On the 21st of March 22 young Quakers and 8 Quaker adults met up in a youth hostel in Littlehampton for a weekend of fun and games. After dinner we introduced eachother and established the boundaries so that everyone could have a fun safe weekend. After a freezing cold visit to the beach in which some were foolish enough to submerge themselves in the water, we headed back to the meeting house for epilogue, cocoa and bed.

This event was also highlighted by the featuring of secret friends in which each person selected a name from a bag and be nice to the selected person with gifts and hugs, without revealing who they were.We believe this creates bonds between people who might not otherwise communicate at these kinds of events and helped some first timers feel welcome.

After breakfast on Saturday morning we were treated to an informative workshop on drones in which we learnt about the horrible drone programme that the U.S and the UK is working to cover-up and the mental health effects of drone warfare on the pilots, who at first glance seem isolated from their work, but in reality can suffer from post-traumatic stress-disorder just as easily as other combatents. The U.S drone programme is estimated to have killed nearly 3000 people since it began in 2004, with incredibly high numbers being civillian casualties.

We made and flew kites in solidarity with those around the world who campaign against these programmes, and even made onto the website “Voices for Creative Non-Violence UK”.

After free-time in the town and some games back at the hostel, dinner was served before the evening game of “Empire” a memory based skill game which requires patience, skill and memory. Keith then treated us to a very relaxing epilogue before we settled down for bed.

On Sunday Morning we vacated the youth-hostel and joined the members of Littlehampton meeting house in morning worship. After lunch we had more free-time in the town of littlehampton, which was cut short by a hail-storm, we had time before a few more games before we headed home on the train.
I’d like to thank all the Young People who came and all the volunteers who worked really hard to make this an excellent Quaker event.

Theo

On the 4th of October, 13 Young people and 6 adult volunteers made their way down to Brighton Meeting house. There we met up with 9 more young people from Brighton and beyond, making 28 of us altogether. Like all events we started by introducing each other in as many creative ways as possible.

One of the great things about Brighton Meeting House is it’s very close to the beach, to get our bearings we headed down for an evening walk while some lovely volunteers made dinner. We came back, ate, had an epilogue, hot chocolate and then bed.

After breakfast on Saturday, packed lunches were made and a prologue and introduction to the theme was done, we wondered down to the beach with our picnic. We ate our food and played some games. Some of the linkers and a staff member even braved swimming in the sea!

We came back to the meeting house and signed out as groups to explore the lanes and laines of Brighton for a few hours. We had some tea, snacks and a bit of free time on arriving back to the meeting house. Some people used this to make beaded bracelets.

Judy from Brighton meeting arrived to lead a creative session exploring the theme of Awe and Wonder through writing poems, drawings and making clay models. Many Awesome and Wonderful things were made.

Dinner next and then some games, including a new favourite “Empire” and an old favourite “Sardines”;  Once everyone was re-found we went into an epilogue and then bed.

Sunday morning we quickly vacated the meeting room floor (carpeted, yes!!) to make sure it could be set out for Sunday Meeting. Had breakfast and then made our way into Meeting. We went out of meeting with the other Children from Brighton and carried on our own Meeting for Worship outside in the garden. After this we reflected on the weekend, gave feedback and heard about the up coming events (Quakers on Ice on the 17th Nov and the Winterval in early 2014).

Tea after meeting provided time to play a bit of Quaker bingo – trying to find people from Brighton meeting who “had a favourite biscuit” or “Went to a Quaker school” etc, probably to the bafflement of most of the Brighton Quakers…

We just had time to enjoy the fantastic weather again by going down the to the beach and visiting the pier before heading back to London and Home.

We’d like to thank all the Young People who came, the volunteers and Brighton Quakers for letting us use the lovely Meeting House.

Scottie, Michael, Sarah, Sam, Jonathan and Liz.

Luton and Leighton Area (LLAM) meeting Link group invited London Link to come to their SUMMER LINK event at Watford meeting house

We took the train up from Friends House and arrived at Watford a bit earlier than expected. Thank you everyone for being so prompt! We introduced our selves with a few name games and joined up with the LLAM linkers, making 20 of us in all, many of us knew each other through Summer School and from previous Link ups so we quickly re-connected.

We then went off to Cassiobury park where we had an energetic game of rounders and relaxed in the very sunny weather. After we walked back to the meeting house, where Alistair Fuller, Outreach Officer for Britain Yearly Meeting joined us to talk to us about Talking about theism and non-theism. We explored how we communicate the concept of GOD and the different approaches and vocabulary we might use to help us.

We had some free time while the group on the rota helped to prepare food. Watford meeting has a fantastic garden and it being great weather we had a BBQ. As the evening drew in we gathered round the fire chatting and listening and signing to some guitar playing which lead us into an epilogue around fire. Free time and then bed (well,  floor).

On Sunday we had breakfast and went back out into the garden to play table tennis, swing on the swing, bounce on the trampoline or just chat with chickens until it was time for Meeting. After meeting we continued the theme of theism and non-theism by discussing some quotations from “Twelve Quakers and God” in smaller groups in a creative listening session.

After this we had a picnic lunch in the garden, some free time, a short evaluation session and then back home.

Thank you to all the volunteers from London Link and, especially to Luton and Leighton Link group committee for organising and inviting London Link group to their SUMMER LINK event.

As we journeyed from the grand St.Pancras International to the ever so slightly less grand East Croydon, much like the early Friends, we grew in numbers from those convinced on the worthy of London Link Croydon II. From 5 to  22.

Having arrived at Croydon Meeting house we introduced ourselves and welcomed new London linkers, gratefully our dinner was already well under way by this point so our next job was to set out the dinning room and eat and then clear up.

After a small amount of free time we went to an epilogue lead by a nominated participant then some hot chocolate and bed.

Croydon meeting house has many advantages, but one that stands out for us is the warm upstairs carpeted rooms. Hooray for Carpets! Small luxuries but we definitely appreciated them.

On Saturday morning we had breakfast and then Liz, a local Quaker came to talk to us about her job running community services for Croydon council, she challenged us to help think of solutions to the problems of building communities, and many ideas came out of this. With some interesting discussions on how strong communities build a sense of home and responsibility to the place you live, as well as providing a valuable support network.

We had some free time before lunch to play some games and relax with friends before we caught the tram to the bowling venue.

Two games of bowling later we were all bowled out and returned to the Meeting house. A bit more free time then dinner.
After dinner we played a new game called Empire where each person gives themselves a new name such as “George Cadbury” and you have to guess who would give them selves that name, guessing correctly gains you that person onto your team/empire.

The down fall of the empires left standing was time, as we then went into an epilogue and then bed.

On Sunday morning we got up and joined the early bird Croydon Quakers for breakfast  we had a small amount of free time afterwards to chat before going into meeting.
After meeting we continued some quiet reflection, we came up with a few ideas for next events and gave some feedback on what were the highlights and lowlights of the weekend.

We have an invitation to join LLAM’s link group in 2-3rd March St.Albans (Contact for details/see their facebook page). We also heard about the new initiative for regular events at Westminster meeting house, starting with the 17th March, as we look to make Westminster our base meeting house. Looking slightly further ahead of course the much anticipated MARGATE II on the 19th-21st April! (booking forms now out).

Thank you to Croydon meeting for hosting us so well, all the young people for being brilliant and the fantastic volunteer team – Andy, Michael, Katie and Inga