How can we create a central governance structure for Quakers in Britain that encourages joyful participation by many Quakers? How do we make the best use of resources, our staff, money and carbon? Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees are running a series of online workshops, from 15 October, to find out what you think.

Simplifying structures

The pandemic has changed how we build communities, work together and spiritually connect with others. Local and area meetings have been thinking about how to simplify their roles so that more energy can be released back into the life and community of our meetings and our witness in the world.

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take a radical approach to our structures
- Meeting for Sufferings

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Britain Yearly Meeting's trustees have been considering about how we can do the same through simplifying our central governance. We have been encouraged by Meeting for Sufferings to 'take a radical approach to our structures [and not be] constrained by the historical development of different bodies' (MfS 20/12/08).

Britain Yearly Meeting is currently governed by 500 committee roles drawn from around 13,000 members. This structure is heavy on staff time, as well the time of those who volunteer. Many Friends would like to contribute, but find the time commitment daunting. Others simply don't enjoy committee work. So it's important to find other ways for more people to be involved. We want to make the best use of all our leadings, talents, interests and time.

Contact us

Contact: Ellie Harding ellieh@quaker.org.uk or Carolyn Hayman carolynh@quaker.org.uk