Save the date: 2026 GA Annual Meetings
Friday 27–Sunday 29 March 2026
Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire
We’re delighted to announce that the 2026 General Assembly Annual Meetings will be held at the Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire. We heard your feedback and know that the last venue didn’t quite meet our needs. This time, we’re gathering at the Hayes, a not-for-profit Christian centre with plenty of natural light and beautiful gardens. It is a much better fit for coming together as a movement.
Mark your calendars
The General Assembly Annual Meetings bring together delegates from across the Unitarian movement for three days of debate, discussion, community and connection. Whether this is your first time or you’ve been coming for years, you’ll have the chance to shape the direction of our movement, celebrate our shared values, and build relationships across congregations and regions.
If you have motions you’d like to put forward or ideas worth discussing with the wider Assembly, now is the time to start thinking about them.
Submitting a motion
The deadline for motion submissions is 29 January 2026. Motions submitted by this date will be circulated to members at least 30 days before the Annual Meetings, giving everyone time to read and consider them properly.
Who can submit a motion?
You can submit a motion if you are:
- A congregation, regional association, or affiliated society (supported by a majority of your governing body, with a signed minute as evidence)
- One of at least 12 individual full members of the General Assembly acting together
- The Executive Committee (on its own authority)
If you’re not sure whether you meet these criteria, our chief officer Liz Slade can advise.
What makes a good motion?
Motions work best when they’re clear, focused and action-oriented. They might be about policy, social justice issues, spiritual matters, or changes to how the Unitarian movement operates. Think about what you want to say and why it matters to the wider Assembly.
Some things to bear in mind:
- Motions for law reform or on public policy should, where possible, take account of different legal jurisdictions (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different laws).
- A background paper explaining the context and reasoning behind your motion makes it much easier for delegates to understand and discuss it properly.
- Subject lines that clearly state what you’re proposing help people quickly grasp what you’re asking for.
How to submit
Send your motion to Liz Slade at eslade@unitarian.org.uk with:
- The motion itself, in writing
- The names of a proposer and a seconder
- Ideally, a background paper of a few paragraphs explaining the context
The Steering Committee is there to help. If you’re unsure how to phrase something or want feedback before you submit, Liz can point you towards support. The Steering Committee can also help if similar motions need combining, or suggest helpful clarifying amendments.
Emergency motions
Something urgent has come up since the deadline? You can still submit an emergency motion if it’s about an issue of public concern that has arisen since the closure date for ordinary motions. These follow the same process but are submitted as early as possible, either before or during the Annual Meetings. The meeting will need to vote to admit it to the agenda (a two-thirds majority is required).
What happens next
Registration details and full information about the programme will follow in the coming months. Watch this space.