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Guidance for Managing Friends
by Dean Smart Jan. 20, 2023

Jan. 20, 2023

Hello colleagues, as part of our journey to be better and good employers in Bristol AM we are thinking about how we support and develop Managing Friends, (the people at local level who act as day to day managers for employed staff) and were wondering if anyone has policy or other materials they might be willing to share that helps specify, steer, develop or regulate the task of being a good Managing Friend in relation to those who work with and for us? We are aware of Friends' House resources an find them useful. We find currently there is variance and know nationally that some AMs will be further along the journey than us and might be able to help us/others, thank you Dean Smart (Bristol AM Trustees' Employment and Well-being Committee Clerk)

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Fire door magnets
by Klaus Huber Jan. 19, 2023

Jan. 19, 2023

Dear Friends, Like many Meeting Houses, Bradford on Avon has a fire alarm system, and we have several doors that act as fire doors and therefore should be shut. However, it's often convenient to have them open, so we opted for holding them open with the help of door magnets that are connected to the fire alarm. If the fire alarm goes off, the magnets get released and the doors shut. In principle a clever system. However, our fire door magnets have one major design fault: to close them, you need to press a switch button. This is obviously too sophisticated for most people, so the majority of people are closing the doors with brute force. As a result, the door magnets keep breaking. About a year ago, I replaced the third of three door magnet keeper plates (and wrote the article pasted below that went into our Local Meeting newsletter), now the magnet unit itself of the same door has been ripped out. Does anyobody else use fire door magnets? And if so, have you come across anything that is unkaputtbar, as we would say in German (or anything that never gets kaput, as it would be in English)? Many thanks, Klaus Huber Resident Warden, Bradford on Avon PS. For your amusement, here's the article that was published in the January 2022 edition of the Bradford on Avon Quaker Meeeting newsletter. Just days later, I observed a Friend yet again closing the same door with brute force. *The Secret Life and Death of a* *fire alarm door magnet keeper plate* The door magnets are probably the least understood feature in our building. They owe their existence largely to a combination of laziness and forgetfulness. They're an easy and convenient way of propping open a fire door, i.e. one of those internal doors that are supposed to be closed in the event of fire. You don't have to remember where you put the door wedges, you don't have to take a fire extinguisher off its holder to prop open the door, and what's best: you don't have to remember to close the door when you leave the building. So if you happen to read the sign saying "Fire door - keep shut", you can do what most people do with most signs: ignore it. I still vividly remember, when I bought vegetables from the field at Avonleigh for the first time, I walked straight past a gigantic sign saying in enormous letters "Please wait here", and didn't actually notice the sign's very existence until I was ushered back behind it. But I digress. Back to the doors held open by the door magnets. Yes, you can ignore the sign, because if the fire alarm goes off, the electromagnetic thingy will have its electricity cut off, as a result of which there won't be anything magnetic anymore, so the door magnet keeper plate (the humble part that sticks on the door) won't have anything to hold on to anymore, and, hey presto, as if by magic, the door will close. Clever, innit? So far, so good. However, sometimes you do want to close that door. So how do you do it? If you paid attention, you will already picked up on one option: setting off the fire alarm. However, this is not always very practical, and would not be much appreciated by the residents upstairs. So what other ways are there? Brute force seems to be a popular choice among Friends. No wonder that two of three door magnet keeper plates were broken when I arrived as a Warden 9 years ago. The kitchen door magnet keeper plate was the only one still intact. In my naivety, I considered it to be impossible for anyone other than Hercules himself to close the kitchen door with brute force. How wrong I was! Over the years, I observed the accomplishment of this task three times with my own eyes. Each time it was a different Friend in her 70s performing this extraordinary feat of physical prowess. And so it came to pass that, before the year 2021 came to an end, this last surviving door magnet keeper plate had to bite the dust. After too many occasions being torn between a powerful magnet and a more powerful Quakerly arm muscle, it did what everyone would have done in its place: it broke into two. Now there happens to be a third way of closing a door held on a door magnet. If you paid attention, you would have noticed that it's something to do with electricity being switched off to close the door. How do you switch the electricity to the door magnet off (other than by setting off the fire alarm)? - Yes, exactly: with a switch! The doors to the library and the main meeting room have switches in the corridor, roughly at the same height as the door handles. The kitchen door magnet, located on the floor, has a little black push button acting as switch. Just press it down, and you can close the kitchen door non-violently - and keep the (new) poor fire alarm door magnet keeper plate happy. -- Klaus Huber Warden Bradford on Avon Quaker Meeting House 1 Whiteheads Lane, Bradford on Avon BA15 1JU Tel. 01225 865393 bradfordonavonquakers.weebly.com

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Folding upholstered chairs
by Richard Marler Jan. 18, 2023

Jan. 18, 2023

Dear Friends, Littlehampton Meeting’s finance and premises committee has decided to dispose of 12 upright pink upholstered chairs because they are unpractical for a small room that is used for Children’s meeting and small hiring groups. We already have stackable plastic chairs for young children but would like to obtain 6-10 folding upholstered chairs for adults. Please let me know if you have any ideas about chairs you would recommend or indeed have any that are surplus to your requirements. They would need to meet fire safety standards. Many thanks Richard Marler Warden Littlehampton Meeting Sussex West Area 07739 983942

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Data software
by Judi Brill Jan. 17, 2023

Jan. 17, 2023

Dear Friends At Oxford and around our Area (Oxford and Swindon Area Quaker Meeting) we are looking at ways of making communication, sharing information and holding data more secure and easier for us all to use! We already use Hallmaster for bookings at several Meeting Houses. We are looking at a piece of software called Church Suite or Charity Suite. https://churchsuite.com/ <https://churchsuite.com/> Do any of you have experience of this or a similar programme and could give us the benefit of your experience please? Particularly attractive would be systems that enable small groups to talk to each other and the streamlining of online giving. We currently do not have card readers in our local meetings and I feel we are missing out here on donations. Grateful for your help/advice! In Friendship Deb Arrowsmith Meeting House Manager Oxford Quaker Meeting House 43 St Giles Oxford OX13LW Email: office(a)oxfordquakers.org <mailto:office@oxfordquakers.org> 01865 557373

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Re: Houseplants
by Ann Turner Jan. 11, 2023

Jan. 11, 2023

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Re: Houseplants
by William Waddilove Jan. 11, 2023

Jan. 11, 2023

Coventry Meeting is the proud owner of a long lived and bounteous Christmas Cactus. If I had known this thread was starting I would have taken a picture when I was there today (gas servicing) and yesterday (Kitchen water heater). These things seem well suited much of the year they are plain and then they blossom forth. Like Esther's plants, I think they thrive on neglect. The one person who appeared to take an interest put a notice on it saying Keep Off (or something). On an almost related subject a while ago when we were discussing the garden with a garden designer we said one of the features we wanted was 'something pretty to pick for the table in the centre of the room' all the year around. William Waddilove - who does maintenance work at Coventry Meeting house. On Tue, 10 Jan 2023 at 17:13, Quaker House via wardenship < wardenship(a)lists.quaker.eu.org> wrote: > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Quaker House <house.quaker(a)googlemail.com> > To: Wendrie Heywood <wendrie(a)mindfulbusinessservices.com> > Cc: Quaker Wardenship Support <wardenship(a)lists.quaker.eu.org> > Bcc: > Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2023 17:10:45 +0000 > Subject: [wardenship] Re: Houseplants > Hello Wendrie > > New Year's greetings to you too. > > We have house plants in our Meeting House. > > I look after them (when away they look dried out by the time I return). > > I am impressed with myself and the area of negligence as Poinsettias love > you to ignore them and leave them in one place, with little fuss. I have > had one for 3 years now, purchased in TESCO so far from a lovely garden > centre,....and it has survived all these years! > > I bought another from TESCO and it seems happy too.. > > i would always welcome more plants, I buy cut flowers too as it brightens > up the place and many hirers comment on this. > > > Kind regards, > > *Esther White* > *Quaker House Coordinator* > > 01752 600760 > house.quaker(a)googlemail.com > www.quakerhouseplymouth.org.uk > Quaker House, 74 Mutley Plain, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 6LF > > > > On Tue, 10 Jan 2023 at 17:06, Wendrie Heywood < > wendrie(a)mindfulbusinessservices.com> wrote: > >> Hello, >> >> Happy New Year to all! >> >> I've been informed by my calendar that today is Houseplant Appreciation >> Day. No, I'd not realised there was such a thing either... When I mentioned >> this to a gardening friend she said her local garden centre was busy >> celebrating Houseplant Week all week. >> >> Several of the buildings I manage do have plants inside - in one instance >> cared for by the nursery who involved the children in watering and potting >> up spider plants and bulbs to take home. Kingston QMH has a tree inside >> which is looked after by the gardening group. >> >> So my question to you all is does your building have plants inside? >> If so, who looks after them? >> If not - would you like any? >> >> Yours in peace, >> >> Wendrie Heywood >> she/her >> MindfulBusinessServices.com >> Book a meeting with me <https://calendly.com/mindful-business-services> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> wardenship mailing list -- wardenship(a)lists.quaker.eu.org >> To unsubscribe send an email to wardenship-leave(a)lists.quaker.eu.org >> > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Quaker House via wardenship <wardenship(a)lists.quaker.eu.org> > To: Wendrie Heywood <wendrie(a)mindfulbusinessservices.com> > Cc: Quaker Wardenship Support <wardenship(a)lists.quaker.eu.org>, Quaker > House <house.quaker(a)googlemail.com> > Bcc: > Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2023 17:10:45 +0000 > Subject: [wardenship] Re: Houseplants > _______________________________________________ > wardenship mailing list -- wardenship(a)lists.quaker.eu.org > To unsubscribe send an email to wardenship-leave(a)lists.quaker.eu.org >

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Houseplants
by Wendrie Heywood Jan. 10, 2023

Jan. 10, 2023

Hello, Happy New Year to all! I've been informed by my calendar that today is Houseplant Appreciation Day. No, I'd not realised there was such a thing either... When I mentioned this to a gardening friend she said her local garden centre was busy celebrating Houseplant Week all week. Several of the buildings I manage do have plants inside - in one instance cared for by the nursery who involved the children in watering and potting up spider plants and bulbs to take home. Kingston QMH has a tree inside which is looked after by the gardening group. So my question to you all is does your building have plants inside? If so, who looks after them? If not - would you like any? Yours in peace, Wendrie Heywood she/her MindfulBusinessServices.com Book a meeting with me <https://calendly.com/mindful-business-services>

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Festive wardens talking - Wed 21 December at 2.30pm
by Oliver Waterhouse Dec. 20, 2022

Dec. 20, 2022

Oliver Waterhouse Quaker Life Hello everyone, A reminder that there will be a festive Wardens' Talking tomorrow, Wednesday, 12 December at 2.30pm celebrating the end of the year and, for those who wish, Christmas and/or other religious festivals. There is not an agenda, but we will of course be very willing to talk about anything that anyone wishes to bring. To aid our conversations here are some things that you might want to think about before we meet. * A highlight of 2022 (personal or work-related) * Something that you feel you or your Quaker community has achieved * Someone that you would like to thank for their help or support * Something that you would like to change in 2023 * A story, joke or anecdote Come prepared with a favourite drink and something to nibble on and join using the details below: * Join Zoom Meeting, https://quaker.zoom.us/j/626289766 * Meeting ID: 626 289 766 * Password: WTonline I look forward to seeing you if you can join. In friendship, Oliver Oliver Waterhouse (he/him) Quaker Life Team Leader, Local and Area Governance Quakers in Britain 020 7663 1007 (Direct) oliverw(a)quaker.org.uk<mailto:oliverw@quaker.org.uk> | www.quaker.org.uk<http://www.quaker.org.uk/> Follow Quakers in Britain on Twitter<http://twitter.com/BritishQuakers>, Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/BritishQuakers>, YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/quakersinbritain>, and Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/britishquakers/>. CLERKS OF TRUSTEES: Please send TARA documents to supportmeetings(a)quaker.org.uk<mailto:supportmeetings@quaker.org.uk> All Quakers in Britain staff can be contacted using their usual email addresses or phone numbers. They may be working from home, in Friends House (London), in the Yorkshire Centre (Leeds) or at a base local to them. The Quaker Centre Bookshop and Café<https://www.friendshouse.co.uk/quaker-centre/> (Friends House, London) are open to the public. If you would like to support our work, you can give online at www.quaker.org.uk/donate. Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Registered charity number 1127633 | Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ ________________________________ Quakers say: Religion is about the whole of life.

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Membership Software
by Judi Brill Dec. 14, 2022

Dec. 14, 2022

I am looking to update our membership database here at Friargate. It's the list of contact details for our Book of Members and Attenders. The system currently used has crashed. Before I create a new spreadsheet, is there a system/package/App anyone here would recommend? In Friendship Eleanor Rhodes Assistant Manager Friargate Quaker Meeting House

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Test message
by Judi Brill Dec. 6, 2022

Dec. 6, 2022

Dear Wardenship Friends Earlier this afternoon I was checking the Wardenship Egroup settings which have recently changed as it has been moved to a new server. Please ignore the message with ‘Posterius Test’ as the subject heading. It means nothing but served the purpose intended. Apologies if this caused any concern. In friendship Judi Judi Brill Wardenship Egroup Administrator Meeting House Flat 300 Gloucester Road Horfield Bristol BS7 8PDs ///palace.wounds.fill Tel: 0117 942 9142 Mob: 07967 558615 judibrill(a)gmail.com

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