Nurturing Your Local Permaculture Network - more...
by Nicola Bell, Membership Coordinator
Get more done, working together! |
What sort of group are you?
Permaculture groups vary widely in size and activities across the UK. If you're just starting out as a new permaculture group, it's worth looking at other successful groups across the network, to get an idea of what you could potentially achieve together, or how you would like to evolve.
Here are some examples from different regions:
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Lampeter Permaculture Group - Gather once a month at a members place to help each other with their designs.
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Leeds Permaculture Network - Monthly socials with excellent and engaging speakers, preceded by shared food.
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Permaculture Picturehouse
London - Monthly gathering usually for films, sometimes speakers.
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Shropshire & Edges Permaculture Network
Monthly skill-sharing gathering at a different home, farm or project. Participants bring ideas, encouragement and labour.
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Hull Permaculture Group - Book swaps, film nights, forest gardening and more! (see below)
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North East Permaculture Network
Meet up for special events, with very active email list. -
London Permaculture Network - a large network that meet regularly and host many events and activities including the annual London Permaculture Festival, at Cecil Sharp House.
Please let us know more about your group if you would like to be featured here or in future features. Many of these groups have Group Permaculture Association membership, and benefit from listings in the newsletter Permaculture Works - click here to join as a group member.
Activities to do as a group
"We first thought about forming our Hull Permaculture group after our permaculture design course had come to an end. It was formed as a means for us to keep in touch and continue learning together.
We try to meet up on a monthly basis. During the winter months we usually meet up at a local pub, have a chat, bring books, magazines and questions to share, and have group discussions.
When summer comes around we take advantage of the lighter nights and visit each others sites, projects and allotments.
One of our members, Janet, works for the NHS and has an allotment space set up to nurture positive mental health and well-being, and this has been very inspiring.
We will also organise socials and meals at each other's houses, and one of our members has recently started running a permaculture picturehouse from an outhouse in his garden!
We are planning visits to other local group events they year, such as Leeds Permaculture Network, and we also hope to visit some LAND Centres.”
- Lausanne Tranter, Hull Permaculture Group and Permaculture Association member.
Hull Permaculture members: Lausanne Tranter, Tracey Henry and Ashley Forrester at the Constable Street field. Photo: Simon Renilson |
Some other ideas for activities include:
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Organise a permaculture film evening - you can now watch Inhabit - the permaculture perspective online! Or the Living with the Land series.
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Host a seed swap
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Organise a skill swap
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Invite a guest speaker to come and talk to you
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Hold a permaculture coffee morning
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More examples coming up in the next post!
Are you part of a regional group? Please let us know what you get up to, so we can share with the network.
Engagement and gaining new members
As I mentioned in the previous post, twitter, facebook and mailing lists are a great way to encourage others to engage with your activities. Having a Flickr page to share your achievements together is another option - just check out these great active Flickr sites made by Permaculture Association members and tell me you're not inspired!
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Allotment noticeboard
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Library
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Community Centre
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Health Food Shops
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Cafes
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Universities and schools
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Community Centre
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GP surgery
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Places of worship
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Yoga Centre
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Let us know who else we could add to this list!
Need a venue?
Permablitz in action! |
You may also find that some venues would welcome the addition of a permaculture design. For example, Cecil Sharpe House in London, which hosts the annual London Permaculture Festival, won an award after permablitzlondon transformed the entrance into an edible and wildlife haven!
If you've got a good idea for a possible permaculture group venue space, let us know here.
Once you've put the word out about the exciting events and activities you've got planned, enjoy connecting and enhancing your community with permaculture!
Please help more regional permaculture groups succeed
We are facilitating the creation of an FAQ with help from our experienced permaculture groups across the network! If this is you, we want to hear from you! Please share your experiences of setting up and running up a group, so that more can succeed.
See also, the first blog in this two part series: nurturing your local permaculture network.