22 September 2026 press release
Defend Our Juries has been awarded the 2026 Quaker Truth & Integrity Award, for its "courageous and persistent defence of the constitutional importance of trial by jury."
The Quaker Truth & Integrity Group (QTIG) praised the organisation for bringing public attention to the right and responsibility of juries to exercise their own judgement and conscience.
“At a time when the role of juries, the right to a fair trial and the freedom to scrutinise the exercise of public power have come under increasing pressure, Defend Our Juries has insisted that these principles must not be taken for granted," the award citation reads.
Defend Our Juries began in 2023, with a single protest by retired social worker Trudi Warner outside Inner London Crown Court.
It has since grown into one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in the country, with thousands taking part in silent sign-holding protests nationwide, and well over 3,500 people arrested.
Penn and Mead Trial
Warner's placard stated that jurors have the right to acquit according to their conscience, echoing a Quaker case from 1670, when William Penn and William Mead were tried for preaching.
Jurors refused to convict them, and a plaque marking their courage still hangs in the Old Bailey today.
Despite this precedent, judges in several protest trials have stopped defendants telling the jury why they acted as they did and three people were sent to prison for doing so.
Some judges have also warned juries that acquitting on grounds of conscience could itself be a criminal offence.
And barrister Rajiv Menon KC now faces contempt of court proceedings after reminding a jury of their right to acquit on conscience.
QTIG said Defend Our Juries had turned "an individual act of conscience into a wider public campaign," through peaceful protest and the spread of legal and constitutional information.
Tim Crosland, former barrister and co-founder of Defend Our Juries, said: "We are honoured to receive the Quaker Truth and Integrity award and the recognition that the work of Defend Our Juries is as aligned to Quaker values today, in 2026, as it was in 1670, when the independence of juries was struggled for, and won by Quakers for us all.
“When facing the increasingly hostile and repressive political climate we are in, it is the power of conscience, nonviolence and community that maintains our collective ability to confront injustices and speak up for truth."
The full citation reads:
The Quaker Truth & Integrity Group is honoured to present its 2026 Award to Defend Our Juries.
Defend Our Juries is recognised for its courageous and persistent defence of the constitutional importance of trial by jury, and in particular for bringing public attention to the right and responsibility of juries to exercise their own judgement and conscience.
At a time when the role of juries, the right to a fair trial and the freedom to scrutinise the exercise of public power have come under increasing pressure, Defend Our Juries has insisted that these principles must not be taken for granted. Through peaceful public action, campaigning and the dissemination of legal and constitutional information, it has sought to ensure that the public understands the vital role played by ordinary citizens in the administration of justice.
The campaign grew from Trudi Warner's action in 2023, when she displayed a placard outside Inner London Crown Court drawing attention to the principle of jury equity. Defend Our Juries helped turn that individual act of conscience into a wider public campaign, with people across England and Wales peacefully repeating the message outside Crown Courts. In April 2024, the High Court dismissed the Solicitor General's application to commit Ms Warner for contempt, finding that her conduct did not provide a reasonable basis for committal.
In doing so, Defend Our Juries has demonstrated qualities particularly relevant to the Quaker testimony to Truth and Integrity: willingness to speak plainly when important principles are at stake; readiness to challenge the misuse or abuse of authority; respect for conscience; and a determination to place fundamental principles above personal convenience or advantage.
Its work also recalls the historic connection between Quaker witness and the independence of juries. The celebrated case of William Penn and William Mead in 1670 established an enduring principle that jurors could not simply be compelled by judicial authority to reach a particular verdict. Defend Our Juries has brought this history back into public discussion at a time when the independence and constitutional significance of juries require renewed attention.
This is the fourth year of the Quaker Truth & Integrity Award, but the first time it is being made to an organisation rather than an individual. For its courage in challenging complacency, its dedication to transparency and public understanding, its persistent defence of conscience, justice and the integrity of the jury system, and for the bravery and commitment of its individual members, Defend Our Juries is an exceptionally worthy recipient of the 2026 Quaker Truth & Integrity Award.
2025 Award ceremony
The 2025 Quaker Truth & Integrity Award was held in the Library at Friends House 14 October.
Quaker Truth & Integrity Award 2025
In keeping with our commitment to uphold and celebrate the values of truth and integrity and recognising the courageous witness of two nominees, the Quaker Truth & Integrity Group is pleased to announce that this year a Truth and Integrity Award is being made to both Dr Peter Wilmshurst and Phil Laurie.
Peter Wilmshurst is recognised for his outstanding contribution to medical ethics. Over several decades, Dr Wilmshurst has shown remarkable moral courage in exposing unethical practices in the pharmaceutical and medical research industries, often at significant personal and professional cost. His principled stance in the face of corporate pressure and litigation exemplifies integrity in action and has served to protect both scientific standards and public trust in medicine.
Phil Laurie, a committed Quaker, is honoured for his tireless campaigning on climate justice and human rights, particularly in relation to Palestine. His witness has been grounded in Quaker testimonies of peace, equality, and care for the Earth. Through sustained, peaceful activism and public engagement, Phil has brought issues of global injustice to local and national attention, offering a faithful and prophetic voice in challenging times. In doing so he has also created space for others in relation to the right to protest.
Though their paths are different, both recipients share a deep and unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and the courage to speak out – qualities that lie at the heart of this award. Their work reflects the power of individual witness to challenge systems, inspire others, and uphold the moral fabric of society.
We are honoured to present this year’s Truth & Integrity Award to both Peter Wilmshurst and Phil Laurie.
Acceptance speech made by Peter Wilmshurst on 14 October: https://files.quaker.app/7p4hv6
2025 Award ceremony, from ltr: Jan Arriens (QTIG), Adwoa Burnley (YM clerk), Phil Laurie, Peter Wilmshurst, Paul Parker (BYM Recording Clerk)
Photo credit: Michael Preston for Quakers in Britain
Peter Taylor, recipient of 2024 Quaker Truth & Integrity Award, inspecting the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to American and British Quakers in 1947.
Second Quaker Truth & Integrity Award
The second Quaker Truth & Integrity Award has been awarded to the journalist Peter Taylor:
The Award was conferred at Friends House, London, on Friday 8 November.
The citation reads:
The 2024 Quaker Truth & Integrity Award is being conferred on the BBC journalist Peter Taylor. The award is made in recognition of his outstanding work over the years, especially in relation to the Troubles in Northern Ireland and his interaction with Jihadist groups from Al Qaeda in the wake of 9/11 and the so-called Islamic State. Peter’s painstaking and brilliant reporting has been based on seeking to bridge differences and understand those from extreme traditions. In doing so, he courageously and often at personal risk made a material contribution towards preparing the way for the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement, crucially involving the IRA. He has also investigated the power of Big Tobacco and is recognised to have made a substantial contribution to the progress that has been made over many years in the field of smoking and health. He is the author of ten books, the most recent being Operation Chiffon. The Secret Story of MI5 and MI6 and the Road to Peace in Ireland. In his 50 year career he has made many award-winning landmark documentaries for both the BBC and ITV and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both BAFTA and the Royal Television Society.
Peter’s work has, we feel, implicitly been conducted in sympathy with the objectives of the Quaker Truth & Integrity Group as set out in its 2022 Declaration (https://quakertruth.org/).
We live in an age in which journalists are under relentless pressure. Peter Taylor’s journalism is of the kind that is so badly needed for society to operate on the basis of truth and integrity. Instead, journalists often find themselves working against a background of intimidation, misinformation and reluctance or refusal to engage and listen with others. The methods of terrorism may be despicable, but that does not exempt us from seeking to understand underlying motivations of political violence. The resolution of the extreme difficulties in Northern Ireland has shown what is possible, illuminated by his recent scoop interview with the MI5 officer who played a crucial part in encouraging the IRA to end its ‘armed struggle’ and embrace peace. We applaud Peter Taylor’s work in this regard and are honoured to dedicate the second QTIG Award to him.
Gerald Hewitson
Co-Clerk, Quaker Truth & Integrity Group
28 October 2024
2024 Nomination:
Peter Taylor https://files.quaker.app/h698aa
First Quaker Truth & Integrity Award
The first Quaker Truth & Integrity Award has been announced (see https://www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/investigative-journalist-carole-cadwalladr-receives-first-quaker-truth-award).
The following is the citation:
Truth and integrity have been at the heart of Quakerism since the mid-17th century.
Out of a deep concern over the decline in standards of truth and integrity in public life, the Quaker Truth & Integrity Group (QTIG) has instituted an annual award recognising an exceptional contribution by a British individual/organisation towards the enhancement of standards of truth and integrity in public life.
QTIG is honoured to announce that the recipient of its first such award is Carole Cadwalladr. As an investigative journalist and author, Carole has with great courage exposed serious instances of malpractice and threats to democracy. In doing so, she has made a major contribution towards the enhancement of truth and integrity in public affairs.
In seeking to promote democracy and the rule of law over and above personal interests, Carole is an exceptionally worthy recipient of the first Quaker Truth & Integrity Award.
Gerald Hewitson
Clerk, Quaker Truth & Integrity Group
22 June 2023