Convention
Following on from Neil Johnson’s letter (‘Entry requirement’, 28 November), there is also a convention that one does not read books or journals in Meeting, apart from briefly looking up something in Advices & queries or Quaker faith & practice. The Friend or the Friends Quarterly can be read at other times.
Name and address supplied
New workcamps
In my wife’s copy of the Friend of 7 November, I was interested to read Tessa Brown’s article (‘Lines of work’) on what you can do when you can no longer take part in a workcamp. I wondered if the ‘old workcampers’ to which Tessa refers are aware that international workcamps are available in the UK and abroad, mostly for adult volunteers of all ages.
These workcamps are organised through Service Civil International (SCI), which was founded in 1920 by a Swiss Quaker. I am an active member of International Voluntary Service (IVS), the British branch of SCI, founded in 1931, and IVS offers workcamps through the SCI website. IVS is also collaborating with Volunteer Action for Peace (VAP UK), which also has its roots in the aftermath of world war one. SCI, IVS and VAP are fundamentally peace organisations, and their aim is to promote peace and international understanding by bringing together people of different backgrounds and nationalities to work together on a project. Projects vary from short-term (usually two to four weeks) and long-term (from one month to a year). ‘Old workcampers’ would be very welcome, and could bring to a workcamp their valuable experience and sense of community.
SCI, IVS and VAP each have their own website where workcamps can be found and applied for. Their websites can be found by searching for ‘IVSGB’, ‘Service Civil International’ or ‘Volunteer Action for Peace’.
Paul Barrow
