Nice posts Sinsull and WP.
Most UK folkies are very nice people, who do what they do for love of the music, not because it's an opportunity to demonstrate their own (in some cases, imagined) intellectual superiority. Unfortunately, as in all walks of life, there seem to be a few argumentative, gobby know-it-alls who give the rest of us a bad name on threads like this one - slagging people off whom they've never heard or heard of, and nay-saying everyone who have a different view.
Here in Lincolnshire (described by one imbecile as 'The Backwoods', and its male inhabitants as 'Perverts' and 'Backwoodsmen', but actually a delightful and civilised county full of kind and generous
people) we have a number of clubs which operate very much as your circles seem to do, where people of widely-differing experience and ability are encouraged to 'give of their best' in a friendly and all-embracing atmosphere.   
Best of luck with your song-circles - keep music live!
S:0)