Almost ready to purchase!
News update from Tregovenek Community Farm. Summer 2022.
It’s happening! All of the temporary loans have been agreed so we should be able to announce a purchase date very soon! More about that below….
It’s finally here – the first Tregovenek newsletter! The heatwave has brought me in from the garden and onto the computer.
Firstly I would like to thank you all for supporting this adventure. It is really encouraging to know that there are so many of you who have asked to be kept in the loop and are possibly even keen to get actively involved. The time is definitely drawing closer when we will be taking you up on all your offers.
So, what have we been up to these last couple of months? The working circles have been very busy:
Heartholders. This circle has previously been taking on most of the nitty-gritty but, thanks to the formation of the new circles, is now working on a new mandate to enable it to focus more on holding the vision and ensuring that the values and principles are being up-help throughout Tregovenek. This will include the exploration into how best to incorporate the voice of the land.
Legal, finance and governance have been putting everything in place for the purchase of the farm. Loan agreements are in place, solicitors and surveyors are lined up and a bank account has been opened. The first board meeting for the Community Benefit Society has taken place and our GDPR policy has also just been agreed – hence the delay with this newsletter!
Community engagement have been introducing the idea of Tregovenek at various events in the local area with great success. Working alongside the Together Project they’ve been giving people the opportunity to think more creatively about what the future could look like if we all pulled together for each other and the Earth. And there are plenty more events being planned. The website, mailing list and social media presence is also evolving.
The design circle. Following a weekend Introduction to Permaculture Design course, this newly-formed circle (facilitated by permaculture teacher, Klaudia Van Gool) has begun the process of creating a broad-scale permaculture design for the land. The circle is conducting surveys of the soil and the trees and wildlife that already live there before moving on to looking at the design possibilities. The vision and the values and principles of Tregovenek are at the heart of the circle’s work. We’re really excited to see what it comes up with!
Ways of Working. In true regenerative form, this circle is taking a well-deserved break until the Autumn. Meanwhile all the circles are appreciating their explorations around the ways of working that are already firmly in place and are looking forward to the next steps.
What’s coming up next?
Thanks to all the generous support we’re receiving, we have enough money agreed through loans to make the purchase! The owners, Geoff and Carolyn, have continued to be absolutely fantastic in their flexibility around timings and although the next steps for them are uncertain, we feel confident that this next big step will happen at the right time and in the right way for everyone concerned. Within two years, we will launch a community share offer to repay the loans, at which time, everyone will be offered the opportunity to support Tregovenek and allow it to be truly community owned.
The purchase is something that definitely needs celebrating! To that end we would like to invite you all to join us on the land on Saturday October the 29th. The line-up for the day will include a ceremonial dedication of the land, a presentation of the first stage of the permaculture design, an update and opportunities offering for those wanting to further their involvement, a communal meal and hopefully a fire with music, dancing, singing and fun!
There will be more information to follow but for now, please put the date in your diaries and maybe even be ready to step up when the call goes out to help make it happen!
The other big date for your diaries is a double-whammy! The 2nd and 3rd of December at Millennium House in Pensilva. The Friday evening will be our big presentation to the public (and the 20th anniversary of the planting of the first tree in the community woodland). The Saturday will be an all-day event organised by the Together Project (with help from Tregovenek) to engage the local community in creating a community resilience plan for the parish. This will be a creative and inspiring day facilitated by Ruth Ben-Tovim, which will be of interest to everyone even if you live outside the parish.
Finally, the most pressing date, August 12th. There are a few free places remaining to join in on a tour of The Apricot Centre at Huxham’s Cross (follow this link) at Dartington to see a really successful community farm in full swing! We will be car sharing to get to the tour at 10am. We have booked it as a tour specifically for Tregovenek and the community resilience project so we can really make it relevant to our curiosities. We will then share a picnic lunch and use some time in the afternoon to reflect together on what we learnt and how we might apply it to Tregovenek and other projects in the area. If you would like to come along, please let me know as soon as possible on the email address below.
That’s all for now. Please do get in touch if you have any thoughts or ideas to share at this point. We value the voice of every one of you.
Ele (On behalf of the community engagement working circle)