Quakers in Britain marks first year of work on reparations
Quakers in Britain has completed its first year of work on reparations, addressing the legacies of the transatlantic chattel slave trade, colonialism, and economic exploitation.
The Reparations Working Group (RWG) was set up in October 2023 to take forward the Quaker commitment in 2022 to consider financial and other reparations for their role in these injustices.
This has included work on historical research, financial assessment, and engaging with those affected by these legacies.
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What do love and justice require of us?
- British Quakers
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Research into the roles played by individual British Quakers and families in slavery and colonisation is a key priority.
Area meetings across the UK, including Lancashire and Bristol, have made significant progress.
The RWG aims to create a searchable database of findings and shared some early results at the 2024 annual Quaker gathering.
The RWG also made immediate contributions by offering rooms at their London offices to groups focused on reparation-related work, including the first UK reparations conference.
The second annual conference, convened by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations, will be held at Friends House, Euston, on Sunday, 27 October.
Reparations are also about healing relationships and the group has worked closely with communities affected by the legacies of Quaker involvement in slavery.
The RWG has started conversations with Quakers around the world, including a video shown at the World Quaker gathering in South Africa in August.
They have engaged with other faith groups including Caribbean churches advocating for reparations, the Churches Reparation Action Forum of Jamaica.
Next year the group will visit more area meetings and develop educational resources in partnership with Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre.
RWG member Marghuerita Remi-Judah said: “We have had a challenging and busy first year and look forward to being assisted by the appointment of a Reparations Co-ordinator as we embark on our second year."
In their epistle (message) from their annual gathering in 2022, Quakers wrote: “Britain Yearly Meeting resolves to build on our decision last year to be an anti-racist church, working with partners, including churches and faith groups, to look at ways to make meaningful reparations for our failings.
“We need to take urgent action as individuals, in our local, area and yearly meetings. 'What do love and justice require of us?'"