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PEBBLE Minutes - 13 April 2005

• Date: Wednesday 13 April 2005
• Location: London
• Time: 5.50 pm

Present:

• Marcus Adams (PN)
• Casp (PN and Web Editor)
• Liz Murray (CoBDO)
• Caroline O'Leary (PIPS)
• Eric Robinson (PA)
• Thorskegga (HFP)
• Jean Williams (PF)
• Steve Wilson (chair)
• Belinda Winder (PF)

Further Abbreviations Used Throughout:

• CoBDO : Council of British Druid Orders
• HFP : Heathens for Progress
• PA : Pagan Association
• PF : Pagan Federation
• PIPS : Pagans in Public Service
• PN : Pagan Network

MINUTES

1. Apologies for Absence
   None.
2. Minutes of the Last Meeting
   N/A
3. Membership of PEBBLE
   Following feedback and comments from the Pagan community, it was agreed that the initial guidelines for membership should be relaxed to ensure that every path of Paganism could be truly represented. Although membership would still be aimed at organisations with more than 100 active members, any Pagan organisation was welcome to sign up to support PEBBLE. Anyone wishing to do so should contact PEBBLE through the website, giving details about themselves and their organisation.
4. Mission Statement
   The current mission statement was discussed. All agreed to give some thought to what a revised mission statement might look like.
5. Charitable Status
   BW updated all on the latest submission to the Charity Commission for the Pagania Greenfield Trust. BW and JW were to meet the CC on 27 April 2005 and hoped to learn whether the CC were willing to accept Paganism as a religion. PIPS had provided significant help in preparing a robust response to the CC's arguments against Paganism and were thanked for their valuable contributions.
6. PEBBLE Website
   It was agreed that the new guidelines on membership, together with other information regarding PEBBLE's activities to date, should be made available on the PEBBLE website (Casp). The website could also contain information about how to get involved with the work of PEBBLE, whether as an individual or an organisation.
7. Getting Involved
   From the recent PEBBLE survey, it was clear that people did want to know how to get involved. Suggestions were made, such as helping with initiatives to get Pagan festivals in calendars; writing to the editors of dictionaries to have the definition of Paganism updated; volunteering (through the PF) to work as a Pagan hospital or prison chaplain. It was agreed that anyone interested in helping in this way should contact BW through PEBBLE.
8. Police
   It was agreed the next government department PEBBLE should tackle should be the police. Key issues here are a) the carrying of ritual knives in public, and b) the 'training' of police to recognise black magic abuse). It was agreed that Steve Wilson should contact the appropriate government department to start discussions.
9. Date of Next Meeting
   The next meeting was scheduled for 13 July 2005 at 5.30 pm.