The Project 2026

The cost of the complete project is £695 per teenager. This includes:

  • ‘Call to Adventure’ Weekend (16th April to 19th April 2026) – including accommodation food and facilitation for teenagers and men of trust. All meals will be provided. Specific dietary requirements will be met wherever possible. Accommodation will be on-site at Cae Mabon. This is a unique roundhouse encampment set in the woods and mountains of Snowdonia, the site of ground-breaking rites of passage for three decades. Joining instructions on what to bring, and directions will be provided.

  • 4 x facilitated online sessions for men of trust in advance of the rites of passage gathering. These are led by William Ayot and Simon Roe. The online sessions are intended to deepen trust and enhance relationships between facilitators, men of trust and the team. They will provide guidance around initiation, safe ritual practice and work with teenage boys. The teenagers will not take part in these sessions.

This does not include:

  • Transport to and from Cae Mabon.

Accompanying ‘men of trust’ will not have to pay. But they will be required to apply for DBS clearance. (We will provide guidance).

We are a non-profit making organisation and are in the process of applying to be a registered charity. The standard project price has been reduced for all participants through successful fundraising by Kingfisher Project. Depending on our ability to attract further funding, we hope to offer reduced-rate bursaries for one or two participants from low-income families, each year. Please inform us if you believe you are eligible.

We intend to run the project in the same format in spring 2027 and in future years.

Please register your interest via our contact form (NOTE: we open applications every September - our 2025 project filled within a few weeks)

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Community-building sessions

 The four online sessions for Men of Trust will be scheduled as follows:

  • Wednesday 21st January 2026 6.30-9.00pm

  • Wednesday 11th February 2026 6.30-9.00pm

  • Wednesday 4th March 2026 6.30-9.00pm

  • Wednesday 25th March 2026 6.30-9.00pm

  • (Evaluation and closing circle - Wednesday 29th April 2026 6.30-8.00pm)

Parents will be invited to join the first half of the first Zoom session – which serves as an introduction to the team and a ‘handover’ of the boys to their men of trust.

Call to Adventure Weekend

The online sessions will build up to a 4-day rites of passage gathering at the end of the 2023 Easter school holidays. The timing will be 5pm Thursday 16th to 2pm Sunday 19th April 2026. The venue will be Cae Mabon (an environmental educational centre in Snowdonia and home to rites of passage work for thirty years www.caemabon.co.uk.)

The path ahead

At this gathering, following traditional format, the Kingfisher Project community will oversee safe but challenging transitions for the teenagers - giving them a new sense of themselves on the pathway to manhood.

The iron is white hot

but not yet sharp.

 

Riddle of West African Loma people