Welcome to Hebden Bridge Woodcraft Folk, part of a national educational movement for children and young people. We believe in equality and co-operation and offer a place where children will grow in confidence, learn about the world and start to understand how to value our planet and each other. You will find information here about our weekly group meetings, forthcoming activities and special announcements. Our groups meet on Thursday night at Salem Mill in Hebden Bridge.
This week we took the Hebden Bridge Elfins foraging for wild food in Nutclough Woods with Jesper Launder, local medical herbalist and wild food expert.
We met at Nutclough Housing Cooperative who very kindly allowed us to use their community room, and Jesper led the group through the woods looking out for interesting edible things. Our Elfins learned to identify tasty and beneficial things to eat on the woodland floor and hiding in treeholes, including wood sorrel, turkey tail fungi, pig nuts and other natural nibbles.
Jesper is a really engaging presenter and he had the group fascinated by his knowledge and understanding of the natural environment. Most Elfins were keen to try new and unusual foodstuffs, although looking at George's face (second from bottom left corner) I am not so sure he shared their enthusiasm.
Having braved the rain and midges we gathered in the Nutclough Tavern for (ready made) watercress and nettle soup and a rendition of There's a Hole in my Bucket, a new song for the group, led by Rob, Eli and Monty. Some Elfins hadn't heard it before and it was great to spot the moment when they realised the funny ending. In case you don't know it, here's Harry Belafonte and Odetta doing the song way back in 1960:
And as usual, no Woodies group night would be complete without our closing song - Link Your Hands Together.
It was a great night - special thanks to Nutclough and Jesper.
This week we used our Elfins group night to start out group on the journey towards their first badge - I Begin. This badge is awarded in recognition of Elfins having a sense of loyalty and belonging to their Woodcraft Group. We are going away on a residential in two weeks so decided to use the preparation of a group kit list as the theme for gaining the I Begin badge.
The I Begin badge is awarded on completion of 5 elements:
1. Six Weeks Membership - the majority of the Hebden Bridge group have done this 2. Draw or colour the Woodcraft Folk symbol - we're going to make a large one to leave at Height Gate 3. Be Helpful - Elfins always help tidy away chairs, set up snacks and prepare activities 4. Pass a Message - we'll do this at camp 5. Learn and participate in 4 co-operative games
We split our Elfins into 4 groups, got them to draw around one of their number on a large sheet of paper, and then supported them to work as teams to draw all the items they'd need to take on camp. Here are some pictures of them hard at work.
Every so often, we'll use this blog to give you a bit more information about what we do and why we do it. This entry is about the structure of group nights.
Ceremony and rhythm are really important aspects of Woodcraft Folk. Elfins take quite readily to ceremonies, their romantic appeal and uniqueness adding a richness and colour which may be absent from other aspects of modern life. That's why we ensure that a typical Elfins group night has a number of fixed events. They are:
Opening Circle This marks the formal start of the session. We sit in a circle and the group is welcomed by the leader for the evening. A talking stick is passed around and everyone is given the opportunity to speak their name and tell their fellow Elfins a piece of news from their week. The aim of the stick is to make sure that everyone listens to whoever has it, and that everyone is heard.
The Creed The Elfin Creed is a declaration - a simple statement of intent or purpose which embodies the ideals of Woodcraft Folk. There's lots of different creeds that have evolved since the 1920s when Woodcraft was founded. You can read them here. Hebden Bridge Elfins recite the version that was popular in the 1960s and 70s. It goes like this:
I will grow strong and straight - like the pine; Supple of limb - like the hare; Keen of eye like the eagle; I will seek health from the greenwood, Skill from crafts, And wisdom from those who will show me wisdom. I will be a worthy comrade in the Green Company, And a loyal member of the World Family.
As Elfins settle into the group, they gradually grow to learn it and gain confidence in speaking it out loud.
Closing Circle This is where we give final notices - like news about forthcoming activities - and say farewell. We always finish with the Woodcraft anthem 'Link Your Hands Together', with everyone crossing arms and holding hands with their neighbours (a bit like when you do Auld Lang Syne). It's quite a stirring tune with lovely words that capture the spirit of Woodies:
Link your hands together A circle we make; This bond of our friendship No power can break. Let's all sing together In one merry throng; Should any be weary We'll help them along; Should any be weary We'll help them along.
Again, the words to all three verses a can be found on the Wikipedia entry.
