March update

 A unique opportunity

The organisers are delighted to hear that many Friends are planning to come to Adelaide in person in July, the first face-to-face Yearly Meeting for five years. In addition, this Yearly Meeting will also be accessible to Friends online, the first hybrid Yearly Meeting in Australia. We don’t know when the next face-to-face gathering will take place. We encourage all Friends to register for YM24 as soon as possible, whether you are coming in person or online, for this unique opportunity.

 Can you help?

We need extra helpers to volunteer for one or two hours to be on the Help Desk, to help with morning and afternoon tea, and to assist with online or on ground I.T. We need some volunteers to be with the children up to 11 yrs of age when their carers take lunch and tea breaks. Why not share a story, an activity or a game and get to know some of our youngest Friends? There is still time to apply for the required SA Working With Children check here. 

 Travel to and from YM24

We know Friends will be making their own arrangements to travel to Adelaide. Please consider travelling by train, bus or car rather than flying as ground travel has much less impact on the environment. You can read on the QA website the Yearly Meeting Travel Guidelines, which were adopted in September 2023. 

 Accommodation before and after YM24

Our stay at the venue for YM24 is from 1pm Friday 6^th July until Saturday 13^th July at 10am. Please note that if you need accommodation before or after those dates Friends are asked to make your own arrangements. Bookings can be made for a shack at The Retreat, or for alternative accommodation close by at the Big 4 Caravan Park, through this website. Please be aware that the price of booking a shack at The Retreat before and after YM24 may be higher than it is during Yearly Meeting.

 Excursions

We are keen to hear from Friends about excursions they would like, within about 20km from Adelaide, for Wednesday afternoon 10^th July. Some already suggested are: Wittunga Botanic Garden at Eden Hills, the Quaker Burial ground at West Terrace Cemetery in the parklands of Adelaide, The Quaker Shop at Kensington, Friends’ Meeting House at North Adelaide and the mangroves at St Kilda.

 But what about…?

For questions about YM24 in Adelaide please contact any of these Friends from the SANTRM Yearly Meeting organisers: Topsy Evans , Jo Jordan , Betsy Holden, Harald Ehmann. 

 For questions about online participation and hybrid tech at YM24, please contact Vidya and Clint de Young, Co-Convenors of the Yearly Meeting Organising Committee.