After a vote, the C-K Dickens Fellowship has reached a final chapter in its history and has decided to end after 15 years.
Despite the generous support the fellowship has received throughout the years, interest in the classics has declined and their membership has not grown.
“While Dickens championed the poor and disenfranchised with insight and humour, readers have turned toward more current and popular novels,” said John Jordan, current chair of the C-K Fellowship in a press release.
Founded in 2003, the Fellowship has provided years of entertaining events to the community including its reading club and popular Dickens Birthday Dinners.
Collecting a wide range of many Dickens era and period-appropriate costumes, from “downstairs maid costumes” to “upstairs toffs and top hats,” the Fellowship invites the public to its One of a Kind Costume Sale on April 27. The event will be hosted at Community of Christ Church at 174 Faubert Dr. in Chatham from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
On hand to meet and greet at the sale will also be many of the original members of the board.
Sue Marshall, secretary and co-ordinator of the event said, “A Taste of Dickens Brunch will be available to thank members, supporters, and the public for sharing our delight in Dickens and all that he inspires in our hearts and minds.”
In keeping with the spirit of Dickens, proceeds from the sale of the costumes will go towards post-secondary bursaries in the arts.
