A village near Lichfield has been transported back to the time of King Arthur for a fundraising event.
Woodmill near Yoxall welcomed visitors wearing armour and carrying swords as members of The Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table of King Arthur gathered to help raise money for Acorns Children’s Hospice.
The garden party featured music, Bhangra dancing and fortune telling, as well as a traditional afternoon tea of scones, strawberries and cream. Members also brought along their own Excalibur swords and armour for a show and tell session.
The event was hosted by Christine and David Overend, members of the Lichfield-based Sir Bors chapter. Among those attending was radio personality Malcolm Boyden, who was ceremonially inaugurated into the Fellowship by Professor Roland Rotherham, Knight Seneschal to The Fellowship and a renowned authority on King Arthur.
A spokesperson explained:
“The Fellowship is based on the symbolism and ideals of the Arthurian tradition and more specifically care and consideration for fellow human beings. Non-sectarian, non-political, and without creed or bias, it aims to bring together men and women from all corners of the world, where a sense of belonging and communication will bring contact, knowledge and pleasure, enriching all their lives.”
The Fellowship was originally established in the 1930s and at one point had 17,000 members. After the death of the founder, Frederick Glasscock, membership dwindled to nothing, only to be revived in the 1990s. Today, the Fellowship has members around the world, including Japan, North America, Australia and Europe.
