hall Project Group told…

7th December 2012

Meeting for Sufferings: Report on finances

by Ian Kirk-Smith

The new treasurer of BYM, Peter Ullathorne, gave a very measured presentation to Meeting for Sufferings on the status of the finances.

7th December 2012

Irish Quakers celebrate Bloomfield anniversary

by The Friend Newsdesk

Quakers in Ireland have just marked two hundred years of pioneering healthcare.  The anniversary celebration was held at Bloomfield Care Centre in Rathfarnham, Dublin, a…

7th December 2012

Protest against tax avoidance

by The Friend Newsdesk

Several Friends joined a twenty-four-hour boycott of Facebook last Saturday in protest at the low level of corporation tax paid by the company.