YOUNG FRIENDS GENERAL MEETING Croydon Friends Meeting House, 29 to 31 October 1999 Minutes Present: Co-clerks: Nick Perks Co-convenors of Overseers: Michael Grimes Anne Pommier Paddy Uglow Treasurer: Andy May Officer of Outreach: Nick Sturge Officer: David Cockroft Administrator: Edd Sellman Convenor of Nominations Committee: Jane Cowling Monthly Meeting Representatives Brighouse: Robyn Kearns & Bethan Hillas Kingston & Wandsworth: James Williams Lancaster: Helen Close Leicester: John Myers North Somerset & Wilts: Phillip Batten Pontefract: Anne Pommier Preston: Suzzana Bullman Northumberland: Emma Welton Norwich & Lynn: Richy Rushmer Reading: Sarah Donaldson Settle: Anna Watson South Wales: Ruth Wood West Devon: Paddy Uglow Westminster: Ali Ghanem Wirral & Chester: Flip Bridges Jason Barton, Anna Benedikz, Elizabeth Benedikz, Andrew Beney, Charlee Bewsher, Adam Boulter, Christine Brown, Rachel Bryers, Gavin Burnell, Leif Burrough, Rowan Burrough, Gideon Burrows, Becky Calcraft, Anna Carter, David Carter, Kate Coole, Rachael Davis, Catherine Dolbear, Alice Drewery, Mike Eccles, Chris Elliott, Helen Evans, Richard Evens, Tessa Fairweather, Hugo Finley, Daphne Fisher, Carolyn Forrest, Stephen Gibbs, Simon Gray, Nicola Grimes, Svetlana Guriliova, Zandy Hemsley, Judi Hodgkin, Keith Holmes, Klaus Huber, Harry Kingham, David Kirk, Paul Levy, Clare Lockwood, Alice Lynch, Aidan McCartney, Emily Miles, Will Miles, Elliot Mitchell, Alice Morning Star, Rachel Muers, Sally Murphy, Jane Osborne, Ben Parker, Carol Robinson, Anna Sharman, Jenny Shellens, Steven Siddals, Lana Snook, Ella Speirs, Hester Speirs, Andrew Stokes, Michael Stokes, Juliette Stoller, Lawrence Taylor, Katy Turquoise, Robin Vanner, Rob Wallis, Hugh Williams, Nessa Williams, Laura Wirtz, Hilary Wood; TOTAL: 90 99/28 Opening Minute We welcome everyone to Croydon for this General Meeting. A special welcome goes to Edd Sellman, our new administrator, Helen Evans, Parliamentary Liaison Assistant and our visitor from overseas; Svetlana Guriliova from Russia. 99/29 Dots and Commas We thank Jenny Shellens and Carol Robinson for agreeing to proof read our minutes this weekend. 99/30 Convenor of officers Further to minute 99/16, we agree to appoint a new post: a convenor of officers. We will amend the financial policy accordingly in a future minute. The job description for this post is appended to the minutes. 99/31 The YFGM Appeal The SASSA (Supporting Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse) Appeal group have reported on their activities since May. So far, the appeal has raised £1700 and has donated £250 each to CASSA (Counselling and Advice for Survivors of Sexual Abuse)/Bradford Rape Crisis and ASISA (Adult Survivors of Incest and Sexual Abuse) which provides telephone and face-to-face counselling and is based in Norwich. There have been stalls and awareness-raising activities at Britain Yearly Meeting and Summer Gathering at Canterbury which were very successful. The group has put together a large collection of books, leaflets and contacts for the use of Young Friends. In February 1999, YFGM decided to review the appeal this weekend to consider how long it should continue. The group are enthusiastic and feel the momentum is only just getting going. We agree that SASSA should continue to be our appeal and expect to lay it down at YFGM in October 2000. We invite SASSA to let us know at May YFGM if they feel their plans could take the appeal beyond next October. We thank the SASSA group for its hard work and encourage Young Friends to tell other people about the appeal. 99/32 Quaker History Group Adam Boulter, David Carter and Michael grimes have led us in a session in which we have been encouraged to look more explicitly at current Quaker beliefs. Our responses to the question; "What do we believe is happening in a successful Quaker Business Meeting?" were shared in small groups. In ministry following, we were made aware that if our meeting is truly based on a listening for the 'will of God', that may be much more difficult than we currently acknowledge. This has implications for our process, outcomes and other decisions in our lives. 99/33 Kamenge Reconciliation and Reconstruction Project, Burundi We have heard from Becky Calcraft about her experience in Burundi on the Kamenge Reconciliation and Reconstruction Project. The goals of this project were to engage in conflict resolution training and to rebuild the residence/guest house at Kamenge Friends Church which had been destroyed in the fighting. We are glad to have shared something of Becky's experience and been able to support this vital project. We would appreciate being kept informed of future projects Young Friends might be interested in getting involved in. 99/34 Nominations to Nominations Committee We agree to appoint Mike Stokes and Ruth Wood to serve on Nominations Committee for a period of 2 years beginning at YFGM, February 2000. 99/35 Nominations We appoint the following people to the following posts and release from service the people mentioned below and thank them for all their work. Position Person appointed Period Released from service Jamboree 2000 Adam Boulter 1 year N/A Committee Rachel Bryers Rowan Burrough Will Miles Jamborette 1999 N/A 1 year Phillip Batten Committee Tom Beale Daphne Fisher Rachel Young Events Treasurer Daphne Fisher 1 ½ years Stephen Gibbs (from Feb 2000) Overseers Clare Lockwood 2 years Adam Boulter Aidan McCartney Heather Rowlands (Nominations continued) Position Person appointed Period Released from service Outreach Committee Rachel Davies 3 years Andy Taylor Quintessential Nicky Grimes 3 years Juliette Stoller Pardshaw Treasurer David Carter 3 years Naomi Jane Bailey Northern Friends Helen Close 3 years Mike Stokes Peace Board Representative Young Quaker Editors Simon Gray 3 years Owen Evans Hugh Williams Rachel Phillips Young Quaker Treasurer Alice Drewery 3 years Richard Evens Administrator's Ella Speirs for the duration Leif Burrough Support Group of the current administrator's employment Extra Officer N/A ½ year David Cockroft Convenor of Officers Sarah Donaldson 3 years N/A Children and Young Sarah Donaldson 1 year extension People's Committee Representative Nominations See minute 99/34 2 years Clare Lockwood Committee Wil Quick 99/36 Finance Report We have received a brief update on our finances from the General Fund Treasurer. The balances currently in the accounts are at a fairly high level. Finance Committee is still considering where best to invest our funds and what an appropriate level of funds is. Finance Committee will be bringing an item to a future YFGM on the issue of authorising new spending between General Meetings. We agree that General Fund should cover transaction charges on the Appeal account for the present. Alternative ethical accounts are being investigated. We are still awaiting the Events accounts for 1998, which has delayed the publication of our complete accounts and Annual Report. 99/37 Abkhazia Appeal Our appeal for the Centre for Humanitarian Programmes in Sukhum, Abkhazia raised a final total of £21,400. This has enabled the centre to buy a vehicle and a risograph, fund a variety of children's projects and renovate a playground. It has developed the non governmental organisation sector in Sukhum which has helped teach people English to enable them to apply for further funding. It also allows the centre to take the risk of starting projects for which they can then apply for funding. We are very grateful to the appeal group for the work they put in on our behalf and to Friends all over the country for their generosity. 99/38 Volunteers We thank the following people for volunteering to undertake the following duties at our next General Meeting in Oxford on 18-20th February. Caterers: David Cockroft Janitors: Nessa Williams Lana Snook Hilary Wood Crèche co-ordinator: Alice Morning Star Pan transport: Carolyn Forrest Off-floor sleeping accommodation co-ordinator: John Myers 99/39 Independent Examiners We appoint the following people as independent examiners for the following accounts: Account Independent examiner and meeting Appeal Fund: Alistair Cooke, Leeds Carlton Hill Events Fund: Sue Chapman, Not in membership Young Quaker: Dave Moll, Pardshaw Pardshaw Fund: Neil Catto, Not in membership *Employment Fund: David Adshead, Sunderland *General Fund: Mark Sanders, Somerset *Consolidated Mark Sanders, Somerset * subject to consent 99/40 Account Signatories We authorise the following people as signatories to the following accounts. Pardshaw: David Carter Events: Daphne Fisher Young Quaker: Alice Drewery 99/41 Closing Minute YFGM continues to develop and change. We continue to search for ways forward in sharing our beliefs, working on our concerns and creating an inclusive community. We thank all those who have made this weekend possible; our caterers Christine Brown, Chris Elliot and Bryony Evans, and janitors Daphne Fisher and Richy Rushmer. Also, thanks to David Cockroft for his service to Officers. We wish each other safe journeys home. Signed in and on behalf of Young Friends general Meeting Nick Perks Anne Pommier Co-clerks Appendix to minute 99/30 Convenor of Officers Job Description 1. To organise special interest groups, big notice slots and volunteers at Young Friends General Meetings. 2. To organise newcomer's coffee mornings at Young Friends General Meetings. 3. To book meeting houses for Young Friends General Meetings. 4. To assist other officers at Young Friends General Meetings. 5. To organise practical arrangements at and for officer's weekends: booking venues, organising catering, arranging date and informing officers and quintessential of officer's meetings. 6. To attend and take part at officer's weekends. 7. To act as a link with Young Quaker Magazine, to support editing team. 8. To be a trustee of Young Friends General Meeting.