Hello,
We’re Friends Southern Summer Events (FSSE) a group of mostly Quaker volunteers who run two, week-long residential events each year for young people Junior Gathering for ages 11 to 14 and Senior Conference for ages 15 to 18.
Junior Gathering and Senior Conference are run in a Quaker way, this means that the Quaker testimonies (or values) of Truth & Integrity, Equality & Community, Peace, Simplicity and The earth & Environment are what guide us in creating a packed week of friendship, nurture and fun.
We welcome applications from anyone who might enjoy our events, is sympathetic to our values (and is in the right age range 11-14 and 15-18). Participants do not need to come from a Quaker background or be involved in Quakers.
To donate to FSSE and contribute to our bursary fund, please see our donations page.
Junior Gathering
Dates: 23rd-30th August 2025
Venue: Leighton Park School, Reading
Cost: £590
Theme: Global issues around conflict and climate change
Age: 11 to 14 years old (must be born between 1st September 2010 and 31st August 2014, inclusive)
Booking for Junior Gathering 2025 now open.
More information about Junior Gathering 2025.
Senior Conference
Dates: 23rd-30th August 2025
Venue: Leighton Park School, Reading
Cost: £590
Theme: Embracing our differing truths within a community
Age: 15 to 18 years old (must be born between 1st September 2007 and 31st August 2011, inclusive)
Booking for Senior Conference 2025 now open.
More information about Senior Conference 2025.
What to expect at our events?
Junior Gathering and Senior Conference create a caring community based around our values of Simplicity, Truth, Peace, Equality, and Sustainability.
During the week we explore a theme chosen by the previous year’s participants, this is in the form of workshops, speakers, activities and discussions.
We start and end each day by meeting together and spending a short time in silence in the Quaker tradition. This helps us feel connected and enables us to spend some time to listen to what Quakers call the God/Spirit/Light in everyone.
Each participant is part of a “base group” for the week, this is a small group who meet each day, have discussions, play games and keep an extra caring eye out for each other during the week.
There are a wide variety of small group activities to sign up to, which range from sports, to music, art, crafts, creative writing, games, discussion groups and many more.
With free time, wide games, theme disco, barn dance, treasure hunt, base group challenge, summer fate, open-mic night, quiet alternatives and trips out all in the timetable it’s an exciting and fun week.
We have a brilliant team of volunteers at each event who are dedicated to planning and running the events in a caring, safe and inclusive way.
Find out more about each event below, or contact us if you have any questions.