SPRING SCHOOL 28-31 MAY 2015 Swarthmoor Hall
with visiting visual artist Hannah Fox and guest speaker John Fox.

As this year's Spring School unfolded the unique character of the particular constellation of participants was revealed in lively interrogations of the process and practice of ceremony and ritual, provoking much discussion. The work on storytelling and myth revealed a great deal of creativity that was also manifest in the making session led by artist, Hannah Fox.

She taught papercutting and block printing skills that were used to make artists’ books and imagery of journeying by land and sea - imagery that was later invoked to great effect. The beautiful grounds of Swarthmoor Hall gave us the opportunity to work in landscape.

We also chose to venture further afield to Morecambe Bay to make a ceremonial lament for the hundreds of refugees drowning in the seas off Lampedusa, a tragedy that resonates with that of the cockle pickers who were taken by the tide in the Bay some years ago. This quiet but powerful ceremony touched everyone who participated in it, becoming the still centre of the days we spent together. So, a time for sharing wisdom and experience, leavened by laughter, and with much food for reflection.

Many thanks again to you and Gilly for a beautifully “held” event. I thought your creativity, flexibility and skill to steer the fragile boat of our collective endeavours safely to shore was inspirational! Stella Hall

RITES OF PASSAGE CHRONOLOGY of RECENT WORKSHOPS

AUTUMN SCHOOL 29 Sept - 3 Oct 2014 Halsway Manor, Somerset

Thank you both for sharing your practice and hosting an extraordinary week and for reminding me of the importance of creating time for reflection and ritual in a session. It was joyous, passionate, at times painful but a totally wonderful week of sharing, journeying and being together. Sophie Layton

Writing and making were facilitated with such apparent ease. The experiential learning aspect was very effective; I loved all the creativity & spontaneity. Beautifully structured. Pauline Down

MIDSUMMER SCHOOL 20 - 23 June 2014 Swarthmoor Hall, Cumbria with visual artist Hannah Fox

I took away a feeling of greatly increased confidence and focus about the process of ceremony and some wonderful, inspiring practical aides ... I feel as if my eyes and ears have been opened to a new landscape and a new way of speaking, and I could see the transforming power of it ...... Annie Oulton

I have learnt from the subtlety and genius of your approach. It has been a transitional experience for me. Emma Hughes

AUTUMN SCHOOL 21 - 24 Oct 2013 East Woodlands, Frome, Somerset

MIDSUMMER SCHOOL 21 - 24 June 2013 Swarthmoor Hall, Cumbria

how heartening to find such different people all recognising the need to restore meaning and depth to private and public ceremony. Mary Napper-White

Space for thought, inspiration and ideas. Time to treasure. Luke Dixon

AUTUMN SCHOOL 22 - 25 Oct 2012 East Woodlands Frome, Somerset

Thank you so much for holding the space and inspiring us and enabling us to step into it in our own way such deep work and with such a light touch and with love and humour. Fern Smith

SPRING SCHOOL 12 - 15 June 2012 Swarthmoor Hall, Cumbria

FIELD of VISION May 2011 Centre for Stewardship, Falkland, Scotland

CEREMONY and CELEBRATION 2010 & 2009 Friends Meeting House, Brighton