On Saturday 5th January a group of about 120 Brighton Permaculture Trust volunteers gathered for the annual Wassail.
Wassail is a greeting meaning ‘Be of good health’. Orchards are wassailed to awaken the trees and encourage new growth and a bountiful harvest to the apple trees.
The evening started at Hollingdean Community Orchard with traditional singing, rituals, drinking and noise making (to awake the trees and scare the evil spirits away!), followed by a long walk to Stanmer Park.
The celebrations continued around a fire at the lovely 100 year old ‘Old Stanmer Orchard’ with more blessing trees, making noise and then nominating our King and Queen child for the night before proceeding, with a flaming torch lit procession to the Home Farm Orchard for fire, food, drinks and more singing!
