BYMT 5 - 6 September 2026

What is the committee responsible for?

Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees are responsible for the national organisation of Quakers in Britain, including the stewardship of its properties, finances and staff. They are also responsible for legal compliance. They prepare an annual report on the activities and finances of Quakers in Britain which is laid before the Yearly meeting, and submitted to the charity regulator and published on its website.

What did Trustees do at this meeting?

Financial matters included the appointment of Royal London Asset Management as QIB's investment managers and the receipt of management accounts. Trustees were joined by Auditors Sayer Vincent and approved the Trustees Annual Report and Accounts for 2025.

They were updated on progress of the work carried out by Quakers in Britain through the new format Operational Plan mid-year report which was well received.

There was an update on the new Programmes & Prioritisation Committee which aims to gain an overview of the work that is happening across the charitable purposes, with a particular focus on making sure that work is impactful and resources are prioritised appropriately.

A new three-year Governance Strategy was approved focusing on demonstrating compliance, effectiveness in committees and governance processes and the new draft Book of Discipline.

Risk was considered throughout, for example on IT infrastructure, but particular consideration was given to the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine & Israel and Engagement and Participation risks.

New policies were approved covering Risk Management and Safeguarding.

This longer meeting also gave Trustees the opportunity for shared learning on top of their regular business. This took the form of an Equity & Justice workshop exploring different experiences of Quaker culture and attitudes to leadership as well as a board effectiveness session.

How can I find out more?

You can visit the Trustee page of the website, where minutes of meetings are published, and look out for Clerks of Trustees' regular reports to Yearly Meeting.