As Quakers we strive to let our lives and the actions of our meeting speak our values.
While remaining faithful to Quaker insights we try to enter imaginatively into the life and witness of other communities of faith, creating together bonds of friendship and working towards common goals.
Our witness to peace
Many of us have taken part in anti-war demonstrations locally and nationally. In the lead up to the 2003 attack on Iraq we held weekly vigils outside the meeting house for a full year. Recently we sent information to local schools about the militarisation of society. Some of us support the Taxes for Peace campaign, to allow the diversion of tax from military spending to supporting peace.
As a meeting we give donations regularly to:
- The Quaker Cottage in Belfast
- The Quaker Peace Centre in Cape Town.
- The Hope Project
- The Ecumenical Accompaniers Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
- Peacemakers, a Quaker project to bring mediation and peacemaking skills to local schools.
Our witness to justice and equality
- We use Fair Trade products in our meeting house.
- We support the local food bank with free parking as well as donations of food and funds.
- We provide 12 “starter packs” annually for young homeless just finding accommodation.
- We host several social events a year supporting female refugees with Restore.
- Through appeals and the sale of used books we support
- Hlekweni school in Zimbabwe.
- Community and development in Madagascar.
- St Basil’s for their work with the homeless.
- Citizen Advocacy South Birmingham Area (CASBA) who provide independent advocacy for adults with learning disabilities in crisis situations.
Our witness to simplicity and a sustainable environment
Because we believe it is right to “live simply that others may simply live” we:
- As a meeting we have agreed an environmental policy.
- Support the Northfield Ecocentre, a Quaker project launched in 2009.
- Encourage LOAF (Local Organic Animal Friendly) food at events.
- Encourage travel to meeting by foot, cycle, public transport or car share.
- Have filled our garden with bee- and bird-friendly plants.
- Bring and share excess garden and allotment produce.
- Provide our pre-school a small plot to grow food.
- We have reduced the electricity used to heat and light our all electric building by about 80%. Of the remaining 20%, our solar panels now generate slightly more than we buy from Good Energy (see Sustainability).
- The Green Advices and Queries is available for use in our meetings.
Our witness to simplicity and a sustainable environment
Because we believe it is right to “live simply that others may simply live” we:
- As a meeting we have agreed an environmental policy.
- Support the Northfield Ecocentre, a Quaker project launched in 2009.
- Encourage LOAF (Local Organic Animal Friendly) food at events.
- Encourage travel to meeting by foot, cycle, public transport or car share.
- Have filled our garden with bee- and bird-friendly plants.
- Bring and share excess garden and allotment produce.
- Provide our pre-school a small plot to grow food.
- We have reduced the electricity used to heat and light our all electric building by about 80%. Of the remaining 20%, our solar panels now generate slightly more than we buy from Good Energy (see Sustainability).
- The Green Advices and Queries is available for use in our meetings.