Two new Triratna groups launch in UK

News has just come in of two new Triratna Buddhist groups starting, in Totnes (Devon, UK), and Barry (outside Cardiff, Wales).  They’ll be led by Harry Burgess, Nissoka and Katie (in Totnes) and Sagaradana (in Barry).  Totnes' new website is at www.totnesbuddhistcommunity.wordpress.com; Barry's is still in development but will be at www.barrymeditationcentre.co.uk

The first Totnes class Meditation and Buddhism class is this Wednesday March 2^nd, , from 7.30 – 9.15 at the Quaker Meeting House, and Harry says "it's totally free!"  In Barry they start on Thursday March 31^st - check their website for more details. 

Sadhu!

The image shows all current UK Triratna groups - click to go to the interactive Google map.

Meanwhile the UK Buddhist world is gearing up for next month’s UK Census, which will include the optional question “What is your religion?”  The UK’s Network of Buddhist Organisations (NBO) estimates there could be as many as 500,000 Buddhists in the UK - and recently mailed out campaign posters to over 1,000 UK Buddhist groups!  More on this tomorrow.

Worcester buys their Buddhist Centre

The FWBO's Worcester Buddhist Centre have had a remarkable fundraising success - putting together the money needed to buy their Centre in just over four weeks!

Vajragupta reports - 

"Around 2002, FWBO classes began in Worcester run by Order members from the Birmingham Buddhist Centre. Over the years a small, budding sangha slowly emerged. The classes were held in hired rooms, which weren’t always that quiet or atmospheric.

"Then in early 2009 a couple of us started a small community in a rented house and for the first time the Worcester Sangha had its own home, a place where people could meet and meditate together in a dedicated shrine room.

"But in mid-January this year the landlords said their situation had changed and they needed to sell the house. It was very unlikely we’d find such a good house again, and, even if we did, the same thing could happen all over again. It looked like we had to take a rather disheartening step backwards.

"It seemed like a very long shot, but we just thought we’d see if we could raise enough money for a deposit to buy the house. First one person offered a large loan on generous terms. Then another person made a very generous gift. Maybe we could do it after all? We started asking more people outside Worcester for help. Many people in Birmingham responded with gifts. Word spread. One Order member in another city wrote and said her daughter had once attended the group and she’d like to help. A few other Buddhist Centres chipped in. It got more and more inspiring!

"The upshot is that - amazingly - we raised £55,000 in four weeks and are now in the process of buying the house. The Worcester Sangha will have a more secure home for years to come. We’re very grateful for the generosity that has made this possible".

Sadhu Worcester!

More details of their program on their website at www.worcesterbuddhistcentre.org.uk

The FWBO’s Worcester Centre - formally known as the ‘Worcester Buddhism and Meditation Group’ - has celebrated the new year in style by establishing themselves in their first full-time centre premises. They've been able to rent a house on the outskirts of town that will serve as the focal point for their substantial sangha, and double up as a small community for some of those most involved.

First established by Vajragupta, Vipulakirti, and others in 2003, it’s one of a number of ‘satellite’ groups started over the past few years by the large Birmingham Buddhist Centre- and the first to find its own full-time premises.

So, for them at least, no more Buddhas travelling to the weekly class strapped to the back seat of the car!

FWBO News wishes them well in their new home – you’ll find more photos of this on Facebook.

The Birmingham Buddhist Centre also runs classes in Sutton Coldfield and Shrewsbury, and has just begun a class in Warwick.

New FWBO UK groups

FWBO News has learnt of a number of new Buddhism and meditation classes springing up around Britain. In keeping with the devolved and decentralized nature of the FWBO, we’re often the last to know, but are proud to present the following details for those who might be interested.

In Somerset, Bhadra (francis.self [at] tiscali.co.uk) has been running classes in his home village of Batcombe, and has plans to extend to Wells and possibly Shepton Mallet.

Vajrasara (vajrasara [at] fwbo.org), who has just moved to Frome, is starting classes there soon, and Lokabandhu (lokabandhu [at] fwbo.org), also a new arrival to the area and living in Glastonbury, will be running classes from his home in central Glastonbury from April 3rd.

Alobhin (dpsnail [at] hotmail.com) is planning to move to Leicester and start a centre in 2008, assisted by Sanghaketu and Janaka. This April there will be a dedication ceremony followed by a retreat July 13-15th.

In Carlisle Lalitavajra (lalitavajra [at] rediffmail.com) has recently settled there and will be beginning classes from early summer.

Across the country, in Suffolk, Bodhivamsa and Harshaprabha (harshaprabha [at] gbstephen.com) have started the Woodbridge Buddhist Group in – guess where?! – Woodbridge; and up in Scotland Vajrahridaya (vajrahridaya [at] hotmail.com), who hails from Pune in India, has started classes in Stirling – he has lived for some years now at nearby Dhanakosa retreat centre.

Not brand new, but little-known (and certainly absent from our listings on www.fwbo.org), are the classes in Winchester, which Paramajyoti (aaanthony@btinternet.com) has been running for some years now, and – an especial delight to report – the classes that Sampada, aged 86, continues to run from her home in Truro, Cornwall (01209 890 997).

FWBO News would be delighted to hear from any Order Members or Mitras who are also running Buddhism or meditation classes and are not currently listed in www.fwbo.org