Spiritual Orkney
CONTACT US
Helen & Mark Woodsford-Dean
Craigielea, Harray, Orkney, Scotland, KW17 2JU
+44(0)7749 934617 (mob) / +44(0)1856 761133


Please email or text prior to telephoning, thanks
About us
About Us
We named our partnership 'Spiritual Orkney' because that is the best description of everything which we offer, whether that is guiding, rituals, crafts, writing, photography, or just good company. All of the services which we provide are managed, created and performed by us, in person: Helen and Mark Woodsford-Dean.   
 
We live in West Mainland Orkney, within view of the World Heritage Site at Brodgar, and have both been practicing Pagans for about 30 years. In April 2008 we got married at the Ring of Brodgar with Louise Park (Scottish Pagan Federation Celebrant) officiating. We moved to Orkney in summer 2009.
 
We are the Scottish Pagan Federation Local Organisers and Interfaith Officers for Orkney. Helen is also the Regional co-ordinator of the Scottish Pagan Federation for northern Scotland and an Elected Officer, serving as SPF's Deputy Presiding Officer. 

Until recently, we facilitated open public rituals for the major Pagan festivals, to which anyone with a warm heart and open mind were welcome to attend. These open rituals have not yet restarted after the changes of COVID. More information on our Open Rituals page.   
 
We are both approved Celebrants for the Scottish Pagan Federation and we offer life rituals for the Pagan community whom we serve. We are two of only about twenty Celebrants in Scotland holding a licence from National Records of Scotland to conduct legally binding Pagan wedding ceremonies.
We have both trained with, and are members of, The Fellowship of Professional Celebrants. Membership provides us with public liability insurance for our ceremonies.

We are both Scottish Tourist Guide Association Regional (Green) Badge Guides for Orkney. Membership provides us with public liability insurance for our guiding.
 
Helen is also known as 'Magpie'. Her background is in hedgewitchcraft, but she is also an initiated Wiccan (Alexandrian) and is undertaking training through the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, at Druid grade. She has been trained in shamanic practice through the Scandinavian Centre for Shamanic Studies and has qualified as a herbal practitioner. She is a qualified archaeologist and teacher, and a published author. Helen is Service Assured trained which states her commitment to delivering an excellent level of service (this training is recommended by Visit Scotland). Helen is one of the volunteer leaders of the Young Archaeologists Club (YAC) in Orkney.
Mark has been a practicing Pagan for over thirty years. His journey has led through an eclectic beginning with elements of Celtic Earth spirituality & Tolkien inspired Northern tradition. Mark's past path has also involved Alexandrian Wiccan initiation and practice. Mark has since studied with the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids reaching Druid grade in the order. Mark is also a certified Shamanic practitioner having undertaken training with Jonathan Horwitz (The Scandinavian Centre for Shamanic Studies) and a two year practitioner training with Twobirds at Anam Cara. Today Mark draws his spiritual inspiration from Norse diasporic and Brythonic well-springs.

Mark and Helen are both active members of the Scottish Green Party and the Orkney Greens.
 
As a requirement of our past and present employments, we have both had CRB and Disclosure Scotland tests carried out on us at enhanced level in the previous 14 years and were cleared then to work in education and health-care respectively. As part of her work with Orkney YAC, Helen is a member of the PVG scheme in respect of regulated work with children. Since then, the naughtiest thing that either of us have done is to return the occasional library book back late!
 
We look forward to welcoming you to Orkney and enhancing your visit to these beautiful islands.
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