The relationship between BYM & AM trustees

Stewardship involves prayer, and it involves thought, and it involves applying what emerges from the two. As individuals our particular talents may lead us to greater emphasis on one of those elements, but they can never be wholly divided within any of us, and as a community we need to be faithful to all three: prayer, thought and application. Christine Davis - Qfp 15.01

Most people think of Quakers as one body. But in Britain, our Quaker church is organised into a set of connected charities: 70 area meetings, three general meetings (Scotland, Wales and Young Friends); and the BYM national charity. They all share the same objective: 'the furtherance of the general religious and charitable purposes of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain and beyond'. The relationship between the national BYM charity and the other charities isn't always clear. Generally, it's a good relationship; but sometimes there are tensions. Is it time to clarify what we expect of each other?

Here are some examples of questions that have arisen recently:

• Safeguarding - should AMs inform BYM that a registered offender is attending Meeting for Worship? If the ex-offender moves, who is responsible for transferring data?
• Finance - if a financial offence takes place in a local meeting, the AM will have to make a Serious Incident Report to the Charity Commission or Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) - does BYM have a duty to make a Serious Incident Report at the same time?
• Reputation - should there be any guidance for AMs and BYM regarding making comments about each other in public, for example on social media?

Meeting for Sufferings has encouraged us to work with Friends on this. BYM wants to listen to AM Trustees' experiences, learn about what would help, and consider possible options. We're interested to know:

• How does it work for you?
• What problems do we share?
• Where could we support or help each other?

We invite Friends to join us to start this conversation. We're keen to involve those currently or recently serving as AM trustees, and other Friends who have an understanding of charity trusteeship.

Please join us on:

• Wednesday 5 May, 17:30 to 19:00 - or
• Saturday 8 May, 14:00 to 15:30

Registration is essential: please click this link. You'll then receive the zoom information nearer the time.

Trustees are also happy to talk on the phone or discuss this by email – please contact:

Kate Gulliver kathryn.gulliver@phonecoop.coop - 07596 725 387

Chris Willmore chriswillmore@blueyonder.co.uk - 07973 740 290

Juliet Prager julietp@quaker.org.uk - 0207 663 1101