Newsletter

Newsletter

Manchester and Warrington

Area Quaker Meeting

September 2008

Live Adventurously

Central Manchester - Eccles - Sale - South Manchester - Warrington

Warrington Local Meeting
Ged Edwards
Warrington AM started having a shared lunch on the
last Sunday which has proved popular. Visitors welcome!
We’ve had an influx of visitors recently following
the FMH’s inclusion in the Warrington Heritage
Open Day events. A lot of work went into preparing
the FMH for the event and over 50 people
came on two weekend days to see the Grade II listed
building and grounds and to talk to Friends about
Quaker activities. Our thanks to all who made this
possible and took part in hospitality.
Our plans to support destitute failed asylum seekers
in partnership with YMCA have unfortunately not
borne much fruit and the project has been disbanded.
We will continue to explore future opportunities but
feel the networking and witness we have demonstrated
has been worthwhile.

Two members took part in supporting Quakers in the
Manchester Pride event which was a success.
Two children and an adult member took part in
Quaker Summer School in Scotland in July and had a
marvellous time, despite a fire alarm in the middle of
a rainy night! The children’s group produced a banner
on the subject of ‘Hope’ which was displayed at
St Elphin's Parish Church in the town for the Day of
Prayer around the theme of Hope for Warrington on
June 17th. A workshop called “Working across a wide
age range with small numbers” will be held at Warrington
FMH on September 27th 2008. The FMH
itself is in need of repair to the roof and walls and to
parts of the grounds which, along with a gardening
day, will keep us busy!

South Manchester Local Meeting
Lesley Thomson
It seems as if we’re having a quiet year at South
Manchester but this isn’t really true. Our great concentrated
effort came early, in that we provided the
venue two nights a week for the Night Shelter Project
during February and March. Even though we
had some help from outside, this really did drain our
resources of energy as we are not a young Meeting,
and many members were very tired by the end of the
two months. As individuals we are very heavily
involved in almost every aspect of Area Meeting life
so South Manchester is actively represented on all
the different AM committees and groups. This
keeps us well in touch and up to date with what is
happening across Area Meeting but does not leave a
great deal of spare time, energy and initiative for
running extra-mural Meeting activities!
In May we had a wedding. Our first at the Meeting
House for several years and almost everyone was
involved in some way. Great joy and celebrations on
one of the few truly glorious days of the summer.
We also have a new baby to welcome, so perhaps
this will be the start of a renaissance for our children’s
Class.

A Spring study group using the Testimony Tool Kit
had a small but enthusiastic membership and may be
repeated or extended in the autumn.
The annual summer picnic became a shared lunch
indoors due to rain – just like last year! We like
shared lunches but had hoped to incorporate fresh air
and fun in this one. Many of us are going to Glenthorne
for a weekend of fellowship and spiritual
exploration in October and we look forward to that.
On most Sundays there are about twenty of us at
Meeting and we’re always pleased to welcome visitors.
So if you haven’t had the South Manchester
Experience, do come and visit us.

Eccles Local Meeting
From Eccles Friends
Looking back over diaries, and talking to Friends, it
is a useful reminder to us of how much happens in
the life of a Meeting over a comparatively short
time. Since March we have held several events.
Many Friends from across the Area Meeting joined
us on 18th May to celebrate the completion of the
building work. Some past members of the meeting
were present, as were family members of those who
were very much part of our Meeting at one time. It
was a gathered Meeting for Worship and wonderful
to use our Meeting Room to almost full capacity.
The displays of old photographs and documents,
reflecting the history of Eccles Meeting, were enjoyed
by those visiting. Memories and news were
shared over a lunch.

Our Fourth Sunday Talks are underway again and a
planned programme has been devised going through
to 2010! News of these events will be shared across
Area Meeting. In June George and Leela showed us
a presentation of the work of Laurie Baker, a Quaker
architect. Details of his work and philosophy of life
challenged us all in examining how much we really
try to live the Quaker testimonies. George and Leela
commissioned Laurie Baker to design and build their
own house in India. Not only was this inspirational
in showing us a radical approach to using materials
and space, but had the added bonus of helping us to
be able to picture George and Leela in their home
when they are away visiting India. In another of our
Talks Anita Woodward, an Attender at our Meeting
shared her enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, Yoga.
The philosophy and history of Yoga was fascinating
and then, just as we were getting too comfortable,
she encouraged all of us to learn to breathe more
effectively and experience simple Yoga movements
before Anita herself demonstrated more complex asanas!

Mount Street Local Meeting
Stewart Bailey
The consultation on the refurbishment/redevelopment
of Central Manchester Meeting House
has continued. Friends have been encouraged to discuss
the various proposals with Area Meeting Trustees
and to add their thoughts on what developments
they would like to see. In the meantime, routine
maintenance has continued and various rooms have
been redecorated in colours sympathetic to the period
of the building.

There are plans to replace curtains with blinds. September
will be particularly busy for the staff at the
Meeting House as ‘The Convention of the Left’ is
being based there, during the Labour Party Conference.
Caroline Jarawala’s painting that was purchased
with money from Janet Christopher’s legacy, has
now been hung in the Friend’s Room.
Our Meeting for Worship continues to attract quite a
lot of visitors and it would be easy for them to become
‘lost’ in the fifty to sixty regular worshippers
on a Sunday. So we have continued the practice of
inviting visitors and newcomers to introduce themselves
at the end of Meeting for Worship. Far from
finding this off putting, most visitors have welcomed
this opportunity to tell Friends a little bit about
themselves and how they have found the Meeting
for Worship.
We are very aware of trying to be as inclusive as
possible, not always easy in a large meeting. The
quarterly shared lunches, organised by Elders, have
provided opportunities for Friends to get to know
each other better. Besides the regular meetings at
Central Manchester Meeting House (Bible Study,
Knitting Circle, Peace Group and Social Justice)
there have been some weekend activities.
At the end of February, about fifty Friends went to
Glenthorne. There was a full range of children’s
activities including paper making and a treasure
hunt. The adults were encouraged to join in the
small group sessions based on the Testimonies Toolkit,
in particular our responses to those of Simplicity
and Truth and Integrity. There was time for walking
and, once again, the Saturday evening entertainment
revealed unexpected talents.

In July, seven children, in the 8 – 12 age group, were
taken to Yealand. The activities included, amongst
other things, a night walk, a midnight feast, a walk
to Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve, a trip to Arnside,
games and craft activities. The children attended the
first part of the Meeting for Worship at Yealand
Meeting. The children thought the weekend was
“glorious fun and extra-exciting”.
A significant number of Central Manchester Friends
took part in the Manchester Pride march and helped
on the stall over the Bank Holiday Weekend. A very
wide range of outreach material was on offer and
resulted in some very interesting and positive conversations.
The poster on the notice board outside
the Meeting House was seen as being very supportive
and has appeared in the Friend.
And so to Autumn, with an open-air Meeting for
Worship planned for Piccadilly Gardens, Quaker
Quest based at Central Manchester and ............ (to
be continued)...

The Social Justice Group

Alan Pinch

I wonder what you think of our Group? (If you ever

do think of us.) Some Friends may find us rather

tiresome at times, always fussing about difficult issues,

dragging politics into our spirituality. On the

other hand, a young Friend who recently returned to

Wales came to every Group meeting she could while

she was here, and clearly valued it highly. She said

it was difficult for small rural meetings to provide

that sort of thing. For her our Group was one of the

things that gave Manchester its “buzz”.

I’m afraid it’s the world’s fault, not ours, if we are

clamorous. Who are we? Just a subset of yourselves.

Join us at any time (last Thursday of the month generally).

Of course we are not holier or wiser or

greener than thou, dear Friend. You may never have

been near the Group and yet be doing much better

on those challenging Quaker commitments – equality,

integrity, respect for the environment. We’re just

some Friends who meet to pool ideas and efforts and

try to bring a message to the world.

At practically every meeting we deal with some detailed

matter concerning asylum seekers. Of course

this very urgent work has now grown to the point

whereon part of Area Meeting is untouched by it.

Our friend from the Congo, Jacques Kanda, himself

a destitute asylum seeker, is currently a member of

the steering group.

Not that Jacques is a one issue man. Not long ago he

was urging us to redouble our efforts on our second

great field of concern, the environment . At September

Area Meeting Friends adopted a position paper,

which originated in the Group, on Manchester’s

congestion charge proposal. Since the latest AM

Quakers assent to the principle of the charge- that’s

official. Not without some concerns about details, of

course.

Trade Justice is also an ongoing concern. Very often

news and suggestions about this are brought to us by

a Roman Catholic religious, Edward Egan, who is a

member of our Group, and highly appreciated.

Edward has sometimes brought along a coreligionist,

Sister Loretta, whose contributions are

also welcome. Fences, as every equestrian knows,

are made for jumping over.

Sometimes we arrange meetings with outside speakers,

and then we always hope to attract extra people,

Quakers and non-Quakers. Thus, on September 25th

we shall listen to Niall Cooper of Church Action on

Poverty. I shall always think of Niall as the man who

master-minded the Pilgrimage against Poverty in

’99. The Pilgrimage, you may recall, was welcomed

in London by a smiling Chancellor of the Exchequer

named Gordon Brown. No doubt Niall will give an

assessment of Gordon’s efforts on the equality front,

nine years on.

Then again, at a date not quite fixed as I write these

words, but fairly soon, we shall welcome another

guest with is own approach to the same great question

of equality, Dr Richard Wilkinson. He is an

epidemiologist whose book, ”The Impact of Inequality,

how to make sick societies healthier” made

quite a stir a few years ago. I for one read it with

fascination, and I am particularly looking forward to

this meeting.

Finally, may I ask you to hold in the light a guest we

welcomed from the Congo some years ago. Pastor

Fernando Kutino spoke here asking for peaceful,

democratic progress in his troubled country. On

returning he was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment,

after a trial which was denounced by Amnesty

International. Although the British Government

has also criticized this injustice, Pastor Kutino

is still in prison. He would welcome your prayers.

Could you write a protest letter? Elizabeth Coleman

would be glad to assist you.

Emily’s Knitting Circle

Emily Dale

Recently, in a rare bout of ‘spring cleaning’ I came

across three books: ‘Impassioned Clay’, a novel

which had got buried; the vocal score of ’The Gates

of Greenham’; and the tiny volume of Kenneth

Boulding’s ‘The Nayler Sonnets’. All three coming

together like that have focussed me on those early

beginnings of Quakerism.

Where would I stand? With George Fox and Margaret

Fell and a sense of unity and structure? Or with

James Nayler, surely a charismatic figure whose

acute sense of the immanence of Christ and the

Kingdom of Heaven led to the extravagant scenes in

Bristol, appallingly vicious punishment, imprisonment,

suffering and death?

The rift between Fox and Nayler was healed shortly

before his death, but what an upheaval that quarrel

must have been for early Quakers. It would seem

there was more passion around than we are generally

comfortable with nowadays!

James Nayler’s last words (QF&P 19.12) just have

to be read and re-read, used for prayer and meditation

This is what the American Quaker Kenneth

Boulding did in 1945, writing a sonnet on each

phrase of the text. This little volume has recently

been reprinted as a Pendle Hill pamphlet. I have

ordered 10 copies as I hope possibly to engage the

Knitting Circle ~ maybe one sonnet each session

during our opening worship? It’s an open, welcoming

group ~ knitting or not!

Here’s the Knitting Circle dates until Christmas:

1st October; 21st October; 4th November; 18th November;

2nd December; 16th December.

Walk Cheerfully Group

Jonathan Dale

This group has been meeting for about two years

now. It is a group from different meetings (Mount

Street and Wythenshawe at the moment), but there

are interested Friends in Warrington we hope will

join us that works on our Quaker responses to the

environmental crises we face. What are the roots of

our response in our faith? What contribution can we

make personally? Can we reduce our carbon footprint?

How can we encourage other Friends to become

more aware and to witness more faithfully?

Can we take any action politically to create better

government policies, policies that really address the

scale of the problems.

We meet about monthly, on a Monday evening,

starting with a shared meal at 6.30 and continuing

with discussion around the theme of the day. Next

meeting: October 13th

We are continuing to look at our carbon footprints;

we have considered and approved a paper “Towards

a Quaker Position on the Motorists Lobby”, have

taken the approved paper to Social Justice Group

and on to Area Meeting, which has approved it.

More recently we have followed this up with a series

of discussions on the Congestion Charge: this has

finished up with a document which will be sent in as

part of the public consultation and will also feed in

to the contributions from Area Meeting itself, which

approved a less detailed paper from Social Justice

Group.

We also form a focus for Area Meeting’s involvement

with the Living Witness project, the nation

Quaker organisation working on these lines. Walk

Cheerfully group has just become a sub group of

Area Meeting’s Social Justice Group. We would

welcome anyone interested to exercise their faith

reflection in this crucial area of our lives.

A Love affair with Africa
Kay Böhm

‘Live adventurously’
These two words; taken from ‘Advices and Queries’
are written on a small leather writing case, given to
me back in 1969, as I set-off on my first big adventure
in life. The writing case and those magical
words were chosen by Marjorie Griffiths, a muchloved
‘Friend’ from Warrington Meeting. At the
tender age of 18, I had been chosen as one of the last
Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) cadets and I
was off to Labrador for a year; to teach Inuit children.
‘A long way from Africa’ you may think. But
this amazing adventure imprinted a love of travelling
on me that had proved to be indelible.

When I graduated from Teacher training college I
tripped-off to Israel; to work on a kibbutz (it was the
done-thing, back then). Before long, I found myself
working for Quaker Peace and Service in Kenya;
putting my teaching skills to good use at the Girls
High School on the Mission station at Kaimosi. I
stayed for three years and I loved everything about
Kenya: The diversity of the people, their amazing
hospitality, the food, the colours, the smells, the
range and abundance of flora and fauna and, of
course, the incredible landscapes.
I think that I might have stayed in Kenya; had it not
been for the political situation at the time. We had
already seen the influx of Ugandan refugees, fleeing
from Amin’s brutal regime. Then, when President
Kenyatta died, the country became unstable; with
tribal factions, vying for political control. The area
of western Kenya where we were working became
unsafe for ex-patriots.

I knew that I would miss Africa but returned to
Europe: First to Germany (where I met my first
husband and started my family) and then, unexpectedly,
back to England (as my husbands health deteriorated
following a serious car accident). Following
his death; teaching full-time and raising three
children as a single mum, all thoughts of returning to
Africa were reduced to dreams and wishes.

In 2004 my youngest child (like her two older brothers)
set off proudly to capture her dreams as she en-
rolled at The Royal Vetinary College in London.
With the children ‘off my hands’ and a husband to
share the chores with, I suddenly found myself with
time on my hands. Browsing through the Times
Educational Supplement in the school staff Room
one dinner time I saw an advert asking ‘Do you want
to do something completely different this summer?’
An established charity called Link Community Development
was looking for experienced teachers;
willing to commit to an 18 month ‘Global Teachers’
programme (in their free time) with training which
would include a six week placement in either South
Africa, Uganda or Ghana: We would live in the
local community, with a local family and mentor the
head teacher of the local primary school concentrating
on School Development planning (SDP), timetabling
and early years English teaching. This sustainable
development work would be supported by
Link and if schools adhered to their SDP then a
small grant would be made available to facilitate
planned changes. It was exactly what I needed.
And, of course, I applied.

In the summer of 2004, eighteen newly-trained
‘Global Teachers’ from across Britain flew into
Uganda’s Entebbe airport. Stepping back on African
soil and smelling the warm air, I felt totally
elated. After a brief welcome at a large hotel, we set
off for the northern district of Masindi for ‘in country
training’. Just two days later we were each dispatched
to our selected schools. My placement was
in Butiaba a small fishing village on the shores of
Lake Albert, with views of the Congo tantalisingly
close across the Lake. My hostess and her family
took the greatest of care of me and showed incredible
hospitality with the little they had. Aidah soon
become a much loved friend and she remains so.
Until you are there amongst them and experiencing
everyday life it is impossible to imagine what poverty
means to these people. Far from romantic it’s a
hard life and I was shocked to learn that in Uganda,
one woman in ten dies in childbirth and life expectancy
is half of ours. The nearest hospital facilities
to Butiaba are back in Masindi, over 2 hours away.
That’s if the roads are passable and transport is
available. In 2004, Butiaba had become a Congolese
refugee camp with many people living in extreme
poverty. The nearest source of firewood for
cooking was over 13 kilometres away at the top of
an escarpment. At that time there was still plenty of
fish in Lake Albert. (Since then, a commercial fish
factory has been built close-by and the lake drained
of its precious fish with no apparent thought of conservation).

The primary school in Butiaba village served over
800 children. There were only 10 teachers, including
the head. Two of the three younger women teachers that I worked with have since died. One in
childbirth and one from AIDS. The basic teacher’s
wage (if and when it was paid) was worth approximately
£30 per month. As well as their teaching
jobs, many of the teachers would go off to tend to
their farms in order to feed their families. Often the
children were left unsupervised; patiently waiting
and hoping for teachers to arrive and teach them:
The youngest ones, in classes of 160, sitting under
the two huge trees in the compound. It was an eyeopening
six weeks and I knew I would return.
In 2005, together with two other Global teachers, I
raised funds for a reciprocal visit to allow a Ugandan
teacher to travel to the UK to live and work with us
for a few weeks. When Peter Michael Owiney arrived,
he coped admirably with the changes, particularly
the cold, and he has become a close friend.
Peter is now the District Education Officer for the
region that includes Butiaba. When I asked him what
had impressed him the most, during his visit to the
UK, he said ‘the empowerment of women’!!!
In 2006 and 2007 I returned to visit Masindi and
Butiaba mixing business with pleasure, both working
and travelling. With other global teachers and
friends we ran workshops for teachers and I continued
to raise funds in the UK for local projects. Our
support has funded the building of toilets for the
girls and a new classroom at Butiaba School. Funds
were raised to begin the building of teacher’s
houses. Aidah’s women’s cooperative group has
made baskets which I have sold in the UK. The
money raised has helped to support local families.
Members of Aidah’s family have been sending me
local craft products to fund their children’s secondary
school fees. Aidah has asked for sewing machines
for the older girls in Butiaba who are leaving
school but have little hope of employment.

This year I returned to Uganda and to Masindi town.
This time, with my younger son; now a graduate
engineer. It changed his life too! We found another
project to support. Kamerasi School is truly inclusive.
A typical Ugandan primary school they fully
integrate children who are blind, deaf and have severe
learning difficulties. Many of these children
have been abandoned or orphaned. A group of students
from Bristol University swam the English
Channel and raised enough sponsorship money to
build a dormitory for these special children. For the
first time they could experience showers and toilets
with running water. Money was still needed to furnish
and equip the dormitories and we were happy to
be able to leave funds to help with that. A brickmaking
machine was next on the list to be funded to
make any further building cheaper.

Thanks to the generosity of my family, friends and
colleagues, I was able to buy the brick machine and
promise a sum every month to fund two support
workers to work in class alongside the children with
special needs.
It seems a drop in the ocean but at least life for a few
children and families may improve. Next year, I
hope to return to see old friends, this time with two
of my children and two young teachers. It’s not
difficult to pass on a love of such a fantastic continent
and hopefully the next generation will also become
enthusiastically linked to and involved with a
small part of Africa.

‘How can I leave you, country of memories?
The songs of exquisite birds still sing in my ears.
Colourful experiences,
Highlighted by the ever glowing sun.
Sudden rains, drenching fragrant blossoms,
Turning dust to mud,
Eternal circles,
Clearer in the simplicity of a grass thatched hut
And the food of the land.

A poem written on the flight back to England from Kenya in 1977

Live Adventurously

News from the Meetings

This is our opportunity to share together the news of the hopefilled work

that is happening across the local meetings.

Our summer gathering was good fun with a barbeque
in the garden. Visiting Friends joined us and
Martin Gilbraith gave an impromptu talk on his visit
to the Congo whilst lunch was being prepared. The
day must have been one of the few dry days of the
summer although some were seen in coats whilst
eating their veggie burgers!

As with most Meetings we have had a fairly quiet
August as Friends go on holiday or have extra family
commitments. Life of the Meeting has been upheld
and we are now ready to start a busy Autumn.
As mentioned we plan to hold our 4th Sunday Talks
and also want to form a study group. Although some
of us shared in the Hearts and Minds course three
years ago we feel that we would like to repeat it,
especially for the benefit of new attenders. They are
keen to learn more about Quakerism and want to
have the opportunity to talk in depth about the issues.
We have planned our programme of events for
Quaker Week. The Meeting House will be open for
part of every day that week including the Saturday.
Displays and leaflets etc. will be available and a rota
of Friends will be there to make visitors welcome
with refreshments and time to talk and ask questions
if they want.

Of course we continue to play an active part in the
life of Area Meeting. We are very aware of the issues
around Asylum Seekers and have invited Elizabeth
Coleman and Leela Joseph to tell us more on a
Sunday in October after Meeting for Worship. Our
interest in raising money for the Congo Fund is now
well established and will be the focus of much of our
extra fund raising over the next few months. Several
Friends have also expressed a willingness to help
with the Area Meeting Night Shelter Project planned
for the winter months.

News from the Groups and Individuals
Here’s the news from some of the groups and individuals working
within the Area Meeting

Finance
Our Treasurer, Tim Carlisle, was away. We have
looked at the papers reporting the current state of our
finances. We note that contributions from Friends
are much improved in comparison with how things
were at this point in 2007. We also note that this
means we are well in line with our budgeted income
and expenditure for 2008. We express our thanks to
all Friends who have contributed in support of our
work.
Nominations
The name of Robin Bowles has been suggested to
serve on the Executive of the Board from June 2008
to June 2011. We accepted this.
Edinburgh UNA
Geoffrey Carnall informed us that the United Nations
Association Edinburgh has made links with
UNA Tehran, we are very pleased to hear of this.
F.O.R. Zimbabwe
We agreed to send a message of support to Fellowship
of Reconciliation Zimbabwe during what are
currently very difficult times in Zimbabwe. Members
who would like to support them financially can
do so through Fellowship of Reconciliation England’s
International Peacemakers Fund on http://
www.for.org.uk/ipf
EAPPI
Andrée Ryan introduced the work of The Ecumenical
Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and
Israel (EAPPI), for which she was a volunteer last
year. EAPPI is a World Council of Churches (WCC)
initiative which seeks to accompany Palestinians and
Israelis in their nonviolent actions and concerted
advocacy efforts to end the occupation. We thanked
Andrée for this presentation and are pleased to have
suggestions for how we can help support the programme
and those living in Palestine and Israel.
NFPB and changes in Quaker work
There have been a number of significant changes in
how Quakers organise their Meetings in recent
years, with the change from Monthly to Area Meetings
and new roles for Meeting for Sufferings and a
new group of Yearly Meeting Trustees being key
amongst them. The Long Term Framework proposals
that were considered by Yearly Meeting in May
also envisage new ways of working, with less of a
hierarchical and more of a networked set of relationships
between the central work and Local Meetings.
Friends have also become more active in their commitment
to outreach. We have spent time in small groups, based on regional connections, sharing information
and ideas about how these and other
changes have affected or might affect the ways in
which Friends consider and act on peace testimony
concerns. Are there particular opportunities or challenges
that we need to consider in planning our
work.?
We have heard short reports back from the groups
and notes will be attached with these minutes.
Challenging Militarism
We have returned to this item and agree to bring this
subject back for a longer item at the next Board
Meeting to give more time to consider this.
We finished our meeting with news from Board
members about peace actions and concerns in their
areas.
The Meeting closed with worship.
For further information about all things Northern
Friends Peace Board, either contact Sarah Alldred or
Alan Pinch, your representatives, or go to the NFPB
website at: http://nfpb.gn.apc.org/

Meeting for Worship, Peace Gardens,
Manchester - 27 September 2008.

Quaker Lesbian and Gay Fellowship
(QLGF) Alistair Gault

Interestingly enough, this was one of the first
Quaker-related groups I ever heard of. In the mid-
1980s I was working in a shop in Lancaster which
had a large room for hire above it. I was approached
by a woman called Jude to see if the Friends Homosexual
Fellowship (as QLGF was known then) could
hire the room for a meeting. I wasn’t working on the
day of the FHF event, so didn’t meet any of those
who attended. Over twenty years later, I am now the
one seeking rooms for our twice-yearly Gatherings…
QLGF exists to provide contact and support for lesbians,
bisexuals, gay men and trans people who are
Quakers. Some may be the only LGBT person in
their meeting, others may seek the company of other
LGBT people who share some of their outlook and
attitude towards spirituality. I’m definitely in the
latter group, having been out and active for twentyfive
years but rarely finding other LGBT people who
are willing to discuss things on a spiritual level.
Many non-LGBT Quakers have attended meetings
and events as they find a refreshing attitude towards
sexuality exists there.

I guess I could add a third reason for people being
drawn to QLGF – enjoying travelling to different
parts of the country (some of which I might never
otherwise have visited) for the Gatherings. I get a lot
from these; there are two each year, a (Satur)day
gathering in Autumn and a residential weekend in
Spring. The members of QLGF are spread throughout
the country, but with a majority in the south east.
The Gatherings are held all over the country; the day
ones in places such as Birmingham, York, London
and Manchester that are easier to reach by public
transport, the weekends usually in comfortable venues
in the countryside – Suffolk, Derbyshire and
Lancashire. Venues have ranged from underneath
railway arches in Central Birmingham to a manor
house (complete with rookery) in rural Somerset.
QLGF is funded solely by subscriptions from its
members and Supporting Meetings. It provides a
website and a newsletter, published four or five
times a year, to help members keep in touch, comment
on relevant spiritual matters in the Religious
Society of Friends – and outside – and reflect on the
outcome of past Gatherings as well as flag up the
subject matter for future ones. This also helps people
who are unable to attend the Gatherings keep in
touch with the issues. As a Supporting Meeting,
Central Manchester receives copies of the newsletter
– look in the rack for the current issue and in the
library for back issues. Over the last couple of years,
the discussions in the Church of England and the
RSF about spirituality & sexuality have brought a lot
of thoughts, ideas and views to the Fellowship, and
back issues of the newsletter reflect this in a number
of styles of thought and expression!

We also publish booklets and pamphlets designed to
bring LGBT viewpoints to debates within the RSF
and beyond, and to explain our reasons for existing
within Quakers. A revised version of one of our publications,
‘Part of the Rainbow’, will be appearing
early in 2009.
I have been involved with QLGF for the last three
years, during which the Fellowship has held events
focussing on personal journeys, LGBT history, sexual
values and contact and connections with other
faith groups. All of these strands are continuing in
one form or another over the next couple of years (at
least) as we are now planning events for 2010 and
Beyond.

I guess that QLGF may not be an automatic port of
call for every LGBT Friend; some may not feel the
need to meet with other LGBT Friends as they may
feel sufficient support within their own Meetings or
externally, others may not feel a need to identify as
LGBT to that extent. There are certainly many who
were part of QLGF and/or FHF for some time and
gradually stopped coming to the Gatherings. Others
have come to QLGF but not felt it was for them, or
that the focus of the Fellowship at that time wasn’t
one they shared. Some older Friends have said that
unless a Gathering is very close to where they live,
the travel (especially for just a single day) is too
much for them.

Our next two Gatherings may be of interest to local
Friends. The next Spring Gathering, on 13th to 15th
March 2009, is being held at Woodbrooke; it will
incorporate a day looking at activism in Quakers.
Only QLGF members can book for the whole weekend,
but any interested Friend can book for the Saturday.
Look out for details in the Woodbrooke brochure;
there will also be a mailing to all Meetings
early in 2009. The 2009 Autumn Gathering will be
at Sale Meeting House in October (date to be decided)
and will feature David Blamires from Central
Manchester. David was involved in FHF in its early
days, and will be speaking about this and his experiences
as a gay Quaker.

You can find out more about QLGF by looking at
the website www.qlgf.org.uk or reading the information
leaflet – copies should be on notice boards; look
for the green QLGF logo…

Committed Relationships
David Blamires

Woodbrooke conferences draw Friends from all over
the Yearly Meeting, and this one had representatives
from as far afield as Aberdeen, Exeter, Carlisle,
Wales and the south coast of England, not forgetting
the London area. It was called by the Quaker Life
Working Group on the Recognition of Partnerships
under the auspices of Britain Yearly Meeting. Several
participants said it was the best conference they
had ever been to: well organized, challenging, and
emotionally, intellectually and spiritually productive.
The nub of the matter is that the present legislation
on the registration of civil partnerships is entirely
secular and precludes any religious component,
while Quaker marriage procedure combines both
legal registration and the religious in one single occasion.

While our Area Meeting (like several others)
has celebrated civil partnerships with a meeting for
worship after the secular event, many Friends would
like to see an equal treatment of heterosexual and
homosexual partnerships under Quaker auspices.
The Working Group wanted a group of concerned
Friends (representatives nominated by Area Meetings,
registering officers, members of the Quaker
Lesbian and Gay Fellowship, the Quaker Committee
for Christian and Interfaith Relations, and other interested Friends) with whom to discuss possible proposals to Meeting for Sufferings this autumn. Between
Monday evening and Wednesday lunchtime, 2
-4 June 2008, we had an informative presentation by
Christine Trevett on the theology of marriage from
Biblical times onwards, with special reference to the
early Quaker understanding, and intensive discussions
in groups of six. What we were to discuss took
In:

* the variety of partnerships that could be recognized
by Friends and how;

* the theology of marriage and other partnerships;
* the terminology to be used;
* the role of registering officers.

The Working Group also has to consider the implications
for revision of chapter 16 of Quaker faith &
practice and to what degree and when to press for
legislative change on legal registration of partnerships
under Quaker auspices.

In both plenary sessions and small-group discussions
there was a massive amount of personal input. This
was what made the conference so memorable. I had
certainly not expected my emotions to be so deeply
involved, although I had no particular course of action
to recommend. Quite passionate feelings were
expressed, and not simply on the part of lesbian and
gay Friends. One of the things that became clear was
that many lesbians and gays had encountered astonishing
levels of ignorance in their meetings (as well
as elsewhere) about what it means to be homosexual.
Conversely, some heterosexual Friends with an attachment
to the word ‘marriage’ as applicable only
to heterosexual unions have difficulty in articulating
why they are reluctant to extend it to homosexual
Couples.

The conference sessions were not designed to produce
minutes, but to explore the issues. At the end
we were not sure whether we had helped the Working
Group at all, but were assured that we had. How
the matter is taken forward is now for the Working
Group to recommend and for Meeting for Sufferings
and Yearly Meeting to discern.

SEE THE BACK COVER FOR PICTURES OF
THIS YEARS QUAKER PRESENCE AT
MANCHESTER PRIDE!

Welcoming Strangers

Jo Garbutt from the Boaz Trust
(www.boaztrust.org.uk)

My name is Jo: I’m an ex teacher, living in Manchester
with my husband David. We have three
grown-up children and two grandchildren. I am the
Chair of the ‘Boaz’ trust, and we are both enthusiastic
volunteers. My role has developed recently and
this is how it came about:

In 1998 Dave Smith, who was working with homeless
people in Manchester, asked us if we would be
willing to have a homeless man from Sierra Leone
as a house guest. At that time we knew very little
about destitute asylum seekers – why they had to
leave their own countries, why nobody was helping
them; why they differed from refugees or economic
migrants . . .

We had a lot to learn! As someone raised in a Christian
family, I had been taught to respect authority in
general and the government in particular. It would
never have occurred to me that the British legal system
would one day be responsible for ruthless inequalities,
causing unnecessary distress to thousands
of people seeking sanctuary in the UK.

Dave Smith’s involvement eventually developed
into the Boaz trust, providing temporary housing and
holistic care for a growing number of asylum seekers
in the Greater Manchester area. The waiting list
for places keeps growing, and volunteers are always
needed to accommodate guests for short, medium or
long-term periods. Our own role as volunteers has
also developed. We have found that there are pros
and cons to hosting: supporting a charity financially,
or giving practical help on a regular basis are both
commendable ways of being involved. But opening
your home to strangers? People who may not speak
your language at all ? . . . who may not really want
to be here, or may be suffering from awful memories?
Nevertheless, looking back we can see that is
we have benefited from the experience: our children
[now grown up] became more aware and therefore
more compassionate.

Asylum seekers may need a lot of emotional support,
but the genuine interest that some take in our
family life – in spite of missing their own children or
mourning the loss of loved ones – demonstrates a
remarkable degree of strength. We are far more
grateful for the security and stability that is easily
taken for granted . . .

Hosting may not be easy, but Boaz is a very busy
charity and my experiences as a host have led to
my role as hosting co-ordinator. My goals are to
campaign for more hosts, to offer them continuous
support, and to develop and sustain a strong hosting
network in the Manchester area. At present we
have a handful of hosts, some of whom are in need
of a break after several years of commitment. Developing
a more broadly based group will sustain
the viability of the work.

If you think that you could help; if you have a
spare room where you could welcome someone for
a weekend, a few weeks or even longer, then I’d
love to hear from you!

Stories from the Boaz Trust

Story 1
‘Ahmed’ arrived in Liverpool in the winter, after
escaping from Darfur where his family had been
killed, his village destroyed and severe beatings had
left him with a badly injured spine.

In his own words:
They sent me to Rochdale where I was living communally
with other asylum seekers. The people who
were working in the hostel were kind to me, they
took me to the doctors and when I began to suffer
more from my conditions they took me to the hospital.
I could hardly move at this time, and other
young people in the hostel helped me to the toilet
and to go to bed.

I didn’t know about the refusal of asylum - anyway,
I didn’t understand. I had a solicitor but I saw him
only once. One day some people came to my house
and said the Home Office have said your file is
closed and now you are out. I told them how I was
very sick, you can see my condition, it is cold and
raining outside. They said sorry, this is the resolution
of the Home Office. The man moved my legs
from the bed and put them down on the ground and
the women held me under my arm pit and they
locked the door and gave me my bag of medicine
and left.

I crawled to the town hall which was nearby and I
slept for a week there. I slept on a piece of cardboard
and ate some bread and water I had left . . . To go to
the toilet I asked a person to lift me up so I could go
to the public toilets. Nobody talked to me; I was
under some cover so people from the town hall did
not see me. The cover kept the rain off me. When I
had been in the house I had thought about the future,
about getting a trade and getting a nice family. Now
all that left me.

(Whilst sitting on the steps of the Town Hall,
Ahmad was approached by a man who gave him
directions to a destitution project in Manchester.)
He bought me a sandwich and a bottle of water,
gave me the address of the Red Cross and £5 to get
a bus. That day I got the bus to Piccadilly. When I
got off the bus I fell on the ground and a British
person came to me and called the Red Cross on the
Mobile.

(Somehow Ahmad managed to get to the destitution
project where he met Dave Smith, who organized a
temporary host to care for him. He is now living in
a Boaz house and is an enthusiastic volunteer!)

Story 2
I met ‘Patricia’ at a destitution project in June.
Originally from Zimbabwe, she was homeless,
frightened and under-nourished. I found her a temporary
room in a volunteer’s house but she was
obviously unwell so I was able to connect her with
a doctor who offers 2 hours a week to treat asylum
seekers. Patricia was taken straight to casualty and
has been in hospital ever since. A consultant told
me that had she been left on the streets she would
have died within 48 hours. Her original host and I
visit her several times a week. We could not have
sustained this level of involvement without mutual
encouragement . . .

There is a growing awareness of the plight of asylum
seekers in the UK. More and more supporters and
volunteers of various charities and pressure groups
are influencing public debate, and ensuring that
refugees' voices are heard. A recent publication
from the Independent Asylum Commission [IAC]
highlights a concern over the ill- informed and
therefore biased criticisms of the general public
towards asylum seekers, stating: There must be an
emphasis on the moral and humanitarian imperative