The Pagan Federation North West Annual Conference.  

Friends’ Meeting House, Lancaster

Saturday 8th September 2011 

Featuring the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witch trails.

Craft faire, "meet the groups", cafe, kids room, healing circle, disabled facilities, gardens, get togethers, and all right by Lancaster station, a stone’s throw from the castle and the multitude of restaurants, bars and cafes of this charming city. 

 With many thanks to the Pagans of Lancaster, and the Lancaster University Pagan Society for their assistance in putting on this event.  

Featuring

 The Pendle Witches

The Pendle Witchtrials  in context

Deborah Lea did her PhD at Liverpool University on "Witchcraft,  Possession and Confession; tension in early modern Lancashire". Today she uses her huge knowledge of the times and the culture in which the Witchtrials happened to start the day setting the scene telling us the story of the Pendle Witches.

 Witch Persecutions Today, why and how they occur 

Gary Foxcroft,  is the co-founder of Stepping Stones Nigeria, a charity that works in the Niger Delta to protect the rights of disadvantaged children, particularly those who’ve been accused of witchcraft.  Gary talks about causes and consequences of such persecutions today, and how Stepping Stones works to stop them.

Tour – Meet in Cafe

Foo Tipper is a long standing member of the Pagan community in Lancashire and knowledgeable about many Pagan paths. She lives in Lancaster, and today uses her knowledge of the Pendle Witches, and the geography of Lancaster, to show you places of relevance in this story of one of the most notorious Witch trials in Great Britain.  

  Shamanism, an experiential talk.

 Jules Farrer is a scholar and practitioner of Shamanism who weaves its ancient magic into her spiritual practice within the north west Pagan community, and is much valued for her clear sighted wisdom therein. She takes us with her into the space between the worlds, where we can experience the essence of Shamanic consciousness. 

 Modern Pagan Witchcraft

Kathy and Kevin Rowan-Druitt are sought out  throughout the North West for their popular courses and workshops in astrology, Kabalah, Magic and Wicca. Today they share their knowledge and experience of modern Witchcraft.
 

 Story-telling within Heathenry.

Craig Slee is a highly respected member of the Lancashire Heathen community, and offers a deeper look into layers of myth and magic in the world of Heathen religion today, with particular reference to the ancient and contemporary use of story telling as a route to sacred knowledge and experience.

The Healing Hour

Margaret Silvermoon is a Wiccan High Priestess who runs the Silvermoon Holistic Centre in Blackpool, the Wolf Stone Camp in Silverdale, and former Regional Co-ordinator for the Pagan Federation. She has a life long interest in healing,  so also trained in spiritual healing  and is a Reiki master. Today she hosts an hour of healing; anyone is welcome to come to join in, to contribute to healing others, or to receive healing themselves. All paths and forms of healing are welcome in this meditive space. 

Clairvoyance and Psychism in Pagan Practice

Linda Sever is a popular speaker at conferences, camps and events, and is the latest co-ordinator of the popular long running Wood Spirit camp. She is former documentary film maker at the BBC, now lecturing in film production at UCLan, and a well known Heathen.  Her book on the Sacred Landscapes of Lancashire is highly rated by scholars and practitioners alike.  Linda’s talk will takes us into the world of clairvoyance and pyschism in Paganism today.

The Secret life of Bees

 Morgana Sythove is the Manager for Pagan Federation International, basically everywhere but the UK and Scandinavia. She has been instrumental in developing Paganism in South America, the Baltic and Eastern Europe. A Gardnerian elder and very knowledgeable magician she talks today about the mythology, folklore and use of bees in magic throughout the ages.

Intuitive tarot reading.

Janet Budd is an Alexandrian High Priestess who also runs many retreats and workshops, including effective healing and reconsecration rites  for battered women. She is the regional co-ordinator for Pagan Federation Central Lancashire, and co-ordinates and officiates hand fastings in the North West. Today she shares how to deepen our intuitive tarot work, reaching beyond correspondences and into the collective unconscious.

 Pagan Pathways

 Judith Keane is an Alexandrian/Gardnerian High Priestess who works in a senior position in Mental Health. A long term coven leader she has been a part of the pagan community for many years, and is highly respected for her work. Today she talks about how different types of people find paths within Paganism that work for them,  and how best to find the ones that speak to our heart and facilitate  our true will.

Hermetic Vision, Modern Psychology and Magic

Rufus Harrington is an Alexandrian/Gardnerian High Priest. He has worked with ritual magic for over 25 years. He is a Senior University lecturer and consultant cognitive behavioural psychotherapist. Today he will lead a workshop exploring Hermetic and Wiccan Magic and demonstate how modern psychological skills can be woven with ancient magical practice.

 Ritual

 Co-ordinated and organised by Jez Green, who has been instrumental in creating and sustaining the vibrant Pagan community in Lancaster, and Ceri Norman, a popular moot leader, and many other local Pagans, this is a community rite that has been created by volunteers  for this event.  Please bring a small amount of water from your area, and if you like some thing  that cannot be damaged by water, and does not require fire, for the coummunal altar. If you haven’t brought these, don’t worry, just bring yourselves!

 Social

Led in a local hostelry by the Lancashire Pagans, one whose birthday it is, Kay, invites us to celebrate with her.

Tickets

Children under the age of 16 are free. Members £17, non members £20, membership may be bought on the day.  

Other Information:

  Children’s room. This is a room where people with kids can withdraw from talks and workshops to draw, play lego etc, or play their own nintendos etc, but is not supervised by us, and all children remain the responsibility of parents and carers at all times. Please use the stuff on the tables and do not open the draws, these belong to the children of the  Lancashire Quaker.

  Provision for disability. If you have any disability and would like help please let us know and we will assign you an assistant, downstairs is set up for disabilities but one room upstairs is not, so we can schedule talks according to your needs.  

 Parking nearby. The venue is hundreds of years old with a walled garden, and a lovely atmosphere right in the city centre, so there is only limited disabled parking (please bring your blue badge); local council sites and the railway parking are nearby. If you drive past the venue and over the railway bridge you will find the big British Rail Carpark, which has cheaper rates at week ends.

Train is the best option.The venue is literally next door to the station.

No alcohol on the premises. The venue is gorgeous, and a space where all religions or none are welcome. It asks us only to honour their Quaker traditions so alcohol is not allowed on the premises, but there are many bars nearby if people wish to socialise with a drink, and we will all go to the pub afterwards to meet up for the evening.

Smoking in designated areas only. There are designated smoking areas with ashtrays just be the side door.

Accommodation. There is a vast variety of accommodation in the area, including pubs, guesthouses, hotels and B&Bs. Budget accommodation can be booked in the youth hostel in Arnside,  travel lodge in Morecambe, and slightly more in the nearby Lancaster central travel lodge. 

Other Related Events of Interest

A year-long series of events to mark the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witch Trials, details at the Lancashire Evening Post site - www.lep.co.uk and, group with news and views of the events on Facebook with the name Lancashire Witches 400. 

·         Shared Earth has a Pagan Pride float (complete with megaliths, being built now, all welcome to join in) in the Preston Guild parade on Friday 7^th September (http://www.shared-earth.org.uk/)  and is involved in a torchlight parade after the conference finishes on Saturday 8th. Pitch in now, or go one stop by train, or just down the motorway, to watch on Friday 7^th or evening of Saturday 8th.

Final Timetable for the Day·          

Doors open for stalls 9 am, ticket holders 9.30 am

Opening 10.00  Melissa Harrington. From early modern fear to late modern religion, how we came to this, & Remembering the Pendle Witches.

Introducing the team with   Jez Green, Foo Tipper, Ceri Turner.

 Lancashire Witches      Main Hall.  Chair Jez Green

10.30– 11.15               Debbie Lea - The context of the Pendle Witch Trials.  

11.15 -11.45                Coffee break.

11.45–12.30                Judith Keane. Modern Paganism, finding our way.

12. 30 – 1.15               Lunch.

1.15 – 2.00                  Gary Foxcroft  - Witch Persecutions Today, why and how they occur.

2.15 – 3.15                  Foo Tipper. Tour of Local sites of interest relating to the Pendle Witches

3.15 – 3.45                  Tea.

3.45 – 4.30                  Cathy and Kevin  Rowan Druitt – 21^st Century Witchcraft.

4.30                             Meet the contacts in your region of the Pagan Federation.

Cumbria and North Lancs, Central Lancashire, Isle of Mann.

4.45                             Gather for ritual in main Hall.

5.00-5.45                     Ritual, followed by social led by Lancastrian Pagans.

Paganism today.    Upstairs       Chair Derek Stokes

11.45 -12.30                Jules Farrar.  Shamanism, an experiential talk

12.30-1.15                   Lunch

1.15– 2.00                   Linda Sever. Clairvoyance and Psychism in Pagan Practice.      

2.15-3.15                     Tour or shopping, chatting,  or Healing (downstairs).

3.15-3.45                     Tea.

3.45 – 4.30                  Rufus Harrington. Hermetic Vision, Modern Psychology and  Magic      

4.30                             Meet the groups, downstairs.

4.45pm                        Gather for ritual in main hall for ritual.

5.00pm                        Ritual.

Magic and myth.  Downstairs room       Chair  Kay Nic Niall

11.45 – 12.30             Morgana Sythove. The secret life of bees

12.30 – 1.15                Lunch

1.15 – 2.00                  Janet Budd. Intuitive tarot reading

2.15  – 3.15                 Maggie Silvermoon. Healing Hour.  

3.15 – 3.45                  Tea.

3.45 – 4.30                  Craig Slee. Story-telling within Heathenry.                                                        

4.30                             Meet the contacts in your region, Manchester, Liverpool, Oldham/Bolton

4.45                             Gather for ritual in main hall.

5.00                             Ritual.