Mercurial > hg > rsof
diff 7vt/report.xml @ 47:800752d6ac39
open meeting appendices, revised 3.3 from Phil
| author | ht |
|---|---|
| date | Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:23:19 -0400 |
| parents | d04057b8d0dc |
| children | a713940dc0d8 |
line wrap: on
line diff
--- a/7vt/report.xml Fri Jun 05 18:30:06 2009 -0400 +++ b/7vt/report.xml Fri Jun 05 19:23:19 2009 -0400 @@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ </item> <item> <p> -Little has been done to the double <name>Crèche</name> room on the first floor, except for redecoration. This is awkward of access, through a narrow corridor which leads off the kitchen and can only otherwise be accessed from the tenement common stair. There is a lavatory off the corridor between the kitchen and this room. +Little has been done to the double <name>Crèche</name> room on the first floor, except for redecoration. This is awkward of access, through a narrow corridor which leads off the kitchen and can only otherwise be accessed from the tenement common stair. There is a lavatory off the corridor between the kitchen and this room. </p> </item> <item> @@ -279,23 +279,25 @@ </list> <p> To service this building it was decided to appoint wardening staff who would be -in sympathy with these aims and who would develop the use of the building along these lines. The first warden appointed was Lise Bech, who moved in with her partner, Ian Ramsay. +in sympathy with these aims and who would develop the use of the building along +these lines. The first wardens appointed were Lise Bech and her partner, Ian Ramsey. </p> <div> <title>Early developments in Meeting House use</title> -<p>Quaker use of the building developed well in the early years, as did community use. A group, which included Lise, saw from the beginning the opportunity offered by the August Festival Fringe to develop the use and profile of the building. Lise was an able vegetarian/vegan cook. She and others had `green' concerns and it was decided to run the Library as the `Rainforest Cafe' for two weeks during the Fringe, raising money for rainforest charities. The Hall and Meeting Room were offered for exhibition and concert use concurrent with this. +<p>Quaker use of the building developed well in the early years while Ian and +Lise were wardens, as did community use. A group, which included Lise and Ian, saw from the beginning the opportunity offered by the August Festival Fringe to develop the use and profile of the building. Lise was an able vegetarian/vegan cook. She and Ian had ‘green’ concerns and it was decided to run the Library as the ‘Rainforest Cafe’ for two weeks during the Fringe, raising money for rainforest charities. The Hall and Meeting Room were offered for exhibition and concert use concurrent with this. </p> -<p>There were some tensions between the wardens and the Meeting in these early -years. Mark and Anna Twinam-Cauchi, a young couple who were still students, were appointed to work with Lise. They moved into the top flat and Lise into the smaller third floor flat, but this team did not work well together and eventually Lise moved out, to be replaced temporarily by a young Australian woman, Sam Graham. A support group of Friends, which included Archie Campbell and Jennie Nielson was now in place, which had the specific purpose of ensuring a Quaker profile for the building. By 1994, they were running a rota to staff the building on Wednesdays to greet visitors, advise any who had problems and explain Quakerism. For a few months, after Mark and Anna left, the building was staffed by these Friends with the aid of Sam and three or four other students (including Andy May). +<p>After Ian and then Lise left, Mark and Anna Twinam-Cauchi, a student couple, were wardens for a short while. When they left, a rota of volunteer keyholders was set up to open up, service organisations renting rooms and welcome callers. A support group of Friends, which included Archie Campbell and Jennie Nielson was put in place, with the specific purpose of ensuring a Quaker profile for the building. By 1994, they were running a rota to staff the building on Wednesdays to greet visitors, advise any who had problems and explain Quakerism. </p> -<p>The warden's post was advertised before Mark and Anna left and Pat and Phil Lucas were appointed, Phil taking post in late October 1994 and Pat joining him in January 1995, the two sharing one full-time post. Pat and Phil were asked to continue the development of community use, with a specific objective of attempting to achieve a balance between costs and income, and with the work of raising the Quaker profile of the building in the community. They were invited to join the Festival Committee, clerked at that time by Bronwyn Harwood, which was already engaged in exploring the development of the Festival Fringe involvement. -</p> +<p>Phil and Pat Lucas were appointed as wardens in late 1994, sharing a +full-time post. They were asked to continue the development of community use, +with a specific objective of attempting to achieve a balance between costs and income, and with the work of raising the Quaker profile of the building in the community. They were invited to join the Festival Committee, clerked at that time by Bronwyn Harwood, which was already engaged in exploring the development of the Festival Fringe involvement (see below).</p> </div> <div> <title>Use of the Meeting House and income from lettings develop</title> <p>Income from lettings in 1994 was about £14,000. Given stable management and the resulting improved standards of service offered to users, this grew quite rapidly with increasing use of the building. As lettings increased, there were some small tensions regarding Quaker use during the week. Quaker committees had been accustomed to turning up, sometimes without booking, and finding there was a room available. They now found they had to book and then had to book longer and longer in advance to ensure a room was free. An attempt was made to solve this problem by setting the Library apart one evening each week for Quaker use, but this (unsurprisingly) failed—the evening so reserved seldom suited the committee that wanted it—so committees and groups which were unable to plan sufficiently in advance became accustomed to meeting in homes. </p> -<p>A two tier letting charge system has been developed over the years, with a lower charge for charitable and grass-roots groups and higher charges for local and national government and commercial groups and classes. There has been some measure of negotiation on charges, at the discretion of the wardens/managers, with, for example, new grass-roots groups being given use below the charitable rate until they became established. An eye has been kept on rates charged by comparable buildings in the neighbourhood and there has been co-operation on this, especially with Augustine United and St Columba's-by-the-Castle. The busyness of the building increased steadily until, for several years, it was about as full as it reasonably could be, from +<p>A two tier letting charge system has been developed over the years, with a lower charge for charitable and grass-roots groups and higher charges for local and national government and commercial groups and classes. There has been some measure of negotiation on charges at the discretion of the wardens/managers, with, for example, new grass-roots groups being given use below the charitable rate until they became established. An eye has been kept on rates charged by comparable buildings in the neighbourhood and there has been co-operation on this, especially with Augustine United and St Columba's-by-the-Castle. The busyness of the building increased steadily until, for several years, it was about as full as it reasonably could be, from 9 am until 10 pm @@ -344,8 +346,10 @@ </div> <div> <title>Venue 40—the Festival Fringe</title> - -<p>The Festival Committee introduced a tiered seating rake to the hall, turning it into a 65 seat black-box theatre, for the first time in August 1995. Use of the theatre that year was dominated by one theatre group, which was reluctant to share facilities with others. Setting up the theatre in this way involved considerable hire costs, so the Committee decided for 1996 to take firmer control and, to recoup hire costs, to run for three weeks. Use of the space developed over subsequent years until there were up to six shows per day, six days each week, with the café now open also for three weeks. The increased staffing this required was provided almost entirely from volunteers, many of them Quakers from other parts of +<p>The Festival Fringe involvement started in the very early days and owed much to the enthusiasm and skill of Lise Bech (in the kitchen/cafe) and Ian Ramsey (developing the use of performance and exhibition space). When they left, a Festival Committee clerked by Andrew Farrar and Bronwyn Harwood took up the development (amid some difficulties as they did not have the support of the new wardens) and the cooking skills of members of the local Meeting were co-opted. It was at this time that voluntary staff from without the area were first brought in.</p> +<p>The Festival Committee introduced a tiered seating rake to the hall, turning +it into a 65 seat black-box theatre, for the first time in August 1995. Use of +the theatre that year was dominated by one theatre group, which was reluctant to share facilities with others. Setting up the theatre in this way involved considerable hire costs, so the Committee decided for 1996 to take firmer control and, in order to recoup hire costs, to run for three weeks. Use of the space developed over subsequent years until there were up to six shows per day, six days each week, with the café now open also for three weeks. The increased staffing this required was provided almost entirely from volunteers, many of them Quakers from other parts of Britain or the world, who are accommodated in Friends' homes. Exhibitions continued to be organised in the Meeting Room, but the Local Meeting became uncomfortable with the annual transformation of this room. Continuation of the Fringe involvement was endorsed but use of the Meeting Room for exhibitions ceased. The Festival Committee works through the year, but a considerable proportion of the organisational work falls on the Meeting House managers. </p> @@ -776,10 +780,10 @@ have to be undertaken. Health and safety requirements have stipulated improvements to the kitchen likely to cost in the region of £30,000 if cooking is to be undertaken and offered for sale, for -example in conjunction with the <emph>Rainforest Café</emph> at +example in conjunction with the <emph>Rainforest Café</emph> at the time of the Festival Fringe. Extending and improving the toilets is estimated would come to about £50,000 and opening the -crèche to the library about another £5,000. No figures are +crèche to the library about another £5,000. No figures are available [<emph color="red">as far as I can remember</emph>] for the re-hanging and further insulation of the windows to the south west of the building or for improving the heating. </p> @@ -836,7 +840,7 @@ <item> Reduce activities to Quaker activities only—this would reduce opening hours and lettings and increase costs per capita.</item> <item> -The Rain Forest Café—the café could go and/or drinks and snacks alone could be provided for visitors. +The Rain Forest Café—the café could go and/or drinks and snacks alone could be provided for visitors. </item> <item> The Meeting House as a Festival Venue—events/opening hours could be reduced and income would be reduced. @@ -992,12 +996,150 @@ <p>Material we've gathered (what do we keep back?)</p> <div id="remit"> <title>Appendix A: Remit from Area Meeting</title> + <p>[include doc here]</p> </div> <div id="quests"> <title>Appendix B: Questionnaires for different user groups</title> </div> <div id="open"> <title>Appendix C: Summary of contributions from open meetings</title> + <div> + <title>Notes of first Open Meeting, Sunday, 26 April 2008 at 7 Victoria Terrace</title> +<p><emph>What is your vision for the Quaker presence and witness in +Central Edinburgh +for the <emph>next</emph> 20 years?</emph></p> +<p> +Henry Thompson opened the meeting by sketching in the background to and describing the shape of the meeting, which would have a worship-sharing format, with Friends encouraged to respond individually to the above question, which was posted up in the room + Phil Lucas took notes of contributions, without attribution. These are notes, not a verbatim record, and will reflect how Phil heard the contributions. Between 35 and 40 people attended (a very few leaving before the end) and 24 made spoken contributions). +</p> +<list type="enum"> +<item>Visibility is key—the Meeting as part of the community—inclusive of both those within and outside Quakers. +</item> +<item>A home not only for the Quaker community but also for those with whose principles and activities Quakers are in harmony. +</item> +<item>Our building’s shop windows make us unusually visible—they encourage people to come in and make it clear what you are getting into. This and our openness to the community are unusual for a religious building and have helped change the attitude of others to Friends. We need to value and develop this. +</item> +<item>Building could be more of a focus for Quakers in +Scotland, perhaps having an office from which Quakers can speak to the Scottish Parliament. +</item> +<item>An expression of our responsibility and values—care for the environment, peace etc—a focus for us speaking out from a spiritual base. We have responsibility to use our facilities for the community. +</item> +<item> +<list type="ndivs"> +<item> +In the course of the next year or so there will be a Tory government in +Westminster, which will probably push +Scotland +towards independence. This will present a great opportunity for Scottish Quakers to dialogue with Scottish law-makers (freed from the influence of English bishops). +</item> +<item> +It’s difficult for some groups which share our values to find meeting space here. Can we look at ways of using our space more flexibly to increase availability. +</item> +</list> +</item> +<item>Could Friends not be encouraged to give more or ways be found to raise more money to ensure we can keep 7VT open? +</item> +<item>Early Friends often worshipped out of doors or in each other’s homes. Our meeting for worship is the most precious things we have to share with others. I would worry if the Meeting had to move out of central +Edinburgh +but would not be happy if we had to increase commercial use of the building to keep it open. +</item> +<item>I am a member of another organisation given a building which it can no longer afford to run. This has brought the organisation close to collapse. Our expenditure on the building must not be allowed to outrun our income. +</item> +<item>I’m grateful that the question we are addressing today does not mention the building. I hope we can think away from the building. Remember that George Fox referred pejoratively to churches as ‘steeple houses’. +</item> +<item>Responsibility for a property takes time and energy as well as money. Not having this responsibility frees up this time and energy. Ownership of a building is OK only if this is kept in balance. Losing the balance will have a negative impact on the core purpose of the community. +</item> +<item>Remember this building’s enormous capacity for outreach, especially during the Fringe but also throughout the year. This is not reason enough for keeping it, but it is must not be forgotten. +</item> +<item><list type="ndivs"> +<item> +This Meeting spent 50 years in +Stafford Street, 25 of which were spent deciding to move out, a period during which South Edinburgh Meeting was spawned. +</item> +<item> +Use of rooms by community groups is very patchy—Wednesdays are booked long ahead, Fridays are very quiet. +</item> +</list> +</item> +<item>A Meeting is not the meeting house, it’s the people. I have been to other Meetings too, but I joined Friends because of the people. +</item> +<item>Temporary closure of terrace has made access very difficult for some. I hope account is taken of this in judging pattern of use. This meeting house is a precious home and a beautiful place—would deplore it if we moved from city centre to a tucked-away corner somewhere. Decision taken while at +Stafford St +to move to a building which would be well used by the community—this is a real pleasure. +</item> +<item>Struggle with ‘the vision thing’. But my vision is that I want to keep coming to ‘church’—it’s fundamental to my life. We have reconstructed the work of the ‘hireling priest’ in our own distinctive way and the ‘steeple house’ by a functional building that meets our needs. No need to be apologetic about being like other churches in this regard. It tells people that we are here—part of this city’s spiritual space. My vision therefore is of a place as well as a spiritual community. +</item> +<item>Meeting doesn’t need to be tied to a building. Quality of Dunblane Meeting didn’t change as it moved from place to place. +</item> +<item>Maybe here in +Edinburgh +our work does involve using this building—providing a meeting place for other groups may be part of our witness (as long as we can). +</item> +<item>Strong Quaker community in +Edinburgh +at the core. One of our strengths in +Edinburgh +is that we have a variety of Quaker meetings and some fluidity between them. Healthy that +Central Edinburgh +is available for droppers in (and out). Would be sad if all Meetings were dispersed and small—would make building an inclusive community to bring on the new generation difficult. +</item> +<item>(After invitation to hear from South Ed Friends, who use a space not their own): +Good to have a place where displays can stay up all the time—we miss this. +</item> +<item>Emphasis on wider vision important. Strong base to enable Friends to cope with all the rapid changes in society and to promote ‘good lives’ within and around the community. Rental decline may not last (cf what has happened at Friends House). +</item> +<item>Could worship happily in a very small Meeting but this building has built up a powerful significance for people all over +Scotland, +Britain +and even the world. This space is very precious and we have a responsibility for it. +</item> +<item>I belong to a small Meeting in a rented building—difficult to make one’s presence known. The presence of the Meeting House—there for all of us in +SE Scotland—helps to take us out of our insularity and remind us we belong to a wider Quaker community. Very important for raising our profile and it is a home to come to. +</item> +<item>This Meeting and the meeting house have enriched my life spiritually and helped me strengthen my witness in the world. Vision is to keep strengthening the spiritual life of the community and from here to continue to take it out in witness. This needs to be even more focussed than it is. +</item> +</list> + </div> + <div> + <title>Notes of second Open Meeting, Monday, 1 May 2008 at 7 Victoria Terrace</title> +<p><emph>What is your vision for the Quaker presence and witness in +Central Edinburgh +for the <emph>next</emph> 20 years?</emph></p> +<p>The meeting in worship-sharing mode followed the same structure as on the first occasion. There were a total of 23 Friends present of whom six were members of the Working Group. Henry Thompson opened and closed the meeting and Laurie Naumann took these notes.</p> +<list type="enum"> +<item>Hopes that in 20 years’ time the meeting house will still be in the ownership of the Area Meeting. The property is a wonderful asset and would be a great shame to lose due to the economics although not aware about how much money involved.</item> +<item>Disliking ‘missionary activity’ joined SoF in 1950 and feels that our witness is needed now as much as ever. The VT facilities are good, central and excellent for outreach work; had originally thought the building was not the best.</item> +<item>It is essential to have a building accessible and welcoming to all the generations irrespective of mobility requirements. Feels that there is potential space for a crèche, teens and young people activities including residential use. Vision that the charges levied should cover costs—this might be helped with greater use of it by community groups.</item> +<item>Even when not in use the meeting room has the ‘silence of meeting for worship’ which is greatly appreciated by a staff member when taking a break. A fondness for the building was described which was like a vessel or container—a focus, a real hub for all who use it. New creativity and life needs to be brought to the vessel.</item> +<item>‘The world is hungry for Friends’—that was said in 1988 when moving to 7VT and is still true today, perhaps even more now. Someone had described 7VT as ‘an odd building for odd people’, but it does not need <emph>only</emph> to be that. Greater use should be made of the building including for outreach work; all options should be considered.</item> +<item>There was an important degree of faith involved in purchasing and moving to 7VT. We should not have similar faith about continuing in the premises.</item> +<item>Perhaps with a growth in members in Edinburgh there is a need to have further resources—new meetings could be started. And there’s a definite need for the continuing use of 7VT—it is a wonderful resource for local, area, Scotland and GB wide events. At the start ‘the building worked for us’ perhaps is it not time that ‘we have to work for the building’. It would be great to have larger premises with a garden, but we should persevere with 7VT and exploit the meeting house even more—it’s big enough, a pleasant space and open to all.</item> +<item>Harvey Gillman described outreach as ‘spiritual hospitality’ and it is that that the meeting house provides and is ideal at doing it. The vision should be that 7VT continues to provide spiritual hospitality to all who care to use the premises. The lack of iconography makes the building, as with other meeting houses, open and appreciated as a place of spiritual hospitality by strangers.</item> +<item>It is somewhat arresting and intriguing to think about the next 20 years and the possibilities for Quakers. The world is likely to be a profoundly different place. It is important that the central base remains irrespective of the building; it’s a vital resource for anyone who might be drawn to Edinburgh. </item> +<item>Reinforced the positive expressions about the 7VT building and would be interested to know whether outside users have also felt it to be a special place. Not sure about the contribution to the next 20 years, but convinced about our positive contribution to the arts in the city. In spiritual terms 20 years is a short period. Excellent to be bang in the centre of Edinburgh.</item> +<item>There is a potential conflict between being the kind of place +which can bring in people from the ‘byways and hedgerows’ and +maintaining the clarity of the original witness—this is both an +opportunity and a challenge. [this contribution only partly captured] +</item> +<item>There’s a difficulty in getting to know everyone in large meeting. More needs to be done to help Friends keep in touch. 7VT should be maintained, but consideration might also be given to taking the hospitality to people’s own homes.</item> +<item>My first attendance at MfW took place after a non-Quaker event in 7VT, a good property for outside organisations. Having had that initial experience felt more confident about attending MfW. Central Edinburgh meeting is special because of the variety of people that it brings in and newcomers soon realise that there is a lot going on. The variety of publicity material that is readily available is an asset in a larger meeting. Perhaps members and attenders could do more to fundraise for the lively meeting. It would be a great pity to lose the city centre location.</item> +<item>‘Looking at the future is fraught with difficulty’. Very thankful that 20 years’ ago Friends took the decision to purchase 7VT. People like the building—it gives us presence.</item> +<item>Too much time is spent going up and down stairs. This is particularly frustrating for lone working staff who are not permitted to use the lift. The stairs can be daunting and intimidating especially for newcomers. Surely there must be other suitable properties in central Edinburgh that would save, not only having to walk to the top of a hill, but also having to climb to the top of the building to be closer to God.</item> +<item>We’re in a ‘chicken and egg’ position regarding selling the building, as it would be necessary to sell before purchasing again and at present it is not the time to consider selling.</item> +<item>It is difficult to imagine not being in the building for a +number of years in the future. Quaker witness could be improved and +will be costly—the growth in maintenance problems, improvements to +the toilets are all necessary—perhaps insufficient was spent in the +first ten years of ownership and consequently more needed now. [this +contribution imperfectly heard so may be inaccurately reported]</item> +<item>We need to think about the Quaker presence in the world including the distinctive inclusiveness of silent worship. The multi-faith world needs to be able to come together; the vision is a place where people from all different backgrounds/faiths can meet together. There is a role for building up communications and offering the local community a space where things can be explored openly—a unique opportunity.</item> +<item>How is the Quaker community perceived in Edinburgh and beyond? How can we extend the bringing together of faiths?</item> +<item>The organiser of the recent Middle East Festival would like to have booked 7VT for the whole of its duration. It was considered to be the right place for that kind of event.</item> +<item>There’s a possible tension between the needs of Central Edinburgh Friends, wider outreach and letting out rooms. In thinking ahead, account will have to be taken of the sometimes conflicting demands for a funeral or wedding and advance cash earning bookings from outside non-Quaker organisations.</item> +<item>It is not just the adults who are concerned about the future of the property. When one of the Friend’s children heard about the possibilty a move from 7VT there was an expression of ‘disbelief and sadness’.</item> +</list> + </div> </div> <div id="friends_use"> <title>Appendix D: Friends' use of 7 Victoria Terrace in 2008</title>