Sacred Women's Drum Circle Facilitator
Expand Your Skills
With
Melonie Syrett
TheDrumWoman
A fully accredited 4 day course for those that wish to hold sacred and safe space for women utilising drums and song.
Fri 13th - Mon 16th June 2025
The Clophill Centre
Bedfordshire
Or
Fri 19th - Mon 22nd September 2025
The Clophill Centre
Bedfordshire
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Drum Circles
Magic happens when we gather...
Come join our tribe!
Melonie runs regular Community and Women's Drum Circles across Essex and in London.
Expect to land in a safe and sacred space, to feel held and supported as we ground, share, drum and sing.
No experience is needed and there are always drums available to borrow.
Sometimes Melonie runs circles elsewhere - these are always advertised in advance - for example at the Festival of Pagans and Witches and in her Women in the Woods collaboration with Wildeye Adventures.
These circles hold a safe space to recieve and release, increasingly raising vibrations and supporting the collective.
See the Schedule for upcoming Drum Circles and booking.
Sacred Women's Drum Circles
Melonie currently runs two women's drum circles.
A monthly Circle on Sundays in Harlow, Essex which takes place outdoors in a beautiful sacred site.
and a London Circle which takes place a few times a year.
Community Drum Circles
Melonie also runs a monthly Shamanic Drum Circle on a Wednesday, which is open to all, at Marks Tey Parish Hall, Old London Roads, Marks Tey, Essex CO6 1EJ.
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Drum Birthing Workshops
Group and 121 Workshops and Retreats across the UK and further afield.
Melonie runs many group drum birthing workshops across the year. As they become available they will be listed. Do get in touch if you want to take part in a group workshop but haven't seen one advertised in your area.
Group days: Come together with others who hear the call and birth your own drum. Spend a whole day in deep connection to hide and hoop - cutting, weaving, binding and finally birthing your very own drum and beater. Groups hold no more than 8 (unless specified) and create a drum with a 4 or 3 strand handle with a central crystal (if desired). For more personalisation see 121 sessions or retreats.
121 options: Melonie holds 121 drum birthing days, where the choice of handle design, hoop
decoration and drum embellishment has more scope than a group session.
She also holds 2 day re:birthing retreats for individuals - including a 90 min consultation to 'meet'
your drum in meditation and to plan how to bring it into being, including any activations,
healing or ceremony that supports you, your journey and that of the drum!
For more information or to book a 121 please get in touch web@thedrumwoman.com
Retreats:
Melonie holds a yearly 'Higher Heart of Glastonbury Drum Birthing Pilgrimage' and yearly 'Wiltshire Sacred Sites Drum Birthing and Land Connection Journey'.
The 2025 Glastonbury date is set and the Wiltshire Retreat date is TBC:
Higher Heart of Avalon Drum Birthing Pilgrimage - Glastonbury
Bookings now open!6-8th June 2025
(Seasonal)
Book GLASTONBURY £560
Learn how to create a Shamanic Drum
Melonie also runs retreats at sacred sites inviting participants to connect to the land using the drum and their innate gifts.
Next retreat to be announced soon!
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Buying a Drum
Melonie loves creating drums for others and these can range from traditional to hugely personalised and infused or activated for specific purposes.
To commission a drum do get in touch.
Prices range from £145 to upwards of £500.
She sells her drums at various fairs and festivals across the UK and some are available to buy at her drum circles or shown on social media.
Unless collected in person all drums are sent by Special Delivery in the UK and Tracked and Signed for elsewhere.
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Community
DRUM CON - A convention for All
and
The Association of Women Drummers, Makers and Players
Drum Conventions
Melonie curates both Drum Con - A Convention for All and The Convention of Women Drummers, Makers and Players.
These conventions are spaces for those who drum, make drums, want to drum or are drum inspired! There is a programme of drum based talks, workshops and performances, an amazing selection of stalls including many drum based wares, two kitchens and a raffle at both events. They are brilliant places to meet likeminded souls and to spend the day immersed in all kinds of drum based fun!
Taking place at Marks Tey Parish Hall, Old London Road, nr Colchester - just off the A12 and 5 mins walk from Marks Tey Train station which has direct links to London. The venue has ample parking. Many attendees find accomodation in the area so that they do not have to rush back and people travel from far and wide to be there.
2024 dates for the Convention of Women Drummers, Makers and Players are 9th and 10th November.
Fully Booked
DRUM CON begins at 10am on 12th April 2025 and ends at 5:30pm.
The halls will be packed with speakers, workshops, stalls, drum circles and more. All drum styles are welcome!
This year we have an exciting set of workshops and a performance from the mighty Pentacle Drummers! Prepare to get your drum socks blown off at their amazing sound!
Tickets are available now and are £30 for the full day!
Drum Con Tickets £30 - 12th April 2025
The Third Annual Convention of Women Drummers, Makers and Players takes place on 8th and 9th November 2025 and tickets are £65.
Association Members recieve £10 off tickets.
Join us for a full weekend of amazing drum based workshops, talks and performances and Late night Saturday entertainment.
This year we are booking Alessandra Belloni to come over all the way from the USA to run workshops on her amazing Black Madonna and Tarantela frame drumming! Not to be missed!
Convention Tickets £65 - 8th/9th November 2025
What is the Association of Women Drummers, Makers and Players?
An exciting community of likeminded women, coming together online and in person throughout the year - with exclusive member benefits.
A 36 page magazine for all members with information from the world of drumming, interviews, events, musings, meditations and more sent to your door 4 times a year.
Online drum gatherings for connection, drumming, singing.
Inboxed meditations and interviews.
Money off the Convention entrance fees and money off of all thedrumwoman offerings and special 'members only' events, vouchers and gifts!
There is currently a special offer of 50% off of the yearly membership fee. Take advantage of it while it lasts!
Join now for £99 £49
Association Membership £49!
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2024/25 Schedule
Come join us
If you would like to drum with us:
Sacred Women's Drum Circle - Harlow Essex
A monthly circle on Sundays in Harlow, Essex taking place outdoors on beautiful sacred land.(Monthly)
Book HARLOW £10
Shamanic Drum Circle - Marks Tey Colchester
(Monthly)Book MARKS TEY £15
Glastonbury Sacred Drum Circle - The Miracles Room, near the Goddess Temple
Open to all.16th May 2025
(Seasonal)
Book GLASTONBURY (Miracles Room) £15
Women in the Woods 2025
13th - 14th September 2025(Seasonal)
Book WOMEN IN THE WOODS September - tbc
Other Events:
Wreath making and Drumming day - Roydon Village Hall Essex near Harlow
Create your own magical wreath for Solstice or Christmas, feast and then drum with us!14th December 2024
(Seasonal)
Book ROYDON 'Wreath Making' £40
If you would like to birth a drum:
Drum Birthing Day - Darlington
1 Space Available30th November 2024
(Seasonal)
Book DARLINGTON £265
London Drum Birthing Day - Bethnal Green
8th February 2025(Seasonal)
Book BETHNAL GREEN £270
2025 Cosmic Drum Birthing with Melonie and Sound from Beverley Weemes - Abington Barns Cambridge
1 Space Available22nd February 2025
(Seasonal)
Book CAMBRIDGE £285
Drum Birthing - Castle Hedingham near Halstead Essex
6th April 2025(Seasonal)
Book CASTLE HEDINGHAM £290
Drum Birthing Day - Corrie near Lockerbie Scotland
Easy to get to from Cumbria, Glasgow etc.26th April 2025
(Seasonal)
Book CORRIE £265
Glastonbury Drum Birthing Day
Plus additional FREE Drum Circle ticket for all drum birthing attendees on Friday 16th May 7-9:30pm.17th May 2025
(Seasonal)
Book GLASTONBURY £285
Higher Heart of Avalon Drum Birthing Pilgrimage - Glastonbury
Bookings now open!6-8th June 2025
(Seasonal)
Book GLASTONBURY £560
Earth Codes: The Callanish Connection (RETREAT)
Learn more by visiting the retreat section on the website.12th-17th July 2025
(Seasonal)
Book CALLANISH CONNECTION £1500
Drum Birthing - Harlow Essex
25th October 2025(Seasonal)
Book HARLOW £225
A deposit will secure your space on all drum birthings and retreats.
You can then pay the balance in full or create a payment plan.
Most are advertised via eventbrite at this time. You can pay using their system and add their fee or pay direct to Melonie, just get in touch.
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Markets and Festivals
Melonie often has stalls at different markets and festivals across the year. Here she sells her drums and rattles and often runs drum circles.
DRUM CON 2025 - Marks Tey Parish Hall (CO6 1EJ)
12th April 2025Melonie will have a stall here as well as running a huge drum circle. Tickets now on sale:
Tickets for DRUM CON 2025
The 3rd Annual Convention of Women Drummers, Makers and Players - Marks Tey Parish Hall (CO6 1EJ)
8th and 9th November 2025Melonie will have a stall here as well as running a huge drum circle. Tickets now on sale:
Tickets for 3rd Annual Convention
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Retreat
EARTH CODES:
The CALLANISH CONNECTION
An unmissable journey to the Isle of Lewis, on the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.
Taking place 12th-17th July 2025 during the final throes of the moons 18.6 year 'out of bounds' cycle; this journey will be one for the record.
This is a journey for those interested in exploring and deepening their connection between the earth, sky and the drum. It is for those who feel drawn to work with the earth's energies and have an interest in drumming, standing stones, ancient structures and energy lines...as well as exploring amazing places!
This place, a ley line central focal point, has given Melonie 'Earth Codes' and said to her in February 2024 'We will let you in' as they showed her a vision of a group of people sat in the stones drumming. The journey has been a long time in the making.
We begin on the 12th July, the day the moon becomes full. We will travel to the stones at midnight to watch it rise over the Sleeping beauty rocks, dip down again and rise once more shining directly through the centre of the impressive Callanish stone circle.
Over our time together, we will craft our very own Callanish Drum, including items we collect on our travels - sharing our hoops with the stones, putting it out in the moonlight and more.
We will visit a range of the Callanish outlying circles and other standing stones across the Island and explore their links to the larger Callanish 1, drumming and crafting ceremony as we are called to.
We visit the isle of Bernera with its sentinel stones keeping watch and its paradise beach with ‘time bell’ and take a visit to some local makers using Harris Tweed in their crafts.
We visit the Isle of Harris to drum on the beach into the night as the sun sets and the moon rises and we visit the ‘Dragon’ at the very north of Lewis that looks out to the Faroe Isles. We will also pay a respectful visit to the largest single standing stone on the island, connecting in and listening to its stories.
We will take part in a group photoshoot at the stones with souvenir image included and whilst there additional shots can be organised should you so wish.
Ferry crossing, accomodation, breakfast and all drum making materials and all group excursion travel is included whilst on the island.
An additional ‘optional’ mainland trip to the Clava Cairns, near Inverness, on the evening of the 17th July is offered at no extra cost with drop off at Inverness available that evening.
You can drive there yourself (recommended to give you space to explore when we are not busy together) or pick up is available at Inverness airport or Ullapool Ferry dock on 11th July. (note: an extra night’s accomodation will be required and can be organised with an extra nights cost)
Accomodation - We have hired 2 apartments in central Stornoway, each accomodating 3-4 people PLUS a gorgeous secluded group ‘base’ overlooking a loch.
Additional archaeological information available here:
Calanais Survey and Excavation 1979-88
A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland
A Late Voyage to St Kilda
Description of the Western Islands of Scotland called Hybrides
Description of the Western Isles of Scotland - Wiki
Callanish Stones - Wiki
COST
Twin room - per person: £1500
Twin room - single occupancy: £3000
Double room - per person: £1500
Double room - single occupancy: £3000
EARLY BIRD - BOOK BY DEC 31st 2024
and receive a discount of £100!
Only 8 spaces available
Book CALLANISH CONNECTION - 12th/17th July 2025
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