QUEEN of Camphill meets Queen of England! It wasn't quite like that, but nearly! Early last summer, when the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire visited Camphill Milton Keynes, he was introduced to Morwenna Bucknall who had been the first English co-worker to join Camphill, in 1944.
The two of them struck-up a lively conversation about Camphill, and about Morwenna's father, Jack Bucknall, who was a socialist priest. Morwenna said something about how we organise money in Camphill, to which the High Sheriff replied "That sounds like communism." Morwenna responded "Ah, but with the spirit!"
A few days later I bumped into the High Sheriff at a petrol station when he said "I've had a mad idea! I want Morwenna to be invited to a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace."
I responded positively, though I was not sure if Morwenna would be too keen on this idea, given her socialist roots. However, when the gold embossed invitation arrived Morwenna straightaway saw it as an opportunity to get some important words into the hands of influential people.
So, later in the summer, I accompanied Morwenna through the gates of Buckingham Palace to the garden party where we saw the Queen from a distance and Prince Philip close up. Morwenna had brought some extracts from a lecture of Rudolf Steiner's on the Fundamental Social Law, but we did not manage to get them into the Prince's hands and thence to Prince Charles, Morwenna being a long-time admirer of Charles's social and environmental initiatives.
Even so, it was a delightful day - sunny, incredibly English, and the hats were amazing. Morwenna wore a white gardening hat from a neighbouring co-workers collection. The refreshments were enjoyable, even though I wish people wouldn't cut-off the edges from cucumber sandwiches. It reminded me of cricket matches at school!
Michael Luxford.
Our photo shows Morwenna Bucknall and Michael Luxford at the gates of Buckingham Palace.