Henley

Henley Quakers’ garden was open on the afternoon of Sunday 3 February so that our neighbours, friends, and passers-by could enjoy our spectacular display of snowdrops. This event has become an annual favourite at Henley Friends Meeting House, and this year, according to professional gardeners, has been the best for snowdrops for twenty years. Our…

Our mince pie celebration, following years of tradition, was held after meeting for worship on Sunday 16 December, when greetings and mince pies were shared.

Mark and Ruth Tod of Henley Quaker Meeting spoke on 27 November at Dunsden Village Hall about the Society of Friends and pacifism in the First World War.  The Wilfred Owen in Dunsden association, which organised the event as part of a commemorative series, has reported about their talk: ‘During the First World War, Quakers made up…

  Some thirty people came to Henley Quaker Meeting House on the evening of 13 November to watch ‘Beyond forgiving’, a documentary film of tragedy and hope, in which two South Africans bring healing to their country. A black atheist man and a white Christian woman make an unlikely pair – one has suffered from…

At our market stall in Henley, we gave away white poppies. Sunday 14 October is well before Remembrance Sunday, to make clear that white poppies complement red ones – they don’t compete with them. White poppies are worn in memory of all those who have suffered and are suffering from war. First worn in 1933…

On the afternoon of Sunday 20 May Henley Quakers welcomed about sixty visitors to their Peaceful Garden, as part of Chelsea Fringe Week.  Most people strolled down the garden to inspect the vegetable patch, and wandered through the swathes of cow parsley in the hidden burial ground. We basked in sun and shade, enjoying tea…

A steady stream of visitors were enchanted by the snowdrops in the large garden of our meeting house on the afternoon of Sunday 4 February. We had issued a seasonal invitation to all. Many people were local residents who hadn’t seen our garden before. There was enjoyment too in home-made cakes, hot drinks and warm…

At two public events this autumn, Henley Quakers have promoted ideas of positive peacebuilding. On 25 October Diana Francis spoke on Responding to conflict: building bridges at the Friends’ meeting house, and on 5 November we gave away white poppies from a market stall. In her talk Diana Francis shared examples from her experience of…