Quakers are campaigning on the closure of Detention Centres. See from a year ago should Bath become a Sanctuary Meeting? Now Bath Quakers have a Meeting for Information on the subject: Thursday July 5 at 1930.

Diana Page explains the background:

Meeting for Sufferings – the visionary, prophetic body acting for British Quakers – has asked all local meetings to consider whether or not they wish to become Sanctuary Meetings for Refugees. The specific aim is to have Detention Centres shut down. This meeting will set out the ways in which we might respond so that we may make an informed decision at September’s Meeting for Business. Please try to come; 122 local meetings have already decided to become Sanctuary Meetings and, regardless of our final decision, it is important that as many of us as possible are involved in the process.

There’s a shared simple supper available at 1830.

By “Sanctuary Meeting” British Quakers mean a Meeting that is committed to:

1. Joining local initiatives to build a culture of welcome

2. Building alliances with groups opposing racism

3. Working with others to change the laws on destitution, detention, deportations and removals.

British Quakers’ position is set out in the Sanctuary Everywhere Manifesto, explained here in the short talk below by the recently appointed project manager Tatiana Garavito.

Project manager Tatiana Garavito explains the Sanctuary Everywhere policy at a recent Churches Together conference. 

Quakers believe that migration policy should be based on human rights and the asylum process based on compassion. Quakers oppose indefinite detention. Friends are campaigning for the closure of all detention centres, and seeking  new more peaceful routes for migration.

For more on UK Detention Centres see this briefing by Avid.