AN urgent “call to arms” has been issued to help recruit volunteers to helping organise the annual Bawming The Thorn event at Appleton Thorn.
Unfortunately, last year, after many years of dedication and planning many of the organising committee have stood down.
Susan Plass, a Trustee of the Village Hall Committee has now issued a call to arms for volunteers to help with this year’s event on Saturday, June 15.
Appleton Thorn village is the only village in England where the ‘Bawming of the Thorn’ ceremony takes place on the third Saturday of June each year.
The original thorn tree was believed to be an offshoot of the Glastonbury thorn, which grew from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea.
Adam de Dutton, a knight of the Crusades and local landowner, brought it to Appleton. Although the tree was later replaced the tradition of Bawming the Thorn lives on.
Bawming means decoration and the tree is decorated with bows and ribbons. The children from the final year at Appleton Thorn primary school enact a ceremony and dance around the tree to the Bawming song.
Traditionally there is a procession which starts from the Village Hall led by a band followed by the children and parents proceeding down Pepper Street, Chapel Lane and Arley Road back to the Church, where the enactment takes place.
For many years this enactment has been followed by a village fete held on the field by the Village Hall organised by the local villagers, the church and school staff and parent helpers.
Susan said: “Unfortunately, last year, after many years of dedication and planning the committee of Chairperson, Treasurer, Volunteer Organiser, Secretary and Commercial stalls organiser stood down.
“This committee have been responsible for making the Bawming fete possible raising much needed funds for village projects. They must be thanked for all their hard work, well done!!
“Now it is time for others to stand forward as sadly, unless we can persuade volunteers to fill these roles during March, then the event as we have known it will not happen this year.
“The parade and the dancing around the tree will still go ahead and we will have a summer BBQ at the Village Hall.
“I now make a ‘CALL TO ARMS’ for volunteers to fill the above roles. Please support our Bawming Day.”
Any one interested in helping out should contact Susan by email at [email protected]
