What's with the name?
Matthew Hopkins was the notorious, self-proclamed 'Witch Finder General' who, in the mid-1600's is said to have been responsible for the deaths of 300 people that he claimed were witches or practiced witchcraft.

This event is in no way a celebration of this evil person, instead it is a recognition of all the local people who lost their lives at his hands; for the simplest things these people may have been tortured into confessing or simply accused by someone who they'd recently fallen out with.
We think that nothing would have displeased Hopkins more than seeing hundreds of people of all ages, genders and abilities enjoying themselves with complete freedom and at the same time raising money for an amazingly worthwhile cause.
The following is a list of the local people who lost their lives, accused as witches, we would like to take this opportunity to remember the victims, they are the ones who this event is dedicated to, the ones who deserve our time, thoughts and promises that something like this will never happen again in our community.

1645 Anne Leach of Mistley, 1592 Margery Dickes of Bradfield, 1670 Sarah Ladbrooke of Bradfield, 1670 Margaret Leech of Bradfield, 1670 John Wood of Bradfield, 1645 Mary Rhodes of Lawford, 1645 'Goodwife' Wayt of Lawford, 1641 Anne West of Lawford, 1645 Anne West of Lawford, 1645 Rebecca West of Lawford, 1566 Emma Crosse of Manningtree, 1594 Anne Harvey of Manningtree, 1645 Sarah Bright of Manningtree, 1645 Elizabeth Clarke of Manningtree, 1645 Ellen Clarke of Manningtree, 1645 Elizabeth Goodwyn of Manningtree, 1645 Elizabeth Gooding of Manningtree, 1647 Nicholas Leech of Manningtree, 1644 Elisabeth Gooding of Mistley, 1574 Alice Reade of Lawford, 1584 Joan Thatcher of Lawford, 1598 William Ruffle of Lawford, 1645 'Mother' Benfield of Lawford, 1645 Jane Bigs of Lawford, 1645 Jane Browne of Lawford, 1645 'Mother' Clarke of Lawford, 1645 'Mother' Forman of Lawford, 1645 Rachel Flower of Lawford, 1645 Mary Foster of Lawford, 1645 Mary Greene of Lawford, 1645 'Mother' Goodwin of Lawford, 1645 Frances Jones of Lawford, 1645 'Mother' Miller of Lawford