Peter Ullathorne of Cotteridge Quaker Meeting, reflects on a recent Area Meeting workshop which aimed to share ideas and concerns about how we might adapt with the changes to other Area Meetings around us; and hear about how things are changing in other parts of Britain Yearly Meeting including Wales and Scotland.

About thirty Friends were in attendance, including people from nearly every Local Meeting and two of the clerking team, plus two friends from Banbury & Evesham Area Meeting (BEAM).

The presentation from Lesley Richards, (a Friend from Worcester & Shropshire Area Meeting who works with Britain Yearly Meeting on a consultancy basis), showing the varying amalgamations and discussions going on through Britain Yearly Meeting was well received, and Friends were clearly interested in the widespread activity across the country. Questions were well grounded and Lesley answered fully.

Sandra Berry (Clerk to Trustees) updated Friends on the state of negotiations with Banbury and Evesham (BEAM) and Oxford & Swindon (OSAM) and Worcester & Shropshire (W&S) Area Meetings.

The breakout groups after lunch considered:

• Risks to be considered
• What could individuals contribute to the process?
• What would our organisation look like if one started from a blank sheet?

While there was no formal reporting back, points and ideas that arose in subsequent discussion included:

• This is not about property, but people. With declining numbers, and fewer Friends willing or able to serve as Trustees, it is right to think about our organisational model. We need to respect existing relationships but realise that we can get more out of widening association.
• Would reorganisation attract more younger people? We must recognise the mobility of Young Adult Friends and how to promote their engagement.
• Friends in the first group thought that Trustees and others have thought deeply about risks, and there seemed to be reassurance that there appeared to be nothing to prevent a combination with whichever of BEAM Meetings needed to be transferred in.
• If we go into larger organisations we need to preserve the intimacy of smaller worship groups. Worship clusters might be established within larger Meeting units, maybe regional charities of -say- 10 regional meetings with 40-50 Local Meetings within them.
• It was noted that BEAM already have an informal structure of exchanging views with surrounding AMs – W&S, OSAM, Gloucestershire – in an occasional regional conference, and perhaps CEQ should suggest this to surrounding AMs (Staffordshire, Leicester and others?)
• With larger organisations, we would need to ensure that technology can support the operations of the new bodies, and that good open communication kept Friends together.

The idea of appointing a planning committee with a community sub-group was suggested.