Earth Pathways Seed Fund Awards in 2012
Earth Activist Training, based at Landmatters in Devon, was awarded £300.
The Earth Activist Training Collective organise courses incorporating Permaculture and Earth based spirituality for UK and European Activists. Activists come from a broad range of environmental and social justice projects and campaigns. In the past these have included ……..no borders campaigns and camps, women's rights, anti globalisation movements including the clown army, anti-nuclear and arms trade campaigns, community gardens, the co-operative movement, animal rights, land projects such as landmattters permaculture project, women's environmental network, climate action including climate camp and plane stupid, and many more. The Earth Activist Training (EAT) was created by well known activist , author and witch Starhawk and has been running in the uk since 2000. Any money received from the earth pathways donations will be used to fund free and low price places for activists on low or no income.
For more info www.earthactivisttraining.org.uk
Breathing Space: A project created by Lindy Brook-Tweed, was awarded £250.
Lindy Brooktweed has created a beautiful outdoor space for peaceful contemplation and appreciation of the land at Stanmer Organics, outside Brighton. She has planted a (now mature) living willow dome used for meditation and sacred ceremonies. Plus areas planted with native species for meditative beauty and to encourage wildlife. Lindy runs a monthly outdoor meditation and hosts other workshops and events in the summer months - all for donations, only taking expenses for herself and the rest either re-invested in planting or for other earth-based charities. She (and 'friends of Breathing Space') is now dreaming of building a more weatherproof, structure with sustainable materials on a little used area, so that there can be more contemplative and educational activities planned and hosted more readily at Breathing Space in rainy and cold weather.
St Dogmaels Community Allotment Association, based at St Dogmaels, West Wales, was awarded £250.
St Dogmaels Allotments Association, formed in 2011, was very grateful for the generosity of a local landowner who was prepared to lease us approximately 3 acres of land for 10 years at a rent of £250 per year. There are over 30 plots, each about 200 square metres. All but 6 plots have now been taken by people delighted at last to have Allotments for the village. We are raising money to provide rabbit-proof fencing (there are voracious rabbits here) and a water supply with distribution to troughs around the site.
We have a Core Group of 4, a chair, vice chair, treasurer and secretary who manage the allotments. The Allotment site on the banks of the river Teifi is beautiful with background calls of shelduck, curlew, geese and oystercatcher.
The group is sorting out a water supply, rabbit-proof fencing between plots and would like a community shed where groups could meet. Any money towards the development of this project would be very gratefully received.
Wirksworth Community Garden, started in 2010 by volunteers, was awarded £250.
Wirksworth community garden was started in September 2010 by a small group of volunteers inspired by Local Transition Meetings. They wanted to grow more food, herbs, fruit and flowers locally and help people learn or relearn the skills of gardening. A local business leased them the land which at the time was derelict. Since then, the group has held monthly planning meetings and workdays.
They have cleared the ground, built a gate, nine raised beds, filled them with topsoil and grown a goodly crop of vegetables. They have planted a Fruit Area, a Medicinal Herb Bed and a Bee Friendly Border. They are about to plant a Hedge and start work on a Woodland Area which will have Nut Trees, Damsons and Crab Apples, a Wildlife Pond and Bee Hives.
All this has been funded by a combination of Community Fundraising, Gifts (plants, tools, horse manure, etc.) and a small Starter Grant of £250 from a local council.
The Group now wants to actively encourage children, young people and the unemployed to come along.
Also, to install a polytunnel so that a greater range of vegetables can be grown and for a longer period of the year. Courses and activities can be put on and learners would be able to shelter from the rain and cold. These are an amazingly dedicated group of people who are putting loads of time and energy to get this project off the ground. Many people visited it during our "Open Garden" and were delighted at what has been achieved so far. Money from our awards would help this project with the cost of tools and polytunnel.
