Quaker Care was established in 1998 as the trading arm of Quaker Service, reflecting our commitment to combining compassion with practical action. Rooted in Quaker values of equality, peace and community, Quaker Care provides meaningful volunteering opportunities for Friends, likeminded individuals, and people who have engaged with the support services of our charity. The shop has long served as a welcoming and purposeful space where individuals can contribute, connect and grow.

In partnership with the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI), Quaker Care has also played an important role in supporting people undertaking community service orders, helping them to build skills, confidence and a renewed sense of belonging. The profits from the shop are covenanted to Quaker Service as unrestricted funds, directly supporting our charitable work.

In 2024, with generous support from the Dormant Assets Fund, Quaker Care entered a new phase of growth by appointing a Social Enterprise Business Development Manager. This investment has enabled us to develop and begin implementing an ambitious new strategy to diversify our social enterprise activities. By broadening our trading and community initiatives, we aim to generate sustainable income while creating greater social impact for people within our concern.

Through this evolving social enterprise, Quaker Care continues to demonstrate that ethical business can be a force for good that strengthens communities, transforms lives and advances the work of Quaker Service in Northern Ireland.

Quaker Connections primarily provides a vital befriending service to prisoners in Northern Ireland who are most isolated and lack family support. Volunteers visit prisoners in facilities such as Maghaberry, Magilligan, and Hydebank, offering friendship and emotional support either face-to-face or via Zoom.

These trained volunteers listen non-judgementally and empower prisoners to regain hope, belonging, and confidence, especially those experiencing vulnerability. The project collaborates closely with prison staff and other voluntary partners, ensuring holistic care and rehabilitation.

Beyond individual visits, Quaker Connections also delivers group projects responding flexibly to prisoners' emerging needs. This compassionate approach, rooted in Quaker principles of equality and respect, helps reduce feelings of isolation, aids resettlement, and supports positive change.

In January 2024, Quaker Service Board agreed that the Charity would pursue a community development approach to scoping out new service in our local neighbourhood and a full-time position of Community Development Worker was created by September 2024, when Alex Rafferty-Reeve had taken up post. The development of this work stream coincided with the opening of the Charity’s new offices and administrative base at Frederick Street Quaker Meeting House, at the northern tip of Belfast city centre.

The Religious Society of Friends have had a presence at Frederick Street since 1810 and have supported and contributed to communities living in Belfast throughout the following centuries. At the start of the Troubles, Quakers provided a place of refuge, food, warmth, and shelter to the most vulnerable families who had been forced out of their homes. Friends opened up the meeting house to initially serve as a night shelter during this time and developed service from here, to provide a range of activities, including day trips and summer schemes for the children and families.

This work was the foundation of the Charity we know today

Quaker Service looks to extend the reach of this work as a visible demonstration of the values of Quakerism through the exploration and completion of a scoping study to evaluate where unmet need lies in North Belfast. The scoping exercise aims to increase awareness and identify ways of working that support these initiatives by adopting sustainable community development work using an assets-based approach with an openness to work in collaboration with our community partners.