The Friends of Lordship Rec’s Wassail!
Saturday 19 January 2019

Procession from the Hub to the Orchard (Wassail 2018)

Toast to the trees​

​Here's to thee old apple tree
Whence thou may'st bud and whence thou may'st blow
And whence thou may'st bear apples enow
Hats full, caps full, bushel, bushel sacks full,
And my pockets full too!
Hip hip hooray!

Wassail poem by Elizabeth

​
​We are the eager few
Who still mark the old customs;
Who come to sing ‘Waes Hael’ –
Or ‘Be Well’ – to the fruit trees.
We need not believe that our noise
Will awaken the sleeping spirits,
Or frighten off the demons
That lurk in the branches.
We just need to believe
That trees deserve our help                                                          
In exchange for their bounty.
We’re thought ‘Folky’ or ‘New Age’
Or even slightly mad.
But there’s a tree change in the air:
We may still be the few,
But we are growing!

Singing led by Tottenham Community Choir

Story telling by Louise for children (and adults!) ​

Mulled cider, hot sorrel and apple cake served to all.
'Local Fox' mulled cider is produced by the Orchard Project's cider making enterprise that takes unwanted apples from orchards, and turns it into cider in Walthamstow!

Children decorate the trees with ribbons on tree guards or strong branches, and hang ‘toast’  on branches.

There was a well-supported collection for North London Action for the Homeless​

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                                                                                                                                        Thanks from Sally
​Thanks to Friends of Lordship Rec for funding a grant for the Wassail, Carola in the Hub for putting up with me endlessly asking to print and photocopy, Louise for the story telling, Catherine for transporting equipment to and fro, Eddy and Rosa for all round sterling work, particularly as Barista, Peter for being Barista and dispenser of bagels and ribbons, Ella, Margaret and Lynda for yummy apple flapjacks and cakes, to Lynda for being official photographer, Clive for being collector of donations to North London Action for the Homeless (and bringer of the absolutely scrumptious 20 year old German Apple Brandy - I'd go to a Wassail just for another nip of that!), Zac for nifty accordion playing and of course to the absolutely fabulous Tottenham Community Choir members whose singing entertained us so brilliantly.
Sally Haywill  

    And thank you to Sally for organising such a wonderful event

                       Another Wassail song to the trees to encourage a good harvest

Wassaile the trees, that they may beare
You many a Plum and many a Peare:
For more or lesse fruits they will bring,
As you do give them Wassailing. 
Good health to all!