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Central England Quakers Events
Support Peaceful Midlands Arms Trade Resistance
9:00 am - 4:00 pm on 08/05/2024 - 10/05/2024 at Walsall Magistrates Court, Stafford St, WS2 8HA.
On 1st November 2023 six people disrupted the SDSC-UK Arms Fair by chaining themselves to the gates of the Telford International Centre. They include four Quakers from CEQ meetings and they are due to face trial at Walsall Magistrates Court 8-10 May 2024. Friends are invited to support them in-person at the Court and demonstrate that people in the Midlands do not support the making or trading of arms that torture, maim or kill. At a recent Area Business Meeting, we minuted: "We want our Friends (and other non-Quakers) who are acting under concern (consistent with our living Peace Testimony) to know that they are being prayerfully supported by the whole Area Meeting. We encourage Friends to provide emotional, spiritual and financial support to those facing trial, and to join others at Walsall Magistrates’ court in person on the days of the trial." There is a WhatsApp group for coordinating in-person court support - contact Jo Hindley for more information (contact details in the blue membership book). You can also join via the event on Facebook.
International Conscientious Objectors’ Day 2024
1:45 pm on 15/05/2024 at National Memorial Arboretum, Croxall Rd, DE13 7AR.
Wednesday, 15th May is International Conscientious Objectors’ Day. To mark this day, there will be a Meeting for Worship at 2.30 pm organised by Staffordshire Area Quaker Meeting at the Quaker Service Memorial which is located at the National Memorial Arboretum. Arrive at 1.45 to give time for welcome and walk to the memorial. Details about the arrangements for this event can be found at the Staffordshire Quaker website. If you have any queries please contact us via email quakerservicememorial@protonmail.com
Friends’ Cinema
7:00 pm on 18/05/2024 at Barnt Green & Redditch Quaker Meeting House, 6 Sandhills Rd, B45 8NR .
Barnt Green & Redditch Quakers invite you to join them at their monthly film showing. All welcome. This month: Walt Disney’s delightful Irish comedy romance about Derby O’Gill, a wily old codger, who matches wits with the King of the Leprechauns and helps play matchmaker for his daughter and the strapping lad (Sean Connery) who has replaced him as caretaker. Technically excellent, the camera work, special effects, and Irish music are a rich feast. N.B. Our licensing agreement allow us to advertise the titles of films only on or premises. See the notice boards in the Meeting House and by the gate for titles – or work them out from the clues!
Midlands Green Quakers
7:00 pm - 8:15 pm on 20/05/2024 at , , .
Midlands Green Quakers is a network of Friends from across the region who share a concern about the climate and ecological emergency. This month: we’ll be hearing from Chris Martin, Claire Bowman and Pete Doubtfire (Central England Quakers) on Birmingham Quakers and Interfaith Climate Justice Action. Register to receive the Zoom details. Midlands Green Quakers is a peer support group for any Friends concerned about Climate Justice. It is open to the whole of the Midlands region (including CEQ), and is convened by Sarah Shaw, the East Midlands Local Development Worker. The group recently changed its name to Midlands Green Quakers. This was prompted in part by the fact that ‘Midlands Quakers for Climate Justice and Sustainability Network’ doesn’t really trip off the tongue; it was also inspired by the point raised in Peter Illing and Nicola Phelan’s talk last December, that the term ‘Green’ encompasses the wide range of issues connected to the environmental movement. For further information about joining these sessions, or to sign up for the monthly e-bulletin, please contact Sarah Shaw at sarahs@quaker.org.uk
George Fox 400 Celebration Day
10:00 am - 4:00 pm on 25/05/2024 at Hartshill Quaker Meeting House, 112 Castle St, CV10 0SG.
Hartshill is the nearest Quaker Meeting to the village of Fenny Drayton where George Fox was born and has links to both Fox’s early life and the early years of the Quaker movement. The Meeting will be showcasing their George Fox and Hartshill Quaker heritage displays. They will also share creative work they have been producing in response to their exploration of the legacy of Fox and their spiritual journeys during the anniversary year. Refreshments will be available. Leaflets with details about self-guided walks around Fenny Drayton and Hartshill will be available from the Meeting House or can be accessed online ahead of time. Hartshill is around 3.5 miles from Nuneaton bus station and Atherstone bus station, both of which are close to their respective train stations. Buses 48 and 766/767 run regularly in both directions – alight at Hartshill Green. If you are coming by public transport and would like to also visit Fenny Drayton, please let Rae Ritchie (details in the blue membership book) know in advance as the Meeting may be able to arrange lifts there and back (the 3 mile walk between the two villages involves crossing the A5).
Christians at Pride
10:30 am on 25/05/2024 at outside Carrs Lane Church, Carrs Lane, BN4 7SX.
Quakers are invited to join with other Christians at Birmingham Pride 2024. We will share a short time of prayer outside the Church at Carrs Lane before those who are marching leave at 11:15 to head to Colmore Row (Java Roastery). A group will also be staying at Carrs Lane to distribute stickers and sweets as part of the Christians at Pride roadside team. Please be aware that if we have more people than our allocated number to march our LGBTQIA+ friends (and then pre-sign ups of allies) will be given priority to march. Unlimited numbers can be part of the roadside team at Carrs Lane so there will still be a way for you to participate regardless. Whatever church or faith community you are part of, you are welcome to join us in celebration and affirmation of LGBTQ+ folks and the gift they/we are to communities of faith, spirituality and justice. Save the date, registration will be available via Inclusive Gathering nearer the time.
Create and Connect at Cotteridge
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm on 29/05/2024 at Cotteridge Quaker Meeting House, 23A Watford Rd, B30 1JB.
Do you enjoy drawing, painting, knitting, crotchet, sewing, weaving…? Or would you like to have a go for the first time? Come and join in art/craft projects supplied by us, or simply bring your own handywork to do in a companionable, relaxed atmosphere. We will provide hot drinks and light refreshments. This month: decorate cloth bags with/for female asylum-seekers TBC. Women only for this session. Sessions are on the last Wednesday of each month 2-4pm. You do not have to come every month, although we would love to build a regular community. Invite your friends to come along too. Sometimes there will be a one-off activity advertised in advance.
Natural Art Exhibition
10:00 am - 4:00 pm on 01/06/2024 - 02/06/2024 at Barnt Green & Redditch Quaker Meeting House, 6 Sandhills Rd, B45 8NR .
Barnt Green Quakers invite you to a sustainable art exhibition created using pressed leaves and beeswax. By Hui-Ying Chang, an international award-winning nature artist from Taiwan. Free admission, all are welcome. Download a poster for the exhibition