About Waterloo Bonfire Society
Waterloo Bonfire Society is one of Lewes’s historic bonfire societies and an important part of the town’s annual Fifth of November celebrations.
The society has a long association with Lewes Bonfire and brings together members who share an enthusiasm for its history, traditions and community spirit.
Throughout the year, Waterloo’s volunteers raise funds, organise events and prepare for the society’s participation in one of the largest and most distinctive bonfire celebrations in the country.
The Annual Bonfire Celebrations
Bonfire Night is the highlight of Waterloo’s calendar.
On the Fifth, members join the torchlit processions through Lewes, creating an impressive spectacle of fire, costume, banners and ceremony. Visiting societies from across Sussex add to the occasion and demonstrate the strong connections that exist throughout the county’s bonfire community.
The processions form part of wider commemorations remembering the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and the 17 Protestant martyrs burned in Lewes during the Marian persecutions.
Months of preparation ultimately come together in a single extraordinary evening as Waterloo plays its part in maintaining the traditions of the Lewes Fifth.
Tradition and Community
For Waterloo, Bonfire is about considerably more than fireworks and processions.
The society provides a community for its members throughout the year. Fundraising, preparation and social events bring people together long before the first torch is lit in November.
Members also support celebrations elsewhere in Sussex, travelling to other towns and villages during the bonfire season and strengthening the relationships between societies.
It is this year-round participation that allows the traditions surrounding Waterloo to continue from one generation to another.
Membership
New members are an important part of the society’s future.
Joining Waterloo gives people the opportunity to participate in the processions, support fundraising activities and become involved with the work that takes place behind the scenes.
For many members, participation becomes a long-standing family tradition, with knowledge and enthusiasm for the Fifth passed down through generations.
Supporting Waterloo
As with all volunteer-led bonfire societies, Waterloo relies upon fundraising and community support.
The organisation of processions and celebrations requires considerable time, planning and resources, all made possible by the efforts of members and supporters.
Through that commitment, Waterloo Bonfire Society continues to contribute its own distinctive character to the Lewes Fifth and helps ensure that the town’s extraordinary bonfire heritage remains alive.