Thirty-one Friends gathered on 28 June, with 19 at Edinburgh Meeting House and 12 online during the day. As with our previous meeting in March, there had been significant events in relation to war and peace in the weeks leading up to the meeting, from the UK government’s reviews of defence and security, to the continuing violent conflict in Palestine and Israel, and Ukraine, and war with Iran. Whilst there was a sense of despondency, we heard of new opportunities and levels of engagement and witness. Friends reflected, in the opening part of the meeting, on what was giving them encouragement, hope or simply spurring them to action in this distressing context. We also heard accounts of a range of activities, including work supporting refugee families, joining with other peace groups in public witness and more, and the work with projects such as Secure Scotland and ICAN. We were challenged to consider whether we were living up to our responsibility as Friends to speak out with clarity.
NFPB maintains good working links with Quakers in Britain, and on this occasion we were pleased to welcome Peace Campaigns Coordinator Dixe Wills. Dixe described the work that is being done centrally to adjust the focus of peace work in the light of the current national and international climate which seems to be moving increasingly toward remilitarising and preparation for war. Dixe introduced a new booklet on the peace testimony, and also a short guide to locally-based walking tours that Friends and others might develop, drawing on research that NFPB member Barry Mills has done into second world war conscientious objectors. The issue of refusal to fight is also a very current one, and Dixe described the work of the FWCC EMES group on this.
NFPB’s trustees and Coordinator gave an update on current finances and recent and planned work. The 2024 Trustees’ report and financial statements are available from our website or from the NFPB office by request. NFPB Trustees continue to be concerned about the gap between regular income and expenditure, but the work is supported by additional grant-funding from time to time, occasional legacies and being able to draw on reserves when needed. A new bi-monthly newsletter will be published from August, combining and replacing elements of our NFPB Update and Peace Round-up. It was reported that sales of our publication, ‘Responses to War’ have been going well. A leaflet to mark the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been produced, with copies available to download or on request from the NFPB office.
Our afternoon session was dedicated to looking ahead. Clerk to NFPB Trustees Jayne Meadows, in her introduction, described the work of the sub-group preparing for the transition that NFPB is approaching with Philip Austin’s planned retirement as Coordinator at the end of 2026. As well as quite a number of practical issues that will need to be addressed, it will be important to have a sense of NFPB’s priorities for the coming few years and longer term. Philip Austin reflected on some of the key areas that emerged from our last strategic review, completed in November 2020, and on what has changed since then. In groups, Friends shared responses to questions about the changed and changing context, and about how NFPB might best respond to this in its work to support Quakers and others in promoting peace. Discussions covered a wide range of issues, from larger geo-political changes to supporting one another in taking action at the local level. We heard reflections on how and where to make a Quaker concern for peace more visible, how NFPB might change the way it meets and works and opportunities for collaboration and partnership with Quakers and others. Our next meeting, in York on 27th September, will be a further opportunity to engage with these issues. Our meeting closed in silent worship.