This month’s meeting is all about Autumn and October festivals around the world.

The committee have been plugging away researching information and activities on a different Autumn Festivals that takes places somewhere. I hope that when we are together and learning about them that we will notice maybe some similarities, but maybe understand some differences. I recently took part in a Harvest of the Sea at St Mary at Hill Church in Lovett Lane, it is the Harvest Festival for the Billingsgate Porters, money raised from selling the displayed fresh fish after the service was given to the Seamens Mission. I came home with Barracuda, skate wings and a Tubot head, I had a very fish focused week.

We would like members to come prepared to share their memories of Autumn festivals they have seen or taken part in, will we find differences or similarities in food and customs? The UK has two key ones in Autumn Halloween and Bonfire Night as well as the religious Harvest Festival. does anyone know where the habit of giving extra to the church came from? was the food always given to the needy of the parish? or is it more recent? Was it only my area that involved throwing eggs and flour?