Viking re-enactors bid for 'village' repairs cash

A Viking re-enactment group is looking to raise £1,300 after its replica settlement was damaged in a recent storm.

High winds uprooted a large tree and brought it down on two of the buildings at Hrafn Vaeringi's Viking village at Brockswood Animal Sanctuary, Dudley.

The group said the tree had crashed through the roof of one house and damaged beams on another, making both unsafe.

The buildings had been built by hand using traditional 11th Century methods and members plan to carry out the repairs themselves.

The group, which holds meetings in Walsall, Telford and Doncaster, said the village is central to its re-enactment work and to "local education, craftsmanship, and community engagement".

Member Christopher Maley, said: "When I first went down after the storm and saw the damage I was in shock and then became sad, because of all the hard work we have put in and the plans we had for this season."

But he said the group came together and with the help of the landowner they were able to get the tree removed and the site cleared, ready for the rebuilding.

Maley, known as "Bear" to the group, said the village had been built using members' own money, he said, with volunteers working on it in their spare time.

He said it was built to draw people in and to give their group a base.

The money raised through their appeal would be spent on the materials to carry out the repairs, which Maley said were likely to take several months.

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