'Heart of Rust' play Allanton on Saturday 29 June!

We’re really looking forward to a fabulous afternoon of outdoor music on Saturday 29th June!

To whet the appetite, here’s the full list…

2 – 4pm
2 pm: Magnus Stout

2.20pm: Rory Butler

2.40pm: Shian Blackwood

3pm: Izzy Trower

3.20pm: Darcy DaSilva and Roy Marchbank

3.40pm: Alistair Ogilvy

4pm-5pm: Flag Ceremony

Opening with Thornhill Pipe Band and Dancers
Choir led by Kate Howard.

5pm – 6.20pm
5pm: Danny Hart

5.20pm: Malcolm Bushby

5.40pm: Zoe Bestel

6pm: Zac Scott

6.20pm onwards

Heart of Rust  -  for more – click here

And the 15th International Peace Festival closes with our legendary OPEN MIC!

Dear Friends,

It’s really hard to believe that this is our 15th World Peace Festival!
Our theme for this year is the ‘Year of Natural Scotland’ so we are
combining our Wildlife Festival with the World Peace Festival. Please do forward our flyer to anyone who you feel will be interested (thank you!).

Last year’s event was wet.  Very wet! But so many people have told us since that they had the best Flag Ceremony yet – as we all crowded into the marquee, safe from the torrents falling outside.  For the first time we were able to include people who were still sitting in their seats, and who became first time flag-carriers.  This felt very warm and inclusive, truly a silver lining!

This year we have two big marquees and are planning on holding the Flag
Ceremony again in the marquee – an ‘all weather’ event!  And if we are blessed
with glorious sunshine then we will just take up the sides of the marquee…

We do hope that you will be able to come along and enjoy!
Wishing you infinite Peace
From all at Allanton  :)

A lovely story in from Wales – where a  Peace Pole has just been dedicated in a well-attended ceremony at the Pales Quaker Meeting House at Llandegley, on Saturday 18^th May.
The Pales Peace Choir, carrying its song of peace, moved  slowly  away from the Meeting House,  along the path to the meditation pool. The words  for peace moved with it: ‘pace’ . . . ‘heddwch’ . . . ‘shanti’. . . ‘salaam’ . . . ‘shalom’ .  Attenders included Roger Williams, MP, and Kirsty Williams, AM and Nia Rhosier, Hon President Fellowship of Reconciliation.  In the ceremony that followed, the event was explained by Pales warden Lynda Williams,
after which there was a minute’s silence, to reflect on what peace means in our lives, as individuals, communities and nations. Those attending laid a pebble by the Pole, to symbolise their commitment to peace. The group then sang their way back up to the Meeting House for tea and a wonderful spread of cakes, provided by the choir and local Quakers.

The Pole has been erected near the Pales Meditation Pond, which is open free of charge to the public all the year round; visitors are always welcome. The Pole can also be viewed online at  www.thepales.webs.com.

We are so much looking forward to seeing you at our 15th World Peace Festival on Saturday 29 June at Allanton House – and we thought you could do with a helpful link to sort out what to wear for that playful little Scottish factor, the weather…
On the basis that there’s no such thing as bad weather, just not enough layers, then click here to get nothing less than the Norwegian Weather Forecast for Auldgirth! We trust the Norwegians to know about the weather, and they have the best jumpers too.

We wish you all the sunniest, loveliest May!  And here at Allanton preparations are already in hand for this year’s World Peace Festival, which will be our fifteenth!
You’ll like to know that we moved the outdoor urinal to a more secluded spot with a nice view last week, and then we tidied up the flower beds.  And that tree creepers are spiraling the trees right outside our office windows!
Here’s the flyer for this year’s lovely World Peace Festival – please help us by sharing it far and wide!

and this is it from the back!

Omkar Ajit Sakharkar and his beautiful artwork

Children from around the world are invited to submit their artworks to The 16th Annual Peace Pals International Arts Exhibition and Awards.  The deadline for sending in your work is 30 June 2013.  You can register online at http://wppspeacepals.org/ then send your work to us here at Allanton House.  Our address is:
Allanton World Peace Sanctuary,
Auldgirth,
Dumfries
DG2 0RY

The theme for Peace Day in 2013 is The International Day of Peace and the winner receives a classic big white peace pole,  with prizes also for 2nd and 3rd, and finalists.

Every year On the 21st of September the world celebrates the International Day of Peace.

What does Peace Day mean to you?

What can you do to make Peace Day happen every day?

Who in your community works toward Peace?

What do you see when you imagine a world in Peace?

Good luck with your entries!

Children from around the world are invited to submit their artwork to the 16th Annual Peace Pals International Art Exhibition and Awards.  The theme for Peace Day in 2013 is The International Day of Peace.

Every year On the 21st of September the world celebrates the International Day of Peace.

What does Peace Day mean to you?

What can you do to make Peace Day happen every day?

Who in your community works toward Peace?

What do you see when you imagine a world in Peace?

Think about these questions and create artwork which symbolizes the meaning of Peace Day for you.

Your artwork MUST include the message, ”May Peace Prevail On Earth“ in English and/or your Native Language.  All art must be done by children, including the writing of May Peace Prevail On Earth.

“The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said”

as Philip Larkin put it.  Our trees are almost coming into leaf, and we’re all really looking forward to spring.  Here’s some photos of our garden, just to whet the appetite.

Our Green Gym volunteers in spring sunshine last year

Garden volunteers planting seed

This is an easy date to remember!  1st April is our April Fools Quiz, in partnership with Wild Seasons.  7pm at Allanton House, Auldgirth.  This is a free event FREE but booking is essential please phone 01387 260377 (or 07702 250958 after office hours).

We promise fantastic fake facts and wacky wildlife whoppers. See if you can tell which of our panel of experts is telling the truth and which is making it up.

Do you actually know if honey bees have hairy eyeballs?