Quaker Peace & Social Witness

Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) is the main organisation that carries out work on behalf of Quakers in Britain.

Promoting the Quaker testimonies, QPSW doesn’t separate faith from social action – for Friends they are both intertwined. In representing Quakers, QPSW says of itself:

“People who experience Quaker worship often feel inspired to try and make the world a better place. In recognising that there is something holy in all people, Quakers recognise that all struggles and joys are connected. QPSW holds this holistic view of social change in our work, creates links between different issues, and connects Quakers to a wider movement for peace and justice.”

QPSW was previously known as the Friends Service Council, and then as Quaker Peace and Service. In 1947, the then Friends Service Council received the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the American Friends Service Committee, on behalf of Quakers worldwide. The Quaker Star is used as the logo for QPSW.

QPSW's work

In order to facilitate peace and winess work, QPSW does the following:

• Works for peace and social justice
  Leads and supports Quaker action on peace, equality, sustainability, and human rights, rooted in Quaker faith and practice.
• Gives practical expression to Quaker testimonies
  Helps turn Quaker concerns for peace, truth, equality, and care for the Earth into lived action and public witness.
• Supports campaigning and advocacy
  Engages with government, public bodies, and civil society on issues such as war, the arms trade, climate justice, migration, and criminal justice.
• Connects Quakers with wider movements
  Works in partnership with charities, faith groups, and grassroots campaigns to amplify Quaker voices within broader struggles for change.
• Offers resources and guidance
  Produces reports, briefings, worship materials, and learning resources to support Friends in peace and social action.
• Encourages local and national action
  Supports meetings and individual Friends to respond faithfully to social and political issues in their own communities.
• Maintains a long tradition of Quaker witness
  Builds on historic Quaker involvement in peace-making, prison reform, abolition, and conscientious objection.
• Creates space for discernment and reflection
  Grounds activism in worship, spiritual reflection, and careful discernment rather than urgency alone.
• Acts as a public Quaker voice
  Represents Quaker concerns in the public square while remaining accountable to the Quaker community.

Click here to visit the QPSW section on the Quakers in Britain website (opens in a new tab)

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