Ritual to Combat Global Warming

We've been alerted to a ritual to combat Global Warming that is to take place on August 25th. I thought I'd let people know so you can participate if you are interested. It's being organised by the group 'Silver Owls' and full information can be found on their website, www.silverowls.co.uk.

Witches' Almanac Reviews 'Songs of Witchcraft & Magic'

For those who take The Witches' Almanac, look out in the next edition for a review of the museum's CD. It is a US publication but can be found in some bookstores in the UK.

Friends now a registered charity

Hoorah! After much work by the 'Friends of the Museum of Witchcraft' team, the 'Friends' is now a registered charity. This opens all sorts of new fundraising opportunities, not to mention recognition by official museum bodies and the world! The museum team congratulates the new charity trustees who have worked so hard to achieve this status. There should be tax advantages as well, and the 'Friends' can now take advantage of the Gift Aid scheme for membership fees and donations.

Radio 2 to play Songs of Witchcraft & Magic - again

Mike Harding is planning to play another track or two either this Wednesday or next on Folk on 2 so have a listen. Good reviews keep coming in & sales are going well. We are having to do a second run of CDs which is a great sign.

The museum is a tad quiet this weekend as so many people are stranded due to the floods, unable to get to their holiday destinations. We've been spared the bad weather down here (touch wood) but it's horrendous to see the images on the news.

Our 'Flood Aid from Boscastle' flood fund is going well. We've raised £2,570 for Catcliffe in Yorkshire in one week & as I write, we're packing the many comfort boxes which have been donated into a car to be delivered in the next week or so. The people of Boscastle & Cornwall have been extremely generous so far. We're hoping other villages will start a similar scheme, especially now that the flood situation has worsened.

CD reviews

greetings all
thought I'd put on a couple of reviews of the CD 'Songs of Witchcraft & Magic', for your reading pleasure. Mandrake Speaks & Folk Radio UK have both recently done some gorge reviews.

Mandrake Speaks says: 'Unlike the previous excellent CD emanating from Boscastle's amazing museum, this one is not locally produced but is in fact a compilation of many wonderful tracks from previously issued albums and artists. For example the ever famous Thomas the Rhymer is here included in the version of Both Shine As One by Ron Taylor & Jeff Gillett. Or the Song Alison Gross, made famous for me at least by 1970s folk rockers Steeleye Span is here included in the very fine version of Last Leaves by Malinky Greentrax. So this is a great compilation and you're gonna kick yourself if you don't buy it. Includes a lovely CD cover, lyrics and photographs from the museum whose work all profits will help support. '#

Click on the Folk Radio UK link to read what they have to say.

Latest on Flood Appeal

Graham is currently up in Catcliffe (the badly flood affected village in Yorkshire) to check out exactly where our help can be directed. There is widespread damage and many people are homeless, especially the elderly. He's liaising with the Parish Council & the local vicar to work out how best to utilise any money we raise. We're also putting together comfort boxes. We got the idea from a wonderful Devon coven who sent us a box of goodies after the flood here in 2004. It was much appreciated so we thought they might cheer up some people in Catcliffe. He'll be back tomorrow with an update so I'll have more info then.

On the museum front, all is well & visitor numbers remain quite good. The CD is still going well & The Boscastle Trading Co next door has been a popular addition to Boscastle (if only temporary). Remember we sell Museum t shirts and prints in there as well. We've also just got in some of John Hooper's cards featuring his amazing photographs (Alex Sanders' fans take note) and we have a small selection of Hedingham Fair t shirts & cards. Glass knitting needles (hand made replicas of a pair in the museum) are available here too. The other option to purchase museum items is on The Occult Art Company website.

Flood Aid from Boscastle

News re Flood Aid from Boscastle or 'FAB' for short. Apologies re the break in blogging but we've been beavering away here trying to get a local fundraising scheme going for the flood victims up north. After our flood in 2004 Boscastle benefited greatly from the generosity of the people of the UK and elsewhere so, with this recent hideous flooding in Yorkshire & surrounding areas, we were wondering how we could give something back. We came up with several ideas: local businesses clubbing together to put donation pots in the village shops, holding coffee mornings, concerts etc. We wanted to make it fairly formal so we've opened a bank account dedicated to the fund and formed a committee so it's as organised as possible. We've contacted the Lord Mayor of Sheffield & the vicars and Parish Councillors of some of the affected towns. As well as funds they have expressed an interest in people who were affected by the floods in Boscastle to come and speak to affected people up there. That may be something we'll look into down the track. At first we will try to focus on small specific areas so the funds are not diluted. I'd like to point out this is not just a museum initiative but involves many people in Boscastle, and the numbers are growing. We should be up & running with this in the next few days so if your visiting & see a donation pot, please consider helping out. We're not a very big village but we hope we can help in any way we can - just as a tiny way of saying thanks for those who helped us.