QUAKER UNIVERSALIST GROUP NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2025
Dear QUG supporter
QUG Annual Conference
Friday 17th April to Sunday 19th April 2026
Launde Abbey, Launde Road, Launde, Leicestershire, LE7 9XB,
and online
SOUND AND SPIRIT – How music and sound connect us to the soul of the universe.
This year we have decided to go to Launde Abbey, set in the beautiful Leicestershire countryside. Launde Abbey is a peaceful historic building surrounded by gardens and parkland. We are pleased to illustrate this with The Walled Garden, a Launde Abbey painting by Helen Otter, who spoke at our 2023 QUG Conference (see attachment).
Our speakers will share recordings of how sound and music are used in places of worship of different religions, and explore the effect of music in our lives, including listening and playing/singing. We will invite participants to reflect on their own responses to pieces of music.
We are delighted to announce that you can now apply to attend this conference. An application form is at the end of and attached to this newsletter or you can go online at https://qug.org.uk/conference-2026-sound-and-spirit/ and open one of the attachments (in Word or PDF). Please fill in the form completely (though some questions are not relevant to those participating by Zoom).
Please either send the form by email (e.g. as an attachment) to contact@qug.org.uk or by post to QUG Conference, 2 Willow Rise, Haddenham, Aylesbury, HP17 8JR.
You have probably noticed that the cost of attending conferences has increased much this year. We will have to increase our charges slightly compared with 2025, but we hope our conference is still good value for participants. We are again offering a discount for two people sharing a room and we have kept the Zoom costs relatively low.
Some people have come to our conferences with their fees paid, in part or in full, by their area or local meetings. Do ask your Quaker meetings for help if necessary. It is useful to us too if you report back to your meetings: this makes QUG better known to Quakers in general.
As last year, we will accept bookings with a deposit of £60 per person. But please note that this is non-returnable and that the full amount must be paid 8 weeks before the conference starts, i.e. full payment by Friday 20th February 2026.
Anyone can come to our conference. You do not have to be a Quaker or a member of QUG to attend.
We hope many people will want to come in person to this conference, but we only have a limited number of rooms, some single and some twin/double: so to guarantee your place please apply early.
We also hope to have a good attendance by Zoom: here we ask for £40.00 payment (non-returnable) to secure your place.
We have two main speakers:
Christine Richards. Christine, a member of Forest Hill Quaker Meeting, was Head of Music at Inner London secondary schools for 20 years; then, for 10 years, held the posts of Music Advisor and head of the junior section of the Centre for Young Musicians in London. After the demise of the ILEA, she continued as a free-lance music advisor and lecturer, publishing books for primary and secondary teachers. This included ‘Religions of the World – voices and instruments in prayer and praise’. She has researched music from many world cultures, which has helped her to broaden schools’ music curricula. Working country-wide she ran courses on all aspects of music education. Christine will be talking to us about the part played by music in different religions. We will listen to recorded music and compare, for example, calls to prayer. There will be some audience participation too!
Jennifer Kavanagh. Jennifer is a member of Westminster Meeting, a trained singer and an Associate Tutor for Woodbrooke. After nearly thirty years in publishing she gave up her career as a literary agent to work in the community. Since becoming a Quaker in 1995 she has run a community centre in London’s East End, worked with street homeless people and refugees, set up microcredit programmes in London and several African countries, and worked as a research associate for the Prison Reform Trust. Jennifer now concentrates on her own writing and has published three novels and twelve books of non-fiction, including the Quaker Quick, Practical Mystics: Quaker Faith in Action. Balancing an active life with a pull towards contemplation is a continuing and fruitful challenge. Jennifer will base her talk on a workshop she has run called ‘Singing from our Silence’.
In addition to our two speakers, we will have a wide range of practical activities. Participants will talk about how music has affected their lives – both in listening and playing/singing. We will invite participants to reflect on their own responses to particular pieces of music. We will have opportunities to play music, sing and chant together. As usual, there will be breakout groups, time for worship together, and time to explore the wonderful and peaceful grounds of the Abbey.
Contacting us, questions and unsubscribing
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BOOKING FORM FOLLOWS BELOW
QUG Annual Conference Booking Form – 2026
SOUND AND SPIRIT
Friday 17th April at 6.00 pm to Sunday 19th April 2026 at 2.00 pm
Launde Abbey, Launde Road, Launde, Leicestershire, LE7 9XB
Please indicate one participation option below by writing YES against your preference. If residential, you can pay a deposit now to secure your place, or pay in full.
Option 1- Residential: Single bedroom: £310. Deposit £60 (non-returnable)
Option 2- *Residential: Two Peoplesharing a double/twin bedroom: £500. Deposit £120 (non-returnable)
*please provide the second person’s name and special requirements on a second form and submit both forms together.
Option 3- Zoom Participation only: £40 (Please make full payment)
Special Note: If you are unable to attend the conference, having paid, we regret that we will not refund your money. If you have any concerns, e.g. due to health issues, please make your own insurance arrangements.
Attendee Name: ___
Address: ___
Post code: ____
Tel no: ___
E-mail: ___
Do you need an accessible room? YES / NO
Do you require a lift or wheelchair access? YES / NO
Please state any specific dietary requirements (e.g. food allergies, vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, lactose intolerant, or any other dietary requirements):
Please indicate one payment option below by writing YES against your preference:
A) Bank transfer to: TSB. The Quaker Universalist Group. Sort Code: 30-97-35. Account No: 00016421. Please use Reference ‘QUG26-Your Surname‘ (e.g. QUG26-SMITH) to ease payment tracking.
B) PayPal – Please ensure you provide full contact details so collection by PayPal can be arranged with you.
C) Cheque (payable to The Quaker Universalist Group) and post to 2 Willow Rise, Haddenham, Aylesbury, HP17 8JR.
NB. The balance of conference payments must be received by Friday 20th February 2026
Please send this booking form by email to contact@qug.org.uk
or by post to: QUG Conference, 2 Willow Rise, Haddenham, Aylesbury, HP17 8JR
Please Book Early – to secure your place
If you do not receive an acknowledgement within three weeks please contact us