The Rev. Herbert Barnes Memorial Fund is a charity linked to Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians, named in honour of Rev. Herbert Barnes and intended to support the development of Unitarian Ministers. Each year, Newcastle Unitarians present a financial award to a student from Unitarian College who, in the opinion of the College Principal, is a worthy entrant to the Unitarian Ministry. The object of the award is to provide each year the beginnings of a library for an outgoing student of the college who is about to enter the Unitarian Ministry.

In 2023, the award was presented to Rev. Arek Malecki, who has since contacted us to thank us as follows:

“I’m writing to firstly wholeheartedly thank Newcastle Unitarians for the award, and secondly not only to confirm that I have received the money, but also that I have already spent most of it and that the books I’ve ordered have already arrived! I just want to share what’ve bought:

• ‘Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer (which I highly recommend by the way!)
• ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ by Victor Frankl
• ‘Highlands Myths and Legends’ by George W MacPherson
• ‘I Ching: The Ancient Chinese Book of Oracles’, translated by Richard Wilhelm
• ‘Spirits of the Earth: A Guide to Native American Nature Symbols, Stories and Ceremonies’ by Bobby Lake-Thom
• ‘Jesus and the Ioudaioi: Reading John’s Gospel with Jewish People in Mind’ by Tom Wilson

The books I have chosen for are not so much worship material (I have plenty of that) but rather things to inspire my ministry, directly or indirectly – although the book of Highland myths and the I Ching have a lot of bite-size readings that can be easily used in services. I am actually quite excited about all of them, I couldn’t wait to dive into ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’, but, as good as it is, I think I will have to switch my focus to the ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’, as it would no doubt help inspire the upcoming Holocaust Memorial Day Service.  Once again, thank you to all at Newcastle Unitarians. The money has been put to a good use!”