Firle Bonfire

For about a fortnight three years ago Firle Bonfire Society became the spotlight of the national media’s attention in one of those news stories that split the country’s opinions right down the middle. It’s high time all that was forgotten, and the village’s bonfire celebrations were celebrated as an occasion in their own right. “You can’t rewrite history,” says Roz South, spokesperson and photographer for the society. “But you can learn from it and go forward in a positive way.” This year there’s a special celebration to help draw a line under the problems of the past. The 25th anniversary of the society’s reformation should prove to be a spectacular event ‘a real bonfire aficionado’s occasion’ as Roz puts it.

Records of the society go back to the 1870’s when the Ram, as it still is now, was the centre of all the activity. The society folded in 1970, and was resurrected 16 years later; it’s now as strong as ever with about 300 members, from Glynde and Beddingham as well as Firle. The procession, featuring Valencian, Spanish Ladies and Nelson’s Naval costumes, starts at 7pm: fireworks should start some time after nine. It used to be a bugger to get a drink in the Ram: this problem has been sorted by the new owners who now provide an outside bar. No doubt there will be a little residual national media attention focussed on the event this year: we’re just going to go out there and have a damn good time. AL