The weekend before the UK General Election, NFPB members gathered in Glasgow and online for their second full meeting of 2024.
Parliamentary engagement
We were pleased to be joined by Sarah Komashko, the Parliamentary Engagement Officer for Quakers in Scotland. In a full and informative presentation, Sarah gave a good insight into the ways that she, with and for Friends in Scotland, is pursuing a number of concerns, peace being significant amongst these. Her work has included further work to promote peace education, following the launch last September of the Peace at the Heart exhibition in the Scottish parliament. Friends have also been engaging with Scottish Enterprise (Scotland’s economic agency) in relation to public funding that goes to support companies involved in the arms trade. The Scottish Government made a commitment in 2021 to establish a Scottish Peace Institute. As a step towards that they are now preparing to set up a Peace Platform and Friends in Scotland will be keeping a close eye on that and any opportunities that may arise for Quaker input.
All change
During the meeting in Glasgow, Friends reflected on issues arising during the previous few weeks leading up the General Election. Looking ahead, the meeting also discussed both opportunities and challenges when it comes to engaging with a new government and seeking to shape the narrative on issues of peace and security. Being visible in different ways will be important, it was suggested, whilst also at times being ready to be with and to support one another in our efforts. Friends acknowledged that peace can at times feel very far away in the current climate, but that it was vitally important to share and promote alternative visions. The forthcoming launch of Rethinking Security’s Human Security Strategy will be a good opportunity for Friends to use its findings and recommendations as a resource for taking our concerns forward in new ways.
Reports
As well as having time to hear news of Friends’ witness and activities at the local level (you can now read about some of these in the NFPB Voices section of our website), we heard a report from Barry Mills about his extensive research into WW2 Conscientious Objectors, and the 50th Anniversary conference for Bradford’s Department of Peace Studies.
Trustees reported on their recent work and NFPB’s finances, presenting the Trustees’ Report and Accounts for 2023 (download these as a PDF here) and a more recent update. Our Treasurer had made a grant application that had been successful, and Friends’ giving during 2023 had increased from the previous year. A gap between income and expenditure is still anticipated for this year, however, with reserves enabling us to continue our work and to benefit from ethical investment income. Trustees would be considering further the matter of financial sustainability when it met in July, and Friends were reminded that invidual, one-off or regular, donations also make a difference
Responses to wars
The final item of the meeting was an update about a publication project under way. Around 20 written contributions had been received following an open invitation to Friends to share their reflections, experiences, knowledge and visions in response to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza in particular and also wider violent conflicts. A few excerpts were shared with the meeting, to give a flavour of some of the thoughtful, challenging and insightful material that has been received. Some of this will be published in printed book, whilst other items will be made available electronically, with accompanying materials. NFPB members responded positively to the report and was glad to hear that the working group undertaking this work hoped to have material ready for publication soon.
Meeting for worship and witness
A number of NFPB members stayed in the area the following night and were able to join with some Glasgow Friends for their monthly (from Spring until Autumn) Meetings for Worship outside the Faslane submarine base, the base for Trident nuclear submarines. During the worship we remembered Shirley Johnson, a former NFPB member who had recently died. Shirley had witnessed and taken action at Faslane and in other places many times over the years, and was passionate in her commitment to campaigning for nuclear disarmament.