Buckfast Abbey were delighted to welcome Driving Instructors from across the Country on Saturday 2nd November, who were raising funds for Children in Need in The Big Learner Relay 2019. Learner drivers take their lessons from one point to the next, all forming a relay which circumnavigates the country in 2 weeks. Saturday’s route started at Lands End and included 13 stops throughout the day until arriving in Dorchester. Find out more about the rest of their journey here http://www.biglearnerrelay.co.uk

On Saturday, 19th October, 2019 Buckfast Abbey Bookshop held an ‘Inspirational Lives Day,’ in the Higher Mill. We were delighted to welcome 3 guests, all long established friends of our Bookshop. We welcomed back Humanitarian, Terry Waite, CBE who had also helped us celebrate the Abbey’s Millennium last year with ‘An Evening with Terry Waite.’ Terry gave a fascinating and inspirational talk which included details of the lead up to his captivity and also his life as a hostage in Beirut for almost 5 years. We were also delighted to welcome Tracey Elliot-Reep, a photographer, author and adventuress who lives on Dartmoor. She travels alone on horseback to far flung corners of the world and had many exciting, poignant and amusing anecdotes about her adventures. Our other speaker was Julian Hight who kindly offered to step in at the very last moment when Benjamin Mee, author of ‘We Bought a Zoo’ had to cancel. Julian gave a fascinating insight into ancient trees, which he catalogues, recording their history and legend for posterity. His book launch was the previous evening so his book was literally hot off the presses! All authors also talked about their charity work, which was a varied mix. Their books were also on sale throughout the day and are all available pre-signed by the authors, in our Bookshop. Everyone left the event feeling truly inspired and all agreed that they had had a really enjoyable day.

We had two days of workshops for primary schools (Thursday 11th and Friday 12th) and two festival days for families (Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th) which involved workshops, talks, events and shows!

Our Annual Summer Food & Craft Fair was held on Saturday 6th July for the third year. There was an amazing mix of passionate local businesses who presented a bountiful display of food, drink and crafts from the South West of England.

The Well-being Garden was blessed by Father Francis Superior of the Abbey Monastery, the garden was designed & built by the abbey garden department. The idea was to provide an area of peace and stillness in a busy school day.

Our second garden fayre was held on Saturday 1st June bathed in beautiful sunshine. The event was supported by over 130 stall holders and 7,000 visitors. There were numerous talks from inspiring people, rural skills and crafts, incredible local produce and plants galore!

Images from the Celebration of Easter Sunday Mass at Buckfast Abbey

Celebration of the Lord’s Passion At 3 p.m. on Good Friday, Churches all over the world re-live the moment when our Lord Jesus Christ died to set us free from sin and death. Reading the gospel account of His crucifixion, venerating an image of that terrible and glorious moment, and receiving Him into our bodies in the Holy Eucharist, we stand at the foot of his Cross in sorrow and hope; sorrow that our sins are what make it necessary for him to die, and hope that we will stand with Him again, with all our sins forgiven, as he rises from the dead.

Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Celebrating the Lord’s gift of the Holy Eucharist. This Mass includes the Washing of the Feet in imitation of Jesus at the Last Supper, when he washed his discples’ feet to show them what true love, and true leadership, looks like. The Mass ends with a procession taking the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose.

Blessing of Palms

During break in rehearsals the boys of Westminster Cathedral Choir School wanted to sing some plain chant they had been preparing. Father Francis Superior of the monastery, was delighted to hear a wonderful rendition of Vexilla Regis, a Latin hymn first performed of the 19th of November 569 AD, and following that they were kind enough to present to him a copy of their latest CD

Visit Dartmoor Members Day was held at the Conference Centre at Buckfast Abbey where there were presentations by Jo Butler of Visit Dartmoor, Bill Hitchens and Rebecca Martin of Dartmoor National Park Authority, followed by Garden Tours and guided tours of the Bell Tower.

On Tuesday 12th February 2019 the money raised by the Millennium Fund during 2018, the Millennium of Foundation of Buckfast Abbey, was presented to the five Devon Hospices as a Thanksgiving Gift.