Wassail

You are all invited to the was­sail at PEDAL’s Donkeyfield Community Orchard on Saturday 26^th January at 2pm.

January is was­sail­ing time.  This is tra­di­tion­ally the time for singing rowdy songs in orch­ards to cel­eb­rate the har­vest from the pre­vi­ous year, chase away evil spir­its and so ensure a good crop in the com­ing sea­son.  Please bring noise mak­ing equip­ment (drums, whistles, pans), bread to hang on the trees, apple juice to soak the bread in, and wear scary clothes if you wish, to scare away any evil spir­its that may be lurking… 

There will be a singing work­shop to learn some tra­di­tion­al was­sail­ing songs for the PEDAL was­sail on Wednesday 23^rd January at 7.00 – 9.00pm at 7 Rosefield Avenue.  Cost £5 per per­son to raise money for the orch­ard.  All wel­come — songs will be taught by ear so no singing exper­i­ence or abil­ity to read music required.  Children and young people wel­come provid­ing they are able to con­cen­trate and join in. Please con­tact Jane Lewis if you wish to come.

Jane will also be run­ning two was­sail­ing singing work­shops on 10^th and 17^th January at 6.30 — 8.30pm at the Eric Liddell Centre — in the Liddell Chapel, with the Open Community Singing Group where we will learn the same songs in pre­par­a­tion for the Apple Wassail on Saturday 19^th January 3 – 5pm at the Royal Edinburgh Community Orchard organ­ised by Transition Edinburgh South.  All wel­come. So if you want to learn some was­sail songs but can­’t make it on 23^rd in Portobello — do come along!