Quakers Support Community Collaboration Through Founding Partnership in Tyne and Wear Citizens

Faith Lydiard reflects on the power of community collaboration in driving positive change. From a young age, she was deeply engaged with social issues, writing to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher about the poor condition of her secondary school and distributing leaflets for her father’s Ecology Party campaign. However, she remained unaffiliated with any political party, disillusioned by its adversarial nature and the challenges of working together for the common good.

In 2014, Lydiard attended a conference in Newcastle upon Tyne focused on addressing inequality. A presentation by Neil Jameson, Executive Director of Citizens UK and member of Westminster Local Meeting, inspired her. His approach—collaborative and solution-focused—aligned with her vision of politics. This experience led to the formation of Tyne and Wear Citizens, a local initiative that brings together faith groups, educational organizations, trade unions, and community groups.

Newcastle Quaker Meeting became a Founding Partner of Tyne and Wear Citizens, providing significant financial support to fund a community organiser and train local leaders. This partnership was pivotal in launching the initiative, which aimed to create a platform for collective action rooted in listening and research.

The 2017 Tyne and Wear Citizens Launch Assembly brought together nearly 1000 local residents to hold decision-makers accountable. Northumbria Area Meeting was among the member organizations present. Since then, the initiative has achieved several successes, including securing a Living Wage for university staff, providing access to green space in North Shields with 350 trees planted, and recovering £20,000 for children on free school meals affected by a flawed IT system.

Quakers have been actively involved in the Leadership Group and Action Teams from the beginning, participating in assemblies and contributing to the initiative’s growth. The commitment of Newcastle Local Meeting to become a Founding Partner laid the foundation for all subsequent efforts. By prioritizing community voices and empowering potential leaders, Tyne and Wear Citizens continues to build capacity for meaningful change.

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