Patterns and examples
Quaker processes and a little practical know-how can bring about positive changes in a Quaker community. We hope that these stories will inspire, inform and enable you to bring about your own changes.
Displaying latest 10 examples
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Managing listed buildings – help!
Our area meeting has ten meeting houses, including seven listed buildings. Most of them are in town or city centres and have 20–30 regular attenders. Almost all of the meeting houses generate income from room hire and act as community hubs. Between 20–80 groups use each building.
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Simplifying our meeting
Hope Valley Local Quaker Meeting is a small meeting. Finding people willing to take on various roles was difficult. Find out how some simple changes made life easier.
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The right people for the job: Cirencester
Gloucestershire Area Meeting owns two flats in Cirencester. These are let and produce an income for the area meeting. Until 2017, the local meeting managed the properties on behalf of the area meeting but it was a drain on energy and resources. Find out how the meeting turned things around and found 'the right people' for the job.
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Gloucester: Managing our meeting house
In recent years Gloucester Meeting found itself facing challenges common to many meetings. As a small meeting, they knew they had to take bold steps to manage their historic meeting house.
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A New Meeting House: Ashburton Quaker Meeting
When a disused chapel was placed up for sale in Ashburton, Friends in Devon explored the idea of having a Quaker presence in Ashburton for the first time.
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Totnes: Experimental premises for a growing meeting
Totnes Friends had outgrown their small meeting house. They decided to take action and after much deliberation, embarked upon a unique experiment which suited the needs of the meeting.
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Friends in Clitheroe transformed their meeting location
Friends in Sawley met in a historic meeting house from the eighteenth century but faced many maintenance and access problems in the space. They chose to sell the meeting house and relocate into the centre of their community.
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How Barnstaple Meeting moved home
In 2017, Barnstaple Local Meeting sold their meeting house and have found their meeting rejuvenated in their new rented home.
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Wells-next-the-Sea: Raising awareness of homelessness
Five churches - including Quakers, which constitute the Churches Together group in Wells-next-the-Sea, took an initiative to raise awareness of homelessness. They have organised a sleep-out in December for two years to raise money and draw community attention to rough sleeping.
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How Adel Local Meeting beat mould and condensation
The meeting house had been well maintained but repair work in the past had caused some problems. In the large spaces black mould had built up in dark corners.
