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