London Link Group

Young Quaker London Link Group

Author: Editor (page 1 of 11)

Well In Welwyn Garden City

On the 8th to the 9th of March London Link Group returned to Welwyn Garden City (WGC), some of the group got up very early (in my opinion) to get a train from Kings Cross. Once the 15 young people and 5 adults we were all assembled at the Meeting House, we introduced the event, the boundaries and each other. 

The name game this time was more of a group challenge, partly to understand Michael’s idea and partly because it involved thinking, (quite early in the morning). Each person went round the circle and made up a portion of a story which introduced the person next to them as a character in the story, many fantastical things later we were all well and truly introduced. 

Lunch was “make your own baguettes” – with lots of fillings to choose from, (“If Quakers did Subway”…). 

After some tidying up we then heard from Alec, a participant who attends WGC Meeting. Alec gave us an introduction to some of the ethos around the Garden City movement, how Quakers were very involved in the development of WGC and how some of its radical (especially for the time) socialist ideas are represented in the planned city (did you know WGC Meeting was the largest Quaker Meeting outside of London).

To wake us from our post lunch slumber and make the most of the very warm weather we went for a walk up the boulevard and back along the old railway line. On returning we had some tea and drinks, some played football, others played games they had brought with them. 

In the afternoon we had a themed session “Living in a world that doesn’t always share your values” , we talked about our own views/values that often the people around us didn’t share, such as being anti military, protecting the environment, and many of the Quaker values which might put us at “odds” with the rest of society (or the world). We talked about the concept that Michael likes to use of being “in-phase” or “out-of-phase”, a literal way to think of being “on the same wavelength” as other people around us. This took us to a discussion on what helps us if we feel like a minority, and what the advantages and pitfalls are of being in a community of people who do all share the same values, how do we engage with people who don’t share our values?

As our session came to a close, and our brains fully warmed up, a mystery knock on the Meeting House door presented us with a delivery of a huge box of ice creams! Thank you to a very kind local Quaker who came by with this very divine intervention. 

Some free time and a dinner of the classic Broccoli pesto tomato pasta led us into an “Open Mic” session, some brave young people got up to perform and entertain us. Our very own singer-songwriter and volunteer Eli also sang a new song for us, to much applause. 

We had some hot chocolate and settled down to an Epilogue to reflect on the day. 

Camping beds setup, mats down and sleeping bags out, we all found our designated rooms and proceeded to go to sleep instantly…

Sunday morning we were (mostly) up early to greet the 8:30 Quaker meeting (there are currently two Meetings on a Sunday at WGC), some of the young people built up their breakfast appetite playing football while others did quiet games. With the morning Quaker Meeting over they joined us for a breakfast buffet (Eggs, Beans, Toast, Veggie Sausages, fruit and Cereal). After tidying up and some free time it was soon time to go into 10:30 Meeting, after quarter of an hour those who didn’t want to stay for the full hour did crafts and other activities.

Tea biscuits, lots of interesting after meeting discussions and free time led us to consider Lunch.

For lunch we had a special challenge – the young people themselves had to make a shared lunch! In groups of 4 with spending money of £5, the young people were chaperoned to Sainsbury’s to buy vegan/vegetarian and shareable food to contribute to lunch. As you can imagine a real eclectic mix of things returned back to the Meeting house, in some cases it was thankful we had leftovers from dinner, in others a real innovation and thoughtful sharing items. Good work young people! 

We left our whirlwind garden city time with Friendships made and spirits nourished. 

We’re heartened by the service that Welwyn Garden City Quakers provided in hosting our event, the fantastic support from the Wardens and all the participants and volunteers for an excellent weekend. – Michael, Tavi, Philip, Amy, Eli

Sun and fun in lovely Lewes

Outside Lewes historic Meeting House

On 29-30 June 2024, 15 young people and adult volunteers headed to the newly renovated Lewes Quaker Meeting for our first London Link Group residential event of the year.

Most of us met at Victoria station at 9am on Saturday and took a train to Lewes, with a few others making their way directly to Lewes Quaker Meeting. There has been a Quaker Meeting in Lewes since 1655 (!) and the meeting house was built in 1784.

We played games to get to know each other, aided by some tennis ball catching practice, and took a look around the meeting house to work out where we were going to be sleeping. Once we had established names we assigned secret friends for the weekend.

After lunch, we went to the Railway Land nature reserve, and played frisbee in the sunshine. There were a few hours to explore Lewes, when some people went charity shopping, and others bought things for their secret friend, or went back to the meeting house to sing songs and play card games.

Frisbee fun

We had a tasty dinner of takeaway pizzas and salads, and followed this up with a mighty, loosely Quaker-themed quiz! This included a picture round in which we had to identify whether a building was a current Quaker meeting house or not. Another question required each team to list as many facts as they could about an individual on the next team. The hilarious “false or true” round required us to work out what kind of Fox’s party ring biscuit was the favourite of George Fox, who would have been 400 this year. We finished the day with epilogue and hot chocolate/herbal tea before bedding down on the meeting house floor.

On Sunday, we joined Lewes Quakers for their meeting for worship. The children’s meeting made origami tulips. We had a shared lunch of quiche and salads before heading for the train back to London, having had a fun and fulfilling weekend among Friends.

Looking forward to the next residential event at Forest Hill on 12-13 October 2024!

Booking open for London Link in Lewes: Now closed!

Lewes Meeting House

Further details will be sent by email.

We’re heading from London to Lewes in East Sussex to the beautiful market town of Lewes (which has a recently refurbished Meeting House). There will be the usual array of hanging out, great food, visit to castle and gardens (tbc), seeing the town, games, Quaker reflection and the fun of camping out with Friends in a meeting house.

Book now! https://londonlinkgroup.org.uk/events/london-link-goes-to-lewes/

Spring link – St.Albans

On a not-quite spring 3-5th of March 13 young people and 5 volunteers from across the south gathered in St.Albans Quaker Meeting House.

Although tired out by the week, our energy levels were soon replenished by seeing friends new and old.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/camperdown/

For dinner we had a curry of coconut dhal, vegetable curry, pakoras and rice that filled us up. After that meal’s washer-uppers had finished we settled down to watch a film on the projector in main meeting room. We had a short candle lit epilogue and then bed.

At the crack of 8:30am we tided up and joined together to have a veggie cooked breakfast. For one particular participant the morning also marked the dawn of a new age, …age 15. Happy Birthday! In terms of getting up throwing birthday balloons at each other proved very effective.

The first activity of the day was free time in the historic town of St.Albans, with attractions such as the charter market, Roman ruins, a cathedral and the ever popular Tesco Metro and Wilko stores providing places to visit – everyone found something to enjoy.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/

St.Albans Meeting House is conveniently located close to the town centre, for several hours we opened our exclusive artisan (crisp sandwich anyone?) sandwich shop for participants to drop in. This was also a good opportunity to sing happy birthday and dive into to birthday cake #1.

After letting lunch digest, a few of the participants and 3 of the volunteers went to the leisure centre to try our wits at crossing the inflatable obstacle course. Volunteers struggling with the er…agility, benefited from nice team efforts.

Stock photo © St.Albans Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre

Once everyone was back there was time for some games before starting the main theme session on “What makes you, you? Exploring the world of our own identities”. We talked about about what is an identity and the protected characteristics in law. We went on to try to map out our broader identities with post-its. The meeting house floor was covered with colourful clusters of posits, reflecting the differences and similarities between us.

How can we make the meeting a community in which each person is accepted and nurtured, and strangers are welcome? Seek to know one another in the things which are fundamental, bear the burden of each other’s challenges and uphold one another. As we enter with tender sympathy into the joys and sorrows of each other’s lives, ready to give help and to receive it, our meeting can be a channel for love.

Adapted version of Advice & Queries 18

A made-up example

After consent from the group we wandered around the room looking at what people had chosen to put. A very deep respectful silence was experienced whilst we were doing this, perhaps reflecting the braveness, honesty and vulnerability we were all experiencing. We considered the questions of whether the identities we express change depending on who we’re with or where we are. What parts of our identities change over time and what stays the same. How do we make sure our identities don’t divide us.

It felt like a safe and spiritually connected time.

After some refreshments the volunteers set about making dinner, while the young people organised themselves into playing various games around the meeting house.

A dinner of pasta, pesto, broccoli and tomato was demolished. Cake #2 gently lead us to our open-mic evening, with an eclectic mix of talented and entertaining performances.

Epilogue followed. With a reading:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us;
It’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we’re liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

A Return To Love” by Marianne Williamson.

The next morning we got up and reassembled the Meeting House. A very long running cooked veggie breakfast got our hearts, stomachs and minds prepared for Quaker meeting. Some stayed in Meeting whilst others joined a group making clay models.

A lunch of left overs and sandwiches, a few last games and we were ready to head home.

London Link would like to thank St.Albans Quaker meeting for welcoming us again, shifting around bookings and generally letting us make the house our home for the weekend.

Thank you to all the participants and volunteers for an excellent weekend. – Michael, Philip, Amy, Rob and Margarita

Event announcement: Spring!

Announcing the first London Link Group residential of 2023!

The theme:

“What makes you, you? Exploring the world of our own identities”.

This link group event we’ll be joined by members of the local Luton and Leighton Area Meeting Link group! welcome!

Booking is now open! Please use this link

Who:

Young People connected with Quakers aged 11-18

When:

3rd to the 5th of March 2023

What:

Here is the rough timetable (to be confirmed nearer the time)

Friday:

  • Arrivals from 6pm direct to the Meeting House OR Travel with (volunteer escorted) group meeting at 6pm in London
  • Welcome!
  • Dinner
  • Film night (theme related)
  • Epilogue
  • Sleeeeeep

Saturday:

  • Breakfast
  • Make a pack lunch
  • Free time, Trip into St.Albans in groups and/or Swimming (see also: massive inflatables, opportunity to shower), other alternatives possible
  • Tea back at the Meeting House
  • Theme activity – What makes you, you? Exploring the complex world of our own identities
  • Break
  • Dinner
  • Games
  • Epilogue
  • Sleeeeeep

Sunday:

  • Breakfast
  • Quaker Meeting – option to join for full or first 15min
  • Lunch
  • Pick up from 3pm from the Meeting House OR 3pm group heads back to London

This event is “indoor camping”, you will need a sleeping mat, a pillow and all the usual things for a weekend away. Reminder: If you’d like to go swimming please don’t forget to bring your swimming things.

All the food will be vegetarian or vegan. Please make sure to put dietary requirements on the booking form.

The cost is £10, it is London Link Group policy that no one should be prevented due to cost. Please let us know on the booking form if you’d like to have a bursary.

How:

Booking is now open! Please use this link

Please contact us clerk@londonlinkgroup.org.uk if you’ve not received the details already.

Other info:

Please make sure to remain vigilant with regards to coronavirus infections, if the participant has any symptoms please check and contact us.

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