The Friendly Group — History of Healers Associations

In 1999, representatives from the Yorkshire, Strathclyde, Home Counties, Norfolk and Suffolk Healer associations met in Derbyshire to discuss the situation in which they found themselves. Before departing for home, they agreed to meet again and that they would like Norfolk Healers Association to investigate, on their behalf, insurance brokers to find a suitable policy for all their healer members.

Between the first and second meetings, both Suffolk and Norfolk Healers Associations had notified the British Alliance of Healing Associations that they would not be renewing their membership; in the meantime 'Norfolk Healers' had found a suitable insurance policy for insuring the members of all the associations.

In April 2000, Suffolk Healers Association hosted, in Suffolk, the first meeting of seven Associations: Norfolk, Suffolk, Home Counties, Invicta, Yorkshire and Sussex Healers; and the Foundation of Spiritual Healing and Guidance.

At this meeting it was agreed that we would meet twice-yearly to discuss current events and other issues within the healing movement. We agreed upon the following:

that each Association would remain autonomous and independent, having its own Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures and was free to join, associate, affiliate with any organisation that it saw appropriate;
that each Association would support the other, if they were called upon to arbitrate on their behalf;
that each Association would communicate on a regular basis through their newsletters/magazines and through referrals of patients and healers to one another;
that the Associations were not creating either an 'association' or an 'organisation' and, therefore, there were no requirements necessary in order to become part of the Group (apart from a Constitution, Code of Conduct, Disciplinary Procedures and a basic Training Programme);
that he only connection to one another, technically, was the insurance policy that is currently Ł8.70 pa per member.
that 'Margaret Mittens-ladd' would act as both the Broker and the Coordinator on behalf of all the associations.

In October 2000, the Home Counties Healers Association hosted the second meeting in Stevenage and it was at this time that Dorset Hants & Wilts Healers Association joined us. At this meeting we agreed upon our name 'The Friendly Group of Spiritual Healer Associations.'

At subsequent meetings it was agreed that

any organisation/association who wished to become part of the Friendly Group needed to have in place its guiding principles, a Constitution, a Code of Conduct, Disciplinary Procedures and a training programme; as well as insurance, or requiring the Friendly Group insurance;
as a guideline, the group joining would need approximately 10 people; however smaller groups would be given favourable consideration;
a simple but comprehensive account of the Group's expenses should be kept and that there would be a Receipts and Payments file;
that the word 'representative' was not appropriate to describe the role of a member attending, on behalf of the Friendly Group, another meeting (e.g. UK Healers) and that the word 'observer' be used instead.

Since these early meetings, we have been joined by the Pilgrim Healers, the Raphael School Association, the International Healing Fellowship, and Lancs and District Healers assication. We now consist of thirteen associations representing more than 1,500 healers.

Friendly Group History