YOUNG FRIENDS GENERAL MEETING (YFGM) Lancaster Friends Meeting House, 28th April-1st May 2000 Minutes Present: Co-clerks: Nick Perks Co-convenors of Overseers: Michael Grimes Anne Pommier Carolyn Forrest Treasurer: Andy May Officer of Outreach: Nick Sturge Convenor of Officers: Sarah Donaldson Administrator: Edd Sellman Acting Convenor of Nominations Committee: Rachel Bryers Monthly Meeting Representatives Brighouse: Bethan Hillas Colchester: Maud Grainger Hannah Leavett Cheshire: Ruth Todhunter Hardshaw West: Harry Kingham Jordans Nick Butterfield Lancaster Phil Davies Leicester: Hugh Williams Norwich & Lynn: Richy Rushmer Pontefract: Anne Pommier Reading: Sarah Donaldson Abbie Barnett Shropshire & Worcester Dawn Fowler West Devon: Paddy Uglow Warwickshire: Joseph Coffin Westminster: Ali Ghanem Stacey Alexander, Anna Benedikz, Charlee Bewsher, Adam Boulter, Gavin Burnell, Burrough Rowan, David Carter, David Cockcroft, Anna Dicker, Mike Eccles, Chris Elliott, Helen Evans, Bryony Evens, Richard Evens, Hugo Finley, Simon Gray, Judi Hemsley, Ceri Hillas, Frances Hopkins, Tim Hudson, Anna Jones, Lebo, Paul Levy, Clare Lockwood, Alice Lynch, Alice Morning-Star, Wil Quick, Carol Robinson, Paul Sladen, Ella Speirs, Hester Speirs, Juliette Stoller, Joanna Swanson, Robin Vanner, Rob Wallis, Nessa Williams, Laura Wirtz, Stephen Wolfenden, TOTAL: 61 00/16 Opening Minute We welcome each other our General Meeting here in Lancaster. We especially welcome visitors from overseas:- Lebo from South Africa and Stacey from North Carolina, USA (currently living in Paris) and all who are with us for the first time. As a smaller gathering over three days, we look forward to a more relaxed weekend with opportunities to build a worshipping community together. 00/17 Nomination to Nominations Committee We agree to appoint Juliette Stoller to serve on nominations committee for a period of three years as of this YFGM. 00/18 Young Friends Appeal The Supporting Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse Appeal Group feel that it is time to bring their work to an end and we agree that the appeal will be laid down. This Appeal has been very successful in its primary objective of raising the profile of a most personal and challenging issue in local meetings and the wider Yearly Meeting. Financial support has also raised over £2,500 so far for Bradford Rape Crisis and Adult Survivors of Incest and Sexual Abuse; any further donations will be split equally between these two organisations. The steering group would like to thank everyone who supported them and spoke on behalf of this Appeal in their meetings, and in particular Eirene Hardisty for their generous loan of books. The Appeal will be exhibited at Yearly Meeting as it has in previous years, and will be donating the books purchased to the Woodbrooke library. We warmly thank all those who have been involved with the Appeal Group for their impressive work and commitment and congratulate them on all they have achieved. 00/19 Outreach Report We have heard from our Outreach Committee about their recent work. Highlights have been: running a successful Enquirer's Gathering during YFGM in Oxford this year, having a stand at the Green belt festival, and preparing a Vigil for Peace at YFGM in Liverpool last May. We think Outreach are doing an excellent job and warmly thank them for their continuing work done on our behalf. we are all asked to feed our thoughts and ideas on their work and outreach in general back to them. 00/20 Management Group Update Management Group are currently in the process of recruiting for a new position of co-ordinator, which will replace and extend the administrator's role. We hope that the recruitment process goes well and encourage people to apply. 00/21 Pardshaw Young Friends Centre We have spent some time considering how we can make better use of Pardshaw, the building in the Lake District managed by YFGM. It is most important for us to recognise the value of this place as a spiritual resource and for its beauty and simplicity. There are practical steps that can be taken to improve accessibility and damp, for example, and better advertising and easier booking arrangements would also increase its use. We look forward to ways of being more involved in plans for its future. 00/22 Peace Testimony The Peace Testimony has always challenged Quakers in living out their lives, but the nature of that challenge changes. It is easy to feel disempowered in the face of large scale conflict, and the economic injustice that states inflict upon each other, particularly when violence is perpetuated through complex systems and structures. We need to keep working with each other to identify ways in which we will express our beliefs on both personal and political level, and to take responsibility for our own actions and the actions of those groups to which we belong. We commit ourselves to continuing the process we have begun today. 00/23 Registrations for YFGM We agree to move the deadline for registration forward to three weeks before YFGM. This will enable a smoother preparation for General Meetings, including a confirmation of registration and documents in advance, and easier planning for caterers and overseers. We ask management Group to look at how this change will be implemented and ways of making registration easier and in particular to bear in mind the needs of monthly meeting representatives. 00/24 Officers/Overseers/Quintessential Weekend Meeting Officers/Overseers/Quintessential would like to move their Winter weekend to the Summer, This has come out of officers' consideration of the time lapse between YFGMs, particularly the long gap between May and October. we hope that this change will help us to feel more supported in our roles and less out of touch with YFGM. There will be an Officers/Overseers/Quintessential Weekend this Summer. 00/25 Finance Report The financial position is still comfortable and our financial procedures are working reasonably well. we should be able to present examined accounts in October. we approve some minor changes to the finance policy (appended to these minutes) to reflect changes in our posts. 00/26 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 Co-clerk Sarah Donaldson 3 years Nick Perks Convenor of Officers Sarah Donaldson Overseer Robin Vanner Outreach Edd Sellman 3 years David Kirk Fundraiser Dawn Fowler 3 years Nick Sturge QSRE/QPS Representatives Ruth Todhunter 3 years Lana Snook Meeting for Sufferings Rep. Adam Boulter 3 years* Rachel Muers Nominations Committee Rachel Bryers Pardshaw Committee Bryony Evens 3 years Mark Jones Robin Vanner Rowan Langley British Youth Council Rep. Helen Evans 3 years Rachel Boyd YQ Magazine Editor Frances Hopkins 3 years Robyn Kearns Trustee/Distributor for the Nick Perks 5 years* Matt Foreman Pollard and Dixon Trust (from Jan. 2001) * Nominations not appointments 00/27 Pardshaw Young Friends Centre Further to minute 00/21 a special interest group has met to further discuss developments for the Young friends Centre. Over the course of this weekend, numerous ideas have been generated, from immediate practicalities to long-term visions. We ask Pardshaw Committee to consider these ideas, in particular improving publicity and information, and we ask Pardshaw Committee, in consultation with Management Group, to transfer the responsibility for bookings to the new YFGM Co-ordinator. We hope that by considering Pardshaw as a General meeting, we have renewed interest in this unique place. We agree to review the situation in a year's time. 00/28 Request for Financial Assistance David Newton has asked us to support the work he hopes to do over the next year in the Centre for Conflict Management in Khazikstan by contributing financially to his living expenses. He has raised nearly £5000 and we agree to underwrite the remaining funds he needs up to a limit of £500. We ask David to keep us informed of his progress through articles in Young Quaker magazine and a report at YFGM on his return. 00/29 Jamboree Account We agree to move £300 from General Funds to the Jamboree account as a float to help with initial costs. In accordance with our financial policy we expect the Jamboree Committee to make efforts to break even and expect that this sum should be returned if break-even is achieved. However, we recognise that due to a scattered planning group, planning costs will be high and that it is likely that the event will run at a small loss. 00/30 Convenor of Officers Appointment We agree to appoint Chris Elliott as Convenor of Officers from now until October when we hope to make a 3 year appointment. 00/32 Account Signatories We authorise the following people as signatories to the following accounts. General Fund: Andy may (General Fund Treasurer), Sarah Donaldson (Co-clerk) and Anne Pommier (Co-clerk) Pardshaw Account: David Carter (Treasurer), Simon Gray, Robin Vanner and Anna Sharman 00/32 Closing Minute We have enjoyed being together in Lancaster over a longer weekend which has given us the time and space to relax and get to know one another as well as exploring the surrounding area. We thank Nick Perks for his commitment to the role of co-clerk over the past 3 years, for his clarity and willingness to take risks in moving us forwards. We would also like to thank Rachel Bryers who has confidently stepped into the role of convenor of Nominations Committee in the last year and wish her well for next year. Thanks to all the volunteers who made this weekend possible especially our caterers Richy Rushmer and Paddy Uglow, and our janitors Laura Wirtz and David Carter and we look forward to continuing our journey together when we meet again in Bristol. Signed in and on behalf of Young Friends general Meeting Nick Perks Anne Pommier Co-clerks Appendix 1 to minute 00/25 Amendments to Financial Policy Minute 8 of Finance Committee Meeting: 15th April 2000 We suggest the following amendments to the YFGM Financial Policy to the next meeting of YFGM: 1. GENERAL c) Delete 'and one other Young Friend'. Insert 'Convenor of Officers,' before 'Convenor of Nominations Committee'. Replace ',' with 'and' after 'Co-convenors of Overseers'. 2. THE GENERAL FUND AND FINANCE COMMITTEE g) Amend to read 'and one other Young Friend appointed by General Meeting to serve as fundraiser'. 3. EXPENSES IN ATTENDING BUSINESS MEETINGS d) Add 'Crèche Co-ordinator,' after 'Quintessential,'. Appendix 2: Volunteers for next YFGM to be held at Redlands' FMH, Bristol, 6-8th October 2000. Caterers: Tim Hudson Janitors: Phil Davies Hannah Leavett Paul Sladen Pan transport: Richard Evens and Maud Grainger Off-floor sleeping accommodation co-ordinator: Anne Pommier