Talks about Quakers
Quakers in Kingston and Richmond, South West London, have announced a series of events to raise the organisation's profile and raise awareness of Quakerism.
Quakers in South West London are hosting a discussion on people seeking refuge in the UK.
To be held at Kingston Quaker Centre on June 22 the event will examine the Quaker movement’s history of supporting refugees and highlight the voices of those seeking refuge, in the latest of a series of events focusing on Quaker activities and beliefs.
Titled “Refugees: Quaker perspectives and experiences” the event will hear from:
• Gillian Ashmore, who has been a Quaker for over 30 years, and has also been chair of Refugee Action Kingston. Gillian has hosted asylum seekers at home since 2007 and will talk of her experience, and also speak about Quakers’ historical involvement with refugees.
• An academic who is a former civil rights activist and educator, and founder of a non profit organisation in one of the most oppressive countries in the world. He claimed asylum in UK in 2021 and is still waiting for a decision.
• Val Coumont, a Quaker and psychotherapist who volunteers with the Refugee Tales project, which records the stories told to well-known writers by asylum seekers detained near Gatwick Airport.
A spokesperson for SW London Quakers commented:
“Quakers have a long history of supporting refugees, from those fleeing slavery during the American Civil War, to Jewish children rescued in the Kindertransport of 1938-39, and to the millions of displaced people stranded after World War II.
“Our guiding principles, then and now, are to try to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers are treated with justice and compassion."
The event will be held from 7pm to 8.30pm on June 22 at Kingston Quaker Centre (doors open at 6.30pm).
It is open to the public, and is the latest in a series which Quakers in South West London are holding to raise awareness of their activities.
