Supporters’ Panel: shaping what comes next for taxes for peace
- Guest author
- Apr 8
- 3 min read
On Thursday 26 March we held the first meeting of Conscience’s new Supporters’ Panel.
The panel is an informal space for supporters to help shape our work for taxes for peace, share ideas, and offer feedback on our campaigns and our Education for Peace programme. It is designed to be flexible, welcoming and practical, recognising that supporters have different amounts of time and capacity to contribute.
What we discussed
The first meeting brought together a mix of long-standing supporters and people who have only recently joined our ebulletin. Despite different backgrounds and levels of involvement, there was a shared concern about the normalisation of ever-increasing military spending and the urgent need for a stronger public conversation about peacebuilding.
A few themes came through clearly:
1) Keep the panel practical and action-oriented
Supporters were keen that this doesn’t become a “talking shop”. People want focus, follow-through and clarity on what happens next.
2) Quarterly meetings feel workable, with flexible involvement
There was a clear preference for meeting quarterly, alongside the option for light-touch engagement between meetings (for example by email).
3) Growing Conscience’s reach is a priority
Supporters want Conscience to be more visible and more effective in reaching wider audiences. This includes sharpening our messaging, building alliances with other peace and human rights organisations, and using communications to challenge the assumption that more war spending is inevitable.
4) Conscientious objection and taxation, with a clear ethical concern
There was strong interest in conscientious objection and how people respond to the military share of taxation. An important principle was also raised: safeguarding essential public services and support for those who are already disadvantaged. Supporters asked Conscience to explore what information and education would be most useful, responsibly framed.
For background information on War Tax Resistance and the issues involved, you may find the page below useful. This is shared for information only and is not legal or tax advice.
5) Education for Peace is central and needs wider reach
We discussed the importance of our Education for Peace programme, which is supported through grant funding. A key question for us is how our educational resources are being used, and how we can evaluate and improve their reach and impact.
The panel is also a practical way to strengthen our Education for Peace work by ensuring resources are shaped by supporter insight and connected to real-world use.
How the panel will work going forward
Supporters suggested that future meetings should be themed, with a small set of questions or short material shared in advance, so discussions can go deeper and be more productive. There was also interest in having ways to stay connected between meetings.
What happens next
The next meeting will be in May. We’ll circulate the theme and a few questions in advance, and welcome new supporters who would like to join.
Want to get involved?
If you share our vision of shifting UK taxes away from war and towards peacebuilding, you can support Conscience in several ways:
sign up to the ebulletin (scroll to the bottom of this page)
Thank you to everyone who joined the first meeting and contributed so thoughtfully. This panel is new, and we are keen to shape it together so it stays useful, welcoming and grounded in what supporters want to see.
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