Quakers in Britain

What Quakers in Britain does

Quakers in Britain — formally Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (registered charity number 1127633) — is the national umbrella body for Quakers in England, Scotland, and Wales. Headquartered at Friends House in London, the organisation coordinates work across 70 area meetings, supports spiritual community life and Quaker marriages, and operates from additional premises including Swarthmoor Hall in Cumbria. Approximately 101 staff are employed across central functions and the subsidiary operations.

The organisation's core activities fall into three streams: (1) sustaining Quaker communities for worship, spiritual development, and mutual support; (2) advocacy and programme work on peace, climate justice, refugee support, and social justice, including the Turning the Tide programme in East Africa and international advocacy through the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) offices in Geneva and New York under UN consultative status; and (3) operating a trading subsidiary, the Quiet Company (Friends House Hospitality Ltd), which provides venue hire and hospitality services. The business model is donation-funded for charitable activity, supplemented by trading income from venue hire and ancillary services. Governance is undergoing a planned transition from Meeting for Sufferings to a new continuing Yearly Meeting structure scheduled for 2026, alongside a published 2026–2030 strategic priorities framework.

Name

Quakers in Britain

Legal name

Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Website

https://quaker.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Quakers in Britain is the national registered charity (no. 1127633) coordinating 70 Quaker area meetings across England, Scotland, and Wales from Friends House London, supporting spiritual community life, advocacy on peace and climate justice, and a venue-hire subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Faith community worship
• Peace advocacy campaigns
• Charitable fundraising
• Venue hire hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: The organization raises funds through multiple donation mechanisms: one-time online donations, regular monthly/annual direct debits or standing orders, in-memory tribute gifts, and legacy gifts through wills. These donations support the centrally managed work of Quakers in Britain including peacebuilding, climate justice, community support, and advocacy.
2. Venue and Hospitality Services: Quiet Company, the trading subsidiary operated by Friends House Hospitality Ltd, provides venue hire, conference services, accommodation, and hospitality at properties in London and Cumbria. These commercial services generate revenue to support the charitable mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Quakers in Britain is the national body of the Religious Society of Friends (Britain Yearly Meeting), providing spiritual community, worship, and faith-based services for Quakers across England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. The organization delivers peace advocacy, social justice campaigns, charitable grant-making, and operates commercial hospitality and venue services through its subsidiary Quiet Company (Friends House Hospitality Ltd) at Friends House London and Swarthmoor Hall. It also runs a bookshop, publishes newsletters, and maintains a library of Quaker history.

Product overview

Quakers in Britain operates primarily as a faith-based organization rather than a technology company. Its core offering consists of a comprehensive website (quaker.org.uk) providing information about Quaker faith, worship resources, news, events, and community support. The organization offers digital newsletters (Quake!, Quaker Faith in Action, Hope so!), downloadable resources (podcasts, lesson plans, toolkits), and an online bookshop. Physical offerings include Friends House London as the central office and event venue, the Library of the Society of Friends, Swarthmoor Hall historic retreat, and the Quaker Centre Bookshop and café. The Yearly Meeting platform enables annual assembly combining in-person and online participation. Additional services include grant-making programs, safeguarding resources, peace education materials, and the Find a Meeting location tool. The organization also provides the Quaker United Nations Office climate action resources and online Quaker Faith & Practice reference material.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Friends House London Venue Hire Conference, meeting, and event venue located at Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London, available for hire by organizations and groups. Includes meeting rooms and event spaces operated by the Quiet Company subsidiary.
• Quiet Company Hospitality Services Trading subsidiary (Friends House Hospitality Ltd) operating the commercial hospitality, venue hire, and catering services at Friends House London. Also manages the physical and online bookshop service.
• Swarthmoor Hall Retreat and Guesthouse Retreat centre and guesthouse in Cumbria offering accommodation, retreats, and pilgrimages. Located at Swarthmoor, Cumbria, England.
• Quaker Bookshop Physical and online bookshop selling Quaker books, faith resources, and related publications. Operated through the Quiet Company subsidiary.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70 area meetings across Britain serving Quaker communities
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Quaker Peace & Social Witness Central CommitteecoreOthersCentral committee responsible for coordinating Quaker peace and social change work including climate justice campaigning, peace education, and political advocacy on behalf of Quakers in Britain.
• Quaker World Relations CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommittee managing international Quaker relationships and coordinating with overseas Friends and Quaker international bodies.
• Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith RelationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommittee facilitating dialogue and relationships with other Christian denominations and faith communities.
• Quaker Life Central CommitteecoreOthersCommittee supporting Quaker communities, local meetings, children and young people, and outreach work.
• Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQUNO represents Quakers in international forums including UN climate talks (COP), peacebuilding efforts, and human rights advocacy. Quakers in Britain co-hosted events with QUNO at COP29.
• General Meeting for ScotlandcoreOthersRegional meeting representing Quakers in Scotland with specific concerns around Scottish policy and governance.
• Crynwyr Cymru - Quakers in WalescoreOthersRegional meeting representing Quakers in Wales with specific concerns around Welsh language and governance.
• Young Friends General MeetingcoreOthersRegional meeting for young adult Quakers providing peer community and spiritual support.
• Quaker Earthcare WitnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization co-hosting events with Quakers in Britain on climate and environmental issues at international forums.
• Turning the Tide East AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuaker-supported, community-led programme in East Africa addressing root causes of injustice to build sustainable peace. Quakers in Britain supports TTT Burundi which works on peaceful coexistence.
• Quiet Company (Friends House Hospitality Ltd)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerQuiet Company is the sole trading arm of Britain Yearly Meeting, operating retail, residential, conference, meeting and event venues. Wholly owned subsidiary managing hospitality services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• British Red Cross: British Red Cross is a major UK humanitarian charity with national volunteer network, donation fundraising, and international humanitarian advocacy. Comparable scale and operational footprint as a national UK charitable body.
• CAFOD: CAFOD is the Catholic aid agency for England and Wales, operating global poverty, climate, and peace programmes. Comparable as a faith-rooted UK charity with advocacy, grant-making, and donor fundraising infrastructure.
• Church of England: The established Church of England is the dominant Anglican body in Britain, operating dioceses, parishes, and national advocacy. It is a broader incumbent in the same faith-community space with overlapping worship, social action, and grant-making activities.
• Methodist Church in Britain: The Methodist Church in Britain is a comparable historic Protestant denomination with national structure, district/church network, social justice programmes, and grant-making. It competes for similar progressive Christian members and donors.

Direct peers

• Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre: Woodbrooke is the Quaker learning and research centre in Birmingham offering study courses and resources. It is a closely related Quaker institution serving the same membership base with education rather than worship.
• Christian Aid: Christian Aid is a UK faith-based international development and advocacy charity. Directly comparable as it draws on a Christian constituency, runs climate and peace advocacy, and engages with the UN on humanitarian policy.
• Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO): QUNO represents Quakers at the UN in Geneva and New York on peace and climate. It is a strategic partner and operational extension of Quakers in Britain, sharing the same constituency, mission, and advocacy profile.
• American Friends Service Committee (AFSC): AFSC is the US equivalent Quaker organization, providing direct comparison as a national/international Quaker body running peacebuilding, social justice, and humanitarian programmes with global scope and grant-making operations.
• Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC): FWCC is the international Quaker umbrella connecting yearly meetings worldwide. Highly comparable as it coordinates across Quaker communities and facilitates global Quaker witness, paralleling Quakers in Britain's role within Britain.

Regional players

• Religious Society of Friends (Canada) - Canadian Friends Service Committee: The Canadian Friends Service Committee is the Quaker service agency in Canada, running peace and refugee programmes. Highly comparable peer operating in a different geography but with similar Quaker mission and programme mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-7B_EL78gQI7IHpmUGMyTQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/211509828866178
• Instagraminstagram.com/britishquakers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/quakers-in-britain

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Quakers in Britain