Quaker Disability Equality Group, a BYM Quaker Recognised Body
Annual Report 2017/2018
This year marks QDEG’s 10th anniversary! We celebrate our achievements and look forward to discerning where our work will take us in the future.
QDEG committee
Liz Anderton, Gill Coffin, Sam Barnett-Cormack, Pam Brunt, Jackie Fowler, Alan Johnson, Bob Pickup and Shelagh Robinsonhave served on our committee since our last AGM.
Unfortunately, Fleur Boyle was not able to serve on the committee because of ill health.
Michael Booth continues to attend our meetings as our link with BYM.
Keeping in touch with QDEG members
Our e-mail network has become a little more active this year.
Promoting QDEG and its work
More people have visited our FaceBook page this year:
We have reprinted our leaflet, which is being distributed during Yearly Meeting. If you are there, please take copies for meeting near you
We welcome contributions for our website:
Mental Health
We are pleased that Bob Pickup has been appointed to serve on the Quaker Life Mental Health Core Cluster Group. It is good to know that a QDEG member is part of their discernment and Bob is also able to be a useful direct link between the two groups.
We have arranged a meeting with Alison Mitchell, Mental Health Development Officer working with Quakers in Britain.
Woodbrooke
We have given feedback to Woodbrooke regarding the accessibility and content of their new on-line course for eldersand overseers. We anticipate that some changes will be made in response to our feedback.
We have been invited to send two or three members of QDEG to visit Woodbrooke’s grounds and give suggestions to improve accessibility. Two local Friends will be doing this on our behalf.
We were pleased to be able to contribute to Woodbrooke associate tutors’ weekend in December 2017. Shelagh Robinson gave an inspiringtalk as part of the session on dementia awarenessbut we were disappointed that our workshop sessions were not well attended. Those who did attended were able to have constructive discussions with Simon Best, Woodbrooke’s Head of Learning.
There are plans for Sam Barnett-Cormack represent QDEG and speak on matters of inclusionat the gathering of Woodbrookenominations tutors in October 2018.
BYM Examining our Diversity
2017 Yearly Meeting Minute 38 Examining our Diversity led to Meeting for Sufferings calling for responses. QDEG submitted a response in November 2017, which was shared on our e-mail network. We understand that Meeting for Sufferings is unlikely to have significant agenda time to consider the responses until autumn 2018.
2017 Financial Report
This is attached.
On-going and Future Work
Work is underway to produce publications highlighting individual experiences of being active Friends who happen to have impairments. This would be similar to the booklet “Experiences of Mental Health”. Contributions of personal stories are welcome.
Our future work will be informed by the discussion following the 2018 AGM.We look forward to hearing from QDEG members about their vision for the future of the group.
Liz Anderton and Jackie Fowler, Co-Clerks QDEG
April 2018