QCA COMMITTEE MEETING – OCTOBER 11TH 2014
MINUTES
We warmly welcomed Louise van der Hoeven to the committee. Louise is now in charge of QCA’s web site.
We discussed subscriptions and decided to raise them to £15/£10 concessionary as from 2016. Members to be notified in the next two issues of the newsletter.
Purple Poppy for Remembrance cards – Joan How should be contacted for these, or please contact us via the web site. They are available at £5 for 6, including p&p.
Donations: We agreed to give funds to 17 organisations, which will be listed on the web site as soon as they have been processed.
The Ethical Investment Criteria of charity organisations: Vickie Nealis and Joan How have contacted some 60 companies, both animal and non-animal, enquiring how any investments they make are compliant with animal welfare criteria. This is an on-going matter, but they have already received quite a few replies which will be kept on file in the event that anyone requires this information.
Facebook and Twitter:
Louise explained how QCA might benefit from using the social media. She is happy to look after this sphere of work and we agreed to a trial period and review at the next committee meeting in February 2015.
Web Site – Thus far, our web master has generously covered the costs of the running of our web site, but we must be prepared for this extra cost at any time. We are grateful to him for his invaluable work.
Meeting with David Field, Director of London Zoo.
Having expressed serious concerns about the Zoo Lates in summer, when the zoo is open late for visitors, including partygoers, and bad and potentially dangerous behaviour by some was widely reported in the press, David Field invited QCA to discuss this with him. We requested relevant information from Captive Animals’ Protection Society in advance, attended the meeting and received mainly reassuring statements from the Director.
There is no indication that this practice, which we still consider very ill-advised, will end, and we are monitoring the situation.
Clarification of the objectives of QCA – this matter was raised when a correspondent made suggestions on how QCA might raise more funds and thus help organisations more effectively.
We discussed the matter and concluded that QCA is not primarily a fundraising body, though we like to support other animal charities insofar as we can.
The issue of an Animal Welfare Commission, mooted by CASJ, was raised. We are asked to seek the support of our MPs and shall do so. QCA continues to support CASJ, both financially when we can, and morally.
The Way Ahead 2015 – 2020: QCA, in common with individuals, Meetings and other Linked Informal Groups, has received an invitation to contribute to this Quaker consultation, which leads on from A Framework for Action.
Quote: ‘We believe this is an opportunity to reaffirm the spirit of Quakerism in making real the “Kingdom of God on Earth”… ‘we ask local meetings, area meetings and other Quaker groups and individuals to discern what we are led to do together. We do not intend to list specific projects and programmes…’
We contributed to The Framework for Action 2009-2014, and a response to this follow up consultation will be made from QCA.