EVERY week, fans of the spiritual pack out a railway station social club hoping to communicate with those they have lost – and the Gazette went along to meet some of them.
Around 30 people were present for The Spirit of Love and Light's July 29 evening of clairvoyance at Wickford Railway Social Club, which can be found on platform three.
A different psychic is invited each week, while those who attend also get the chance to socialise and make new friends.
Mother and daughter Sue and Mel Smith are behind The Spirit of Love and Light, and have been organising the weekly meetings for the past five years.
Mrs Smith, 59, a spiritualist for 30 years, said: "I have always been aware of spirits, even when I was younger. I knew who was coming to my house before they came through the door.
"I can see spirit, I can feel spirit and I can smell spirit. I don't need a message from spirits, but some people come here who really want a message."
Mrs Smith, who lives in Harlow, continued: "One medium said how lovely the atmosphere was here and how friendly it is."
On July 29, celebrated medium Christina Green was among the audience members.
"I've been all the way to Kent to see her – she's brilliant," said Mrs Smith.
Following an opening prayer given by Mrs Smith, the clairvoyant for the evening, Colin West, was introduced and called to speak.
He greeted the audience before speaking to various members of the group through what he described as spirits, beginning with a general description of the person who was "in spirit".
Many of those in the audience seemed in awe of his every word.
The evening closed with a second prayer and a raffle.
Speaking after the closing prayer, Tina Kearey, 56, a regular visitor, said: "It can get really busy, but it doesn't matter how many people are here. People come to get a message and if just one person does that's enough."
- Reporter Matt Reason's verdict
Clairvoyants, mediums, psychics and spiritual healers all fall into one box for me – charlatans.
Making money from the dead should really be the domain of undertakers and coffin-makers but where there is fear there is always cash.
I wasn't expecting much – I guess there is something in me that could respect the skill involved in duping the audience.
However, I was bitterly disappointed.
The clairvoyant wasn't accurate, clever or impressive.
A formulaic riff of questions followed by the annoying repetition of "can you understand this?" had me struggling to keep my eyes open.
Losing count of the amount of times he was wrong, I wrote down a few notes which slowly drifted into doodling.
I was awoken from my stupor by the words "can I come to the young man in the glasses".
Seeing as most people there were significantly older than me and female, I looked up.
Colin West said: "I am seeing a man who is five feet eight or five nine.
"Can you understand this?
"He has your same smile it is very clear – I am thinking grandad.
"Can you understand this?"
Well unfortunately the answer was always no.
My grandparents are, at the last count, all alive and after several more wildly inaccurate guesses he was saved by someone who said her son looked a bit like me.
Finally the show was over and I could leave the clairvoyant and the audience members to mull over the spirits behind the bar.
Can I understand this?
Well no, I can't.
- And Rachael Hook gives her take on the event
BEING fairly open-minded I was intrigued to see if a clairvoyant could accurately predict details of people's lives and lost ones.
As for communicating with the dead I am very sceptical but I believe everyone is entitled to their own views.
Colin West addressed several people in the audience, mainly women, and at first described the spirit he 'saw' and that wanted to address them.
His portrayals tended to be correct, although they were rather general.
For instance, he would say he saw a man between the height of 5'9" and 5'11" who was of medium build.
He would go on to discuss the message this person wanted to convey and the chosen participant usually seemed in agreement with this.
That was until he chose one Gazette reporter Matt Reason.
After a serious of incorrect readings and an awkward silence Mr West asked if anyone else understood these messages. A woman said she could and the clairvoyant seemed relieved.
This woman explained to me afterwards that Mr Reason looked very much like her son and that this was the reason why the message has been mixed up. I left still sceptical about spiritualism but enjoyed the evening with good company and a warm, friendly atmosphere.
I saw that most who participated were enthralled and a few seemed to take a great deal of comfort from the session – they desperately wanted to hear from their lost companions.
Perhaps this faith is more important than the truth in the words but equally it could be an unfair way of exploiting those who so much want to hear from someone who has died.
The Spirit of Love and Light meets every Monday, except on bank holidays, from 7.15pm at Wickford Railway Social Club, Platform Three, Wickford Station, Station Approach.Tickets cost £3.50 each.
The group will be holding a charity night on October 21 for Essex Air Ambulance.
Visit http://spiritofloveandlightspiritualcentre.webs.com/ for more information.
