Introduction

                                          Site image above by kind permissin of Amy Preston

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                                  THE RE-ENACTOR BUG

ABOUT THIS SITE
This website has been created mainly for the benefit of those who are considering entering into the world of re-enactment.
It is aimed mostly towards people who would like to become a re-enactor but are perhaps a little uncertain of how to go about it.
Or possibly have been reluctant to proceed due to the often incorrect assumption that to be a re-enactor requires tremendous amounts of money to achieve.
However this site will hopefully demonstrate to you by offering advice, suggestions and ideas, based on the experiences of already established re-enactors, that armed with the correct facts, some realistic ideas and a little determination and dedication, and by applying a small measure of logic with a pinch of creativity, becoming a re-enactor is within the grasp of almost anybody, and what's more it doesn't have to cost you a fortune either.

All this and more will be explaned in more detail a later on.

In a time when our ancient battlefields, or even not so ancient battlefields, are at dire risk of becoming just another collection of cross sword symbols on ordinance survey maps thanks mainly to the developers land-gobbling bulldozers, the role of the re-enactor has become more important then ever.
No more is it just the case of a few hundred eccentrics enjoying a fun weekend as is commonly believed to be the case by the general public.
Re-enactment is now thankfully world wide and although some of them may not realise it, it is the re-enactor who is now in a position to remind both governments and people that every country has a rich and colourful heritage that needs protecting and preserving.
This the re-enactor does anyway, each and every time he or she discard their modern attire in order to don their period uniforms, tabards or armour, take up their weapons and unroll that battle standard, then march onto the field to remind the onlookers of the importance of their troubled and bloody past, and also of the people who fought and died for a cause which they then felt to be true and just, a morbid point of view perhaps but never-the-less true, as the heritage we have today and the society we are now are all so familiar with was partially shaped by important events of times past and many have been so shaped upon the world's battlefields throughout the long centuries.
Re-encatment is important as it portrays the pages of the history books in a more realistic and vivid interpretation through living colour and sounds, which in itself helps to make people even more aware of the importance of their roots. Therefore so too is the role of the re-enactor equally as important as there is neither one without the other.
Hopefully there will always be a demand for re-enactors, and as we all have to eventually face up to that thing called age, new, young blood will also be in demand, simply to carry re-enactment on into the future years.
It is sincerely hoped that this website will help to achieve that aim.

I am 60 years old, I still wear armour and I still swing a two-handed sword on the field and usually I'm fighting others half my age and sometimes under a burning summer sun, consequently as a result, afterwards I have been know to suffer considerable aches, pains and cramps besides over heating, yet I wouldn't trade re-enactment for anything.
For me it is a passion rather than a hobby and I love every second of everything about it although It's almost impossible to explain exactly what makes it so, often it is described as an addiction, but most call it a bug, The Re-enactor Bug!
Re-enactment is unlike anything else and is as unique as the re-enactors who partake in it, they are without doubt very special kind of people. They will watch your back and ensure that you are without real need, they will befriend you and treat you as one of their own and when the chips are down they will be there for you.
Ask any of them why they do re-enactment and you'll always find one answer that is common to them all, many will give you their main reason and others will give you several reasons but the most popular answer they will all agree on is "Just because"
To understand this you will have to become one of them yourself, but by the time you have your answer, you will be past the point of asking it as it's true to say "once a re-enactor, always a re-enactor".

I sincerely hope that if you have even a thought of becoming a re-enactor, you do follow it through and at least give it a try, I really believe that you won't be disappointed.

Through the course of this website, I have attempted to cover most of everything you want to know about re-enactment and if I've missed anything important will you only need to contact me.

Good luck and best wishes.

Mike Seymour
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UPDATES
Latest update : 22nd February 2012
Under the page titel "Getting Started"
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NOTE
This is a free, non profit making website and all content published within this site is intended as a guide only for the benefit of new, potential re-enactors.
As such much of the information provided within this site is based on the personal experiences of the author, which itself is also mainly based on his own involvement in the medieval periods of re-enactment only, but is also backed up by various trusted Internet resources and is therefore likely to be more acurete and factual then that of other periods.
However where possible, non medieval period information has been supplied to the website by re-enactors of various other periods who are acting as advisers to the site and also through various trusted Internet resources.

In spite of every possible step being taken to insure that the information supplied within this website is as accurate as is possible, it is strongly advised that any person acting on any information obtained from this website take steps to insure that the said information is relevant or suitable to their own specific needs and requirments before committing themselves in connection with that information.
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