Some, but not all, of the events during National Quaker Week

new quaker street
Originally uploaded by jez s

Almeley Wootton
• 22 September: sale of work and exhibition in All Saints' Church, Hereford.

Aberdeen
• 27 September and 29 September: following on from a very successful architectural 'Open Day' with many Quaker posters and artefacts on display, the Meeting house will be open for discussions on Quakerism following a Meeting for Worship.
• Advertisements in local papers.

Abergavenny
• 30 September: Meeting for Worship especially for enquirers.
• Article in the local paper.

Aberystwyth
• Exhibition in the town, street stall, coffee morning, evening talks, including one on Waldo Williams, the Quaker poet.

Bangor
• 22 September: stall at Arfon peace festival.
• 29 September: social evening.

Bedford
• A variety of events under the theme 'Discover the Quaker Way' including Open Days on 22 and 29 September and a picnic at the new 'Quaker Wood' at Wootton, where there will be quiet worship and blackberrying.
• Every weekday evening from 24 to 28 September there will be half-hour Meetings for Worship for newcomers to try.
• On 27 September: following a buffet lunch, there will be in introduction to the Ecoteams Project entitled 'Working for the Environment'.
• 30 September: following worship and a buffet lunch, there will be talks on a children's home in Tanzania and an asylum seekers' hostel in Bedford.

Beverley
• Over two weekends, 'Quakers of all shapes, sizes and ages' will be going on a cycling pilgrimage from Hull to Whitby. The purpose of the pilgrimage is to link all the Quaker Meetings in the local area and to draw attention to their worshipping community's commitment to reducing damage to the planet caused by human activity.

Bideford
• Quaker Quest on 10, 17 and 24 September (repeated on 1, 8 and 15 October). As well as talks from the speakers and an opportunity for questions and discussion there will also be an encounter with Quaker silence.

Billericay
• 24-29 September: an exhibition at the town's library

Birkenhead
• 29 September: Meet the Quakers and Meeting for Worship. Also A3 posters: 'This Quaker says…'

Bradford-on-Avon
• 24-28 September: an exhibition of Quaker Tapestry photos (booked from Kendal) in the town library's exhibition room with Quakers running a small stand in the foyer during opening hours throughout the week.
• 29 September: open day at the Meeting House.
• 29 September: ceilidh in St Margaret's Hall.

Brecon and Bridgend
• Quaker exhibitions.

Bridgwater
• Wearing badges.

Burnham
• Wearing badges.

Caerleon
• 25 September: an open Meeting to which local churches, interfaith groups, personal friends and acquaintances will be invited.

Cardiff
• 22 September: garden party – and probably Quaker Quest later.

Chard & Ilminster
• 27 to 29 September: an exhibition entitled 'Discover the Quaker Way' will be staged at Ilminster's Arts Centre. Local Friends and attenders will be on hand to talk to visitors and enquirers.

Cheadle Hulme
• The Meeting house will be open to the public on three days: 27 September evening; 29 September all day; and on 30 September afternoon. On each day there will be showings of 'The Quaker Way' plus displays of Quaker work, books and videos.

Chelmsford
• 22 September: 50th anniversary of Meeting house open day

Cirencester
• 23 September: a talk by Stuart Morton entitled 'Non-violent responses to violence in South Asia'.
• 25 September: singing group (no particular skill required).
• 26 September: 'The Whole Banana: the diversity of Quaker belief' – a talk by Alex Wildwood.
• 29 September: a concert of early music, performed by The Waites of Gloucester – in costume.

Clun Valley
• Stall at Bishops Castle Michaelmas Fair.

Colwyn Bay
• 29 September: open afternoon.

Dunblane
• A poster campaign is being organised by Friends to cover the Dunblane and Stirling area.

Eccles
• Eccles Friends are planning on having a Quaker display in one of the hospital chaplaincies.

Edinburgh
• During National Quaker Week, members of the Meeting will wear badges and hand out leaflets on Quaker Quest plus the concertina leaflets. They will then be running two series of Quaker Quest gatherings back to back.

Epping
• 29 September to 1 October: the Meeting house will be open to visitors.

Finchley
• 15-21 September: local library display of '40 years in Finchley' celebrating their Meeting house.
* 22 September: open afternoon with a talk by Marigold Bentley entitled 'Peace in the world: the Quaker contribution'.
• 26 September: coffee morning.

Folkestone
• Friday 28 September at 7.30pm: illustrated talk by Alwyn Knight of Ashford Quaker Meeting on his recent experiences as an ecumenical accompanier in Hebron, helping to keep the peace between the Israeli settlers and the indigenous Palestinian population.
• 'Meet the Quakers' event at The Churchill School, Hawkinge, consisting of a short explanatory talk about Quakerism followed by a 20-30 minute quiet Quaker meeting for Worship and then a chance to chat to East Kent Quakers over coffee.

Glasgow
• Glasgow Meeting is organising a 'Human Library' for National Outreach Week. The idea is that a member of the public can borrow a Quaker for a half-an- hour chat and a cup of coffee to find out about Quakerism first hand.They hope to have an interesting selection of Quakers in their 'catalogue', including a Quaker blacksmith, Iraqi and Italian Quakers, Quaker poets and artists.
• They also have leaflets going out to libraries and other centres and are sending out a press release shortly, as well as arranging a press photo call on 16 September.

Hammersmith
• Facing a possible CPO on their Meeting house, Hammersmith Friends' minds have been elsewhere! However as well as joining other Meetings in contributing to the Advices & Queries on the Tube campaign, they will also be running ads in the local press.
• Finding that none of the six local libraries had any information on Quakers, the Meeting will also be donating several new books on Quakerism to each.

Hereford
• 22 September: a street party.

High Flatts
• Five of the eight planned events have an arts theme beginning with an art exhibition (which will be open daily) followed by poetry readings.
• 27 and 28 September: There will be performances of Thomas Clarkson, the Quakers and the Abolition of the Slave Trade.
• 29 September the world première of Go Inside to Greet the Light, narrated by Judi Dench.
• There will also be two mini-retreats and a guided meditation, all around the theme of 'light'.
Holyhead
• Improving the Meeting's publicity.

Inverness
• 22 September: the Meeting will be running and information stall at the indoor market in city centre.
• An article is being written for the local newspaper, and flyers are being distributed to 'likely prospects'.
• 29 September: a 'Quakers at Home' session combined with worship and hospitality.

Kettering:
• 22 September: open day with an exhibition,video and information about Quakers also at library

Kingston
• 22 September: the Meeting house will be open for visitors to come and find out about Quakerism; drop in for tea or visit the Fairtrade stall.
• 28 September: 'Teddy Bears' Picnic': an opportunity to explore the Toy Library and the Meeting's lovely garden.
• 29 September: bicycle ride linking the five local Meeting houses, starting from Esher and finishing at Wandsworth, via Kingston, Richmond and Wimbledon.

Kirkby Stephen
• September 28 as part of Quaker week, and to celebrate their refurbished Meeting House, Friends in Kirkby Stephen will be holding a short public Meeting for Worship followed by light refreshments.
• 29 September: an open morning with a small exhibition from the Quaker Tapestry and some interesting historical documents.

Lampeter & Llambydder
• Ads in local papers plus an autumn event.

Lancaster
• Talks by Rex Ambler.
• Exhibition at the local library.
• 29 September tour of Lancaster prison.

Ledbury
• 'Meet Ledbury Quakers' event on Saturday mornings.

Leeds
• Leeds Meeting has already stolen a march on most of us, with its celebration of its tercentenary on 8 September. It staged a walk through the city and gained coverage of nearly a page in the Yorkshire Post – complete with a colour photograph of a Friend, dressed in 17th century Quaker garb, standing in front of the old Leeds Meeting House.
• 19 September: a public talk on 'Quakers & Peace', when seven Leeds Quakers who were arrested at Faslane will speak.
• 26 September: an 'Introduction to Quaker worship' evening.

Leigh-on-Sea
• 6 October: 'Discover the Quaker Way' – an open day at the Meeting house.

Llandrindod & Pales
• Special invitation to enquirers to three Meetings for Worship.

Loughborough
• The eighteen-panel Quaker exhibition will be on view at the Loughborough Library, from Saturday 22 to Saturday 29 September. From Monday 1 October to Saturday 6 October it will be on show at the community centre where Loughborough Quakers meet.

Ludlow
• Open Meeting house and exhibition.

Machynlleth
• Well-advertised drop-in session in room in Arts Centre.

Milford Haven
• Opening new wing of Meeting house with an exhibition and open house.

Minehead
• Open house.

Muswell Hill
• 22 September: open garden & open house. On display will be a copy of the South Africa Quaker Tapestry panel, which some members of the Meeting helped to make.

Maldon
• 22 September: coffee morning

Newcastle-upon-Tyne
• Starting on 26 September: Quaker Quest for four evenings.

New Milton
• Two special meetings have been arranged for enquirers, at which three members of the Meeting will speak briefly about various aspects of Meeting for Worship and Quakerism, followed by discussion and questions.
• With a neighbouring Meeting, New Milton is also placing an ad in the local paper. 'Our Meeting is small and elderly but we live in hope!' as a member put it.

Newtown & Dolobran
• Open Meeting for Worship and exhibition.

Northampton
• 29 September: open day
• exhibitionat library

Orkney
• No definite plans as yet, but the Meeting is being geared-up 'to do something'!

Oswestry
• 22 September: open day, a coffee morning and 'Any Questions?'

Porthmadog
• 12 October: two outreach meetings.

Preston
• 23 September: exhibition 'Who are the Quakers?' opens with a bring and share lunch and Carol Wise, from Ilkley Quaker Meeting, will speak on the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine/Israel followed by discussion.

Pwllheli
• 22 September: stall at Arfon peace festival.

Ross-on-Wye
• Exhibition in local library.

Romford
• 29 September: a garden party.

Stockport
Quaker Quest as follows:
• 17 September: What happens in a Quaker Meeting for Worship?
• 24 September: What does God mean to Quakers?
• 1 October: How is the Quaker way expressed in action?
• 8 October: How do Quakers see the future?
• 29 October: Follow-up evening.

Street
• Street plan to hold an 'open day' and exhibition during the week, together with a sale of produce. They also hope to raise awareness through local TV and radio publicity.

Swansea
• Planning Quaker Quest series.

Taunton
• 22 September event, 'Slavery, Then and Now' with four speakers including Andrew Clark of Slavery International and an exhibition of 'slavery' quilts by Norwich Quakerson 22 September.

Tavistock
• An editorial piece in the local newspaper.
• Open Meeting House with exhibition.

Walthamstow
• 25 September: Quaker Quest will start for four successive Wednesdays.

Wandsworth
• The Meeting has invited local schools to visit Wandsworth's historic Meeting house on 27 & 28 September
• 21 September: poetry evening with Jane Lapotaire, Jerome Willis and Angela Down
• 23 September: an event for newcomers entitled '571?2 varieties of Quakerism'

Wandsworth
• 30 September: Marie Lasenby will speak on 'A World without Slavery'
• A bike ride between all the Meeting houses of the Area Meeting

Warrington
• The Meeting will be holding an event involving groups who use their building. There will also be a sponsored walk – publicising Quakers 'on the hoof' and it is hoped to have an outdoor Meeting for Worship in the town square – awaiting permission.

Watford
• 22 September: open day, with refreshments, activities, displays and worship all day.
• 24 September: 'Quaker Question Time'– a chance to get all those difficult questions answered, also with a bookstore.
• 26 September: teenage event.

Wells (Somerset)
• 22 September to 7 October. Exhibition of early Quaker records, Wells & Mendip Museum, Wells, Somerset.

Wells-next-the-Sea
• 23 and 27 September: Quaker Quest Meetings.
• 24 September: a peace vigil at midday, and a reception for all those who use the Meeting house.
• 25 and 26 September: a unique exhibition of fifteen quilts showing methods of communication between slaves and their helpers. After the first day there will follow a talk on slavery; after the second, a screening of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth.
• 27 September: a Quaker exhibition plus an exhibition of Quaker marriage certificates will be on show.

Welwyn Garden City

• Open Meeting for Worship, September 21 the Meeting House.
• Saturday, September 22, open day with Quaker exhibition and literature, video, activities for children, soup and cheese lunch.
• Remainder of the week, Meeting House open each afternoon.


Westminster
• 23 September and 27 September: Meeting for Worship at Speakers' Corner (in the north-east corner of Hyde Park, near Marble Arch tube.
• Open days on 25 and 26 September.

Winchester
• 22 September: the Meeting will hold a peace vigil at the Buttercross, followed by an open afternoon with the theme 'Meet the Quakers'.
• 24 September: an open meeting with the subject 'Quakers & God'.
• September 26: a talk on the Quaker Peace Testimony after Meeting for Worship.
• 28 September : a public meeting on 'Modern Day Slavery & the Supermarkets' in St Laurence Parish Hall.
• 1 October: two Quakers will speak about their views on 'Quakers & Sex' and invite questions.

Wrexham
• 25 September: open evening.
• 29 September: open day.

Much of this list first appeared in the weekly Quaker journal, the Friend.