Albion Conclave

Contact: stefan@albionconclave.freeserve.co.uk or
The Albion Conclave, 39 Dalby Road, Anstey, Leicestershire, LE7 7DL.

"Stefan Allen and Simon Owen are the joint chiefs of the Albion Conclave. The original concept behind the Conclave was created from a sincere desire to get to the grass roots of ancient Pagan Druidry with all its warts, pimples and dirt beneath the fingernails still intact. The Albion Conclave has been established for well over a decade now and provides as its corner stone a correspondence course, which hopes to reveal Druidry distanced from the New Age mindset. The course itself runs over a two-year period. There are no grades within the course as the Conclave feels it inappropriate to use the three classes of Bard, Ovate and Druid in relation to the student’s stage of progress upon the course. All three classes of the tradition are covered within the content of the course.

The correspondence course is not designed to express the party line of a Druid Order, there is no dogma to restrict the students personal beliefs, rather it provides detailed information that the student can use in conjunction with their own studies. The first year encompasses a comprehensive study of the Druid tradition, the second year works on a deeper level exploring the world of the Druid Ovate/shaman. This also supports many Druids who in this day and age may feel isolated and therefore forced to work within a solitary framework. The course itself has become highly respected for its research and for refusing to water its Pagan roots down with New Age or Christian ideals, there simply is nothing else like it available!

The Albion Conclave has recently formed its first Groves in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Carnyx is a yahoo site, which provides fellow Conclaver’s the opportunity to communicate via e-mail. Stefan Allen works within his local community bringing the Bardic craft to life for special needs groups, school children, the elderly and fellow pagans alike. Recent developments see the Albion Conclave becoming more involved with the ‘Charnwood Grove of Druids’ founded by Mark Graham, this is one of the largest Druid Groves in the UK, based in leafy Leicestershire.

Stefan Allen also provides workshops from his cabin retreat within the ancient oak woods of Charnwood Forest. With the relaunch of the Conclave after a period of hibernation, sadly the environmentalist, talented Bardic musician/storyteller and Druid historian, Simon Owen, has stood down from taking an active role. The aim of the Albion Conclave is to expand the platform of the correspondence course and create a Druid College, which is able to encompass the great diversity of the ancient and modern Druid tradition, not only supplying knowledge but also supporting Druid lifestyles." (1)

(1) From: http://www.druidnetwork.org/groups/groups/directory/groupsengland.html

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