Bishop John Ford, Chairman of the
Glastonbury Pilgrimage Association writes:

    I consider it a privilege to take over as Chairman of the Council at this particular time and assure everyone of my prayerful support. I was a pilgrim to Glastonbury during my teenage years, and I well remember the pilgrimage procession with its proliferation of thuribles and assorted clergy robed in copes with birettas on their heads attended by countless servers. I recall only too well the long sermons, exceeded only by the long queues of traffic, particularly when the pilgrimage clashed with the early gatherings of the now world famous music festival associated with the town. I can recall sitting on our coach from Basingstoke feeling guilty that a part of me wished I was taking the parallel pilgrimage route the end of which was equally colourful in its attire and, by all accounts, also had clouds of smoke surrounding it – well it was the 60’s!

    Visit the Glastonbury Festival website and you will discover that their 2010 assembly was sold out months ago! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could make a similar claim for our pilgrimage this year? Not that we could ever sell out since there is room for all and any at the feast which for us is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. Could I not only invite you, all but also challenge you, to advertise the pilgrimage in the best way possible – that is by personal invitation to others to join you? Embarrassment over numbers will not be the only thing we have in common with the alternative Festival. They also have a connection with Water Aid and our commitment to continue to raise funds to provide clean water for people in Uganda still exists and will do so at least for the next couple of years.