The Peace Hub Focus Group continues to enliven and stimulate the work of Peace Hub, and to align priority areas with the energy and concerns of Quakers in Central England. There are regular online meetings on the fourth Wednesday of each month (please not that in July we will be meeting on Weds 30th, the fifth Weds of the month, to avoid a clash with area meeting.)
The group are holding a Peace Picnic on Sunday 20th July, 2pm at City Centre Gardens. This will be a bring and share picnic, with an opportunity for informal discussion about our Quaker concerns for peace & social justice. In case of bad weather, we will relocate to the public seating area by Symphony Hall.
This will be a chance to get to know each other better, reconnect if you’ve missed recent meetings, and for interested Friends to learn about the group. Read more
The Focus Group is open to any members or attenders within Central England who are concerned about peace and social justice issues. Group membership is though active participation, and not formally nominated. Any Friends wishing to join, or interested in learning more, can contact the Peace Hub Coordinator: office@peacehub.org.uk
There are also several actions being organised by partner organisations, that the Focus Group has discerned we should support in the coming weeks:
Stop SDSC
We were please to be at Telford International Centre TIC earlier this month, engaging people attending a LEGO event there, to raise awareness that the SDSC arms fair takes place at the same venue. Many attendees were concerned to learn that weapons are displayed and sold at the same place they were enjoying a creative family-friendly event. The Stop SDSC coalition is calling on the centre to host more positive events like LEGO, pantomimes and Comic Con, and not to host the arms fair.
This was a helpful example of action that causes disruption to the arms trade at relatively low-risk, and positively engages the public at the same time. There will be a similar action at the Methodist Conference at TIC this Saturday (20th June), and potentially at other future events. Contact Jo Hindley (details in the green membership book) asap if you can join on Saturday.
In other witness against militarism and the arms trade, we hope to join the regular vigil at Lakenheath air base (potentially hosting US nuclear weapons on UK soil) in the autumn.
And Friends concerned about the DSEI arms fair in London in September may be interested in the Peace Pilgrimage to DSEI 1st – 8th September. Walk part or all of the way, or offer hospitality or support. And Quaker Roots are hosting an online meeting Thurs 24th July 7:30pm to share plans for witness at DSEI.
Insure our Survival
Thursday 10th July 11am – 1pm
Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BD
Peace Hub is supporting this event organised by XR Brum.
a Funeral for Nature and a wake/awakening. Dress in black. No speeches, just creativity.
Although it will be low-risk, our coordinator is available for any Friends who would like to meet up, ground ourselves with some worship, and join the action together – get in touch if you’d like to meet from 10:30 at Bull St and walk up together.
Refugee Stories
Thanks to everyone who joined our film night with Birmingham City of Sanctuary (BhamCoS), we hope you enjoyed some though-provoking films, and a powerful example of practical peace-building in El Salvador.
BhamCoS are following this up with an event where refugee friends will share their stories and journeys through the asylum system.
Tuesday 15th July 7pm
at Oasis Church Centre, Lee Crescent, B15 2BJ.
RSVP by email: info@birmingham.cityofsanctuary.org
Finally, the group also spent time at our recent meeting considering how we can reach out and build community, friendship and solidarity with Muslims and refugees (and perhaps others in our communities who are being marginalised or scapegoated). We will be bringing ideas to take this forward to our July meeting, so if this is an area that interests you, please do join.