First wassailing event for community orchard

Jamie Sage said it was good to keep the ancient tradition going

A community orchard in Hornsea held its first wassailing event earlier.

The centuries-old tradition involves blessing fruit trees ahead of spring.

Sharon Rawdon, who organised the ceremony, said she hoped it would ensure "a good crop of apples" for Hornsea's community orchard.

Attendees wore bright clothes and banged on pots and pans – an age-old custom meant to scare off evil spirits.

Ms Rawdon said she was keen to revive "old pagan traditions"

Ms Rawdon said the ceremony was "about the community coming together after a cold, long winter" to "celebrate the coming of the next year".

The orchard is looked after by Home Grown Hornsea, a community group that grows food locally and runs a market.

About 100 varieties of apples are grown there, including the town's own Hornsea Herring.

There are also pears, plums, damsons, cherries, medlars and quince, among other fruits.

Tracey and Kim Dent-Brown wore masks to represent the green woman and the golden stag – spirits of the forest

Tracey Dent-Brown wore a green mask to the event, representing a female version of the green man – an ancient symbol of the coming of spring.

"This is a brilliant thing to do at this time of the year," she said. "It's a really ancient practice to wake up the land, to wake up our energy."

The ceremony is designed to bless the orchard

The event, which traditionally took place on Twelfth Night, also involves a ritual of soaking toast in cider and leaving it around the roots of trees for the spirit of the orchard.

One older resident who attended the ceremony said it was nice to meet people and have a "little nip of the cider" as well.

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