8:51am Wednesday 23rd April 2008
By Ian McDonald
TWO of the founding members of a pagan group have quit to form their own temple.
Suky and John Burton say they feel the Dolmen Grove order has changed its course and they now want to follow their own path.
So they have resigned from the Dolmen Grove and renamed their Dorchester-based group the Temple of the Cauldron.
The move comes soon after the departure of former member Ian Temple, who left to launch the Dorset Grove last month.
Antique shop owner and mother-of-five Suky said: "We just felt we would let them go their own way and we would go ours.
"We just want to follow our own path and we're keen to get the Temple of the Cauldron established."
Suky is a widely recognised face in the field of witchcraft and John has been involved in druid practice for more than 30 years.
The duo said they would continue to hold classes in all aspects of paganism - independently of the Dolmen Grove.
Suky said: "We want the Temple of the Cauldron to be open to everybody from the pagan community, not just those who belong to the Dolmen Grove.
"There are lots of people following paganism in Dorset who don't want to belong to such an organisation, so this is a viable alternative for them.
"There is no animosity whatsoever. We'd like to take this opportunity to wish all members of the Dolmen Grove truth, wisdom and happy blessings."
Tony Jameson, who is chairman of the Dolmen Grove committee, said Suky and John had the organisation's blessings.
He said: "It's one of those things. If people wish to leave and set up their own temples they can go ahead with our blessing and our friendship. We're just trying to distance ourselves from people who call themselves pagan warriors and high priests and priestesses, things like that.
"We're not trying to dictate to people what they can and can't do but we just don't recognise those titles in the Dolmen Grove.
"We're not attacking them. But people are all equal spiritually and we want to keep people's feet on the ground."
For more information on the Temple of the Cauldron and its courses and circles visit www.templeofthecauldron.co.uk
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