Twenty-four new bards were welcomed into the College of Bards of Gorsedh Kernow at Callington this weekend - including our Board member Sue Hill, and fprmer Board member Tamsin Daniel.
They were brought into the renowned organisation by the Grand Bard of Cornwall, Pol Hodge, Mab Stenak Veur, at a ceremony on Saturday 7 September, in recognition of their outstanding work in serving Cornwall.
Gorsedh Kernow was established with the aim of celebrating and promoting Cornwall’s distinctive Celtic culture and many of this year’s new bards are honoured for working in their community to nurture and promote Cornish culture.
Both colleagues have played a valued part of our project to restore the Gardeners' House, and we are delighted to see this recognition of their contribution to Cornish culture.
Tamsin Daniel was recognised for her work in reclaiming and restoring buildings of Cornish national identity and culture, and Sue Hill was recognised for promoting Cornish identity and culture through community arts and celebration in Kernow.
Not all Bards are Cornish, and not all are resident in Cornwall. There are bards in Australia and North America, invited to become bards because of their work promoting Cornwall.
A person who is considered worthy of bardship must be proposed by an existing bard, who is required to submit a citation to the Gorsedh in support of his or her candidate. Each nominee is in turn considered by the Gorsedh Council and, if found satisfactory, she or he is duly invited to become a bard.
Bards choose a Bardic name in Cornish, which is generally relevant to their place of birth, their particular vocation or the work which has led them to be invited into the Gorsedh.
Tamsin's chosen name is ‘Masvresek’ meaning ‘Well-intentioned’ and Sue's Bardic name translates as ‘Maker of Giants’.
Tamsin and Sue (second left, and first right) are pictured alongside fellow Bards, including Kim Conchie and Kurt Jackson.
The new bards for 2024 are:
Cam Andrever-Wright, London: By examination in the Cornish language and continuing work for Kernow
Jennifer Blockley, Launceston: By examination in the Cornish language and continuing work for Kernow
Judith Cayzer, South Petherwin: By examination in the Cornish language and continuing work for Kernow
Arthur Coates, Victoria, Australia: For his extensive services to Cornish Identity in Australia
Kim Conchie, Falmouth: For his extensive contribution to cultural life in Kernow
Tamsin Daniel, Penzance: For her work reclaiming and restoring buildings of Cornish national identity and culture
Suzanne Elliot, London: By examination in the Cornish language and continuing work for Kernow
Sue Hill, Redruth: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture through Community Arts and Celebration in Kernow
Kurt Jackson, St. Just in Penwith: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture through Visual Art and Poetry
Emma Jenkin, Truro: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture through working for the Cornish Language
Peter Joseph, Heamoor, Penzance: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture through the mining and industrial history of Kernow
Andrew Long, Callington: For promoting Cornish Identity through his extensive work in the community
Dickon Moon, Cobham, Surrey: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture through exceptional service to Cornish Rugby
Brian Oldham, Liskeard: For his services to the archaeology and history of the Liskeard district
Les Pierce, Callington: For his long and continuing work for Kernow
Elizabeth Rowe, Harpist: For services to Gorsedh Music
Robynne Sanderson, Broken Hill, N.S.W., Australia: For services to Cornish Identity in Australia
Taran Spalding-Jenkin, Bristol: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture through his performance poetry and storytelling
Alex Taylor, Penzance: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture through Cornish Dance
Barbara Tremewan, Perranporth: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture by her outstanding work in the Community of Perranzabuloe
Julia Twomlow, Porthcurno: For leading and promoting an awareness of Cornwall’s historical contributions in the museum sector, both nationally and internationally
Guy Watson, Helston: For promoting Cornish Identity and Culture through Cornish Drama
Sandy Weitzel, Mineral Point, Wisconsin, U.S.A.: For services to Cornish Identity in the U.S.A.
Sharron Wormald, St.Clether: By examination in the Cornish language and continuing work for Kernow