I have been a Bourne allotment plotholder since 2013 and secretary for over 5 years. Being outside walking or working in nature brings me a great sense of wellbeing and I am passionate about community building, environmental issues, organic No Dig food production and natural building projects.
It is a joy for me to bring people together around a table especially using fresh local produce grown by our community or to organise events where we each bring a dish to share. With Cob in the Community (www.cobinthecommunity.org) I helped build many cob and rocket ovens for small community groups to cook outdoors and I know how much working on a build and sharing a pizza made from an oven the group constructed together benefits individuals and the community. Barriers are broken down, people are less isolated, more relaxed, good times are enjoyed and the spirit of community enhanced. There is time to get to know each other, to cooperate and support each other and to work for the common good.
Some of the organisations or volunteerIng that I have been involved with include
-Forty Hall Community Vineyard in Enfield ( Team Leader, workshops organiser, volunteer recruiter, events and catering)
- Meadow Orchard Project, Hornsey (volunteer for a natural build)
- Enfield Fairtrade (Steering Group member)
-Cob in the Community (build volunteer).
-WATERAID (campaigner, manager of volunteers for London Marathon)
These roles involved recruiting and managing volunteers, running workshops and managing projects, promoting each organisation and working with local council and government. I have also volunteered in many community projects.
I have worked with the donor and co-designer Darren Ray (www.darrenray.co.uk) in reconstructing a dome. We are keen to provide skills sharing and design opportunities to the community in renovating the dome. As Darren is an experienced carpenter, now sculptural artist, committed to community work having links with Remakery, Cob in the Community and many more and we became connected by referral through one of these networks when it needed a new home.
This is a great opportunity for us to learn new skills, be creative and design our own communal space together and extend a hand to help other community groups in the future.
