Thank you for your patience!
Behind the scenes we’re putting together our most exciting, engaging and boundary pushing line up ever. This A-Z will be as comprehensive as we can make it, yet expect other surprises to appear over the weekend as the programme evolves across the days.
If ever there was an opportunity to come together and share…
Caroline Aitken (Patrick Whitefield Associates)
Permaculture: Creating Positive Change
Biophilia Open Discussion, CONFERENCE BARN
SATURDAY 13th, 10.35am onwards
http://www.permacultureplate.blogspot.com
Sonya Bedford
Community Energy Solutions / Legal Surgery (Energy, Low Impact Planning)
OFFGRID COLLEGE / THE PLOTTING SHED
SATURDAY 13th, 10.00am / 15.00
http://www.stephens-scown.co.uk/people-finder/pid/000007_sonya-bedford
Gail Bradbrook: Compassionate Revolution
Compassionate Revolution: Together we are irresistible
SUNDAY 14th 10am
Gail Bradbrook is an economic justice campaigner and compassionate revolutionary. She runs a charity focussed on universal access to the internet, is a Mum and has a PhD in Molecular Biophysics. Here’s Gail talking about economics and the need for a different kind of economy.
https://streetschooleconomics.wordpress.com/
https://compassionate-revolution.net
Pedro Brace: Tinkers Bubble Community
The Simple Revolution: Climate Change Solutions
&
Tinkers Bubble Community / Horse-powered Agriculture
THURSDAY 11th August 4pm
FRIDAY 12th August, 10am & 4pm
Pedro Brace lives at Tinkers Bubble fossil fuel free community in Somerset, where he dedicates his life to minimising his environmental impact and campaigns for action on climate change.
https://tinkersbubble.wordpress.com
Jamie Catto & Raisa Bratislava
What about Intimacy?
SUNDAY 14th August, 2pm
Phil Chandler
The Barefoot Bee Keeper
DATE & TIME TBC
Jo Clarke: Embercombe
Land-based experiential learning: Grow the Future!
SUNDAY 14th, 1.30pm
Jo will host a short talk on his work around land-based education at Embercombe which will be followed by an open discussion hosted by himself and John Yates of Biophilia Project around the future of experiential education both locally at these landmark projects and elsewhere.
Jo is the Head of Land and Learning at Embercombe. He has an Education Studies degree in Steiner Education. He worked as a gardening Teacher at South Devon Steiner School, designing an outdoor learning environment for 5-16 year olds. Jo believe educators should do everything they can to encourage children to develop a responsible, loving and caring relationship with the natural and gardened world. In doing so, we help them to understand that our wellbeing is inextricably linked to the rest of the life on Earth.
Embercombe inspires people to take a courageous action for a just and sustainable world.
Tony Conway: Vale Das Lobas Project
Integrating Ancestral Tradition with Innovation
SUNDAY 14th August, 4.30pm
Tony Conway is a co-founder of the Vale Das Lobas project and community.
Vale das Lobas is a Rural Regeneration Project in the Beira Alta region of Portugal. The vision is: Ecological and economic regeneration including agro-ecology, artisan crafts, natural building and natural medicine; integrating ancestral traditions with innovation; supporting biodiversity, reforestation and the sustainable use of resources; providing inspiration, education and healing.
- Ecological & Economic Regeneration
- Honouring ancestral tradition
- Integration
- Agro-ecology, Natural Medicine, Natural Construction, Artisan Crafts
- Establishing livelihoods through ecological and economic regeneration
- Where we are currently in this process at Vale das Lobas
Jon Cousins
On 10th May 2016, he was elected the 317th Worshipful Mayor of Glastonbury.
He has also been involved in co-ordinating the Off-Grid Festival’s “Off-Grid College” (2009-14), was the ‘Presentation and Talks Co-ordinator’ for the Sunrise Celebration (2010-12), and hosted the first “Off-Grid University” at the Green Gathering in 2014.
He has previously served as an Independent Town Councillor in Moreton-in-Marsh, and stood for the Glastonbury Town Council election, as part of the ‘Glastonbury United’ group, in 2007.
In 2014, Jon was selected by the Green Party as the Prospective MP for the Wells Constituency, to stand in the 2015 General Election. Jon’s candidature resulted in a quadrupling of the Green vote, when 2,331 people voted for him.
A qualified senior practitioner with the Cabinet Office’s ‘Community Organisers Programme’, his work currently supports the application of the Community Rights and Neighbourhood Planning powers introduced in the Localism Act 2011.
Deputy Mayor Jon Cousins takes on the Black Horse - Part of Glastonbury’s Last Bank Standing Campaign
Mary Daniels: Hay House
‘It’s time to get real, it’s time for a Wild Awakening!’
(Wild picnic - Bring some food)
SATURDAY 13th August, 12.00pm
www.marydaniels.co.uk
Jonathan Dawson: Schumacher College
Sunday 14th, 11am
http://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/staff/jonathan-dawson
Sophie Docker
Talking Peace / Systems of Change Forum
Thrive: Date and Time TBC
Conference: Sunday 14 August / 10am
www.fromefoundation.org
Nic Dore
An introduction to DIY Solar water heating and plumbing
Saturday 13th August, 2pm
http://www.opendoorrenewables.co.uk
Joanna Dornan: Landworkers Alliance
The Landworkers Alliance: Heralding an Agrarian Renaissance
Friday 12th August, 1.30pm
La Via Campesina is the international movement representing 200 million farmers including, peasants, small and medium-size farmers, landless people, women farmers, indigenous people, migrants and agricultural workers from around the world. It defends small-scale sustainable agriculture as a way to promote social justice and dignity. It strongly opposes corporate driven agriculture and transnational companies that are destroying people and nature. The Landworkers’ Alliance is the UK arm of Via Campesina. This talk will give an overview of our activities, and how you could get involved, whether you are an existing or want to be grower, the Landworkers’ Alliance is here to represent you.
www.landworkersalliance.org.uk
Della Duncan: Economics for Transition
Sunday 14th August, 10am
http://www.economicsfortransition.org
Audaye Elesedy
Eco-Constellations / Circle of Security Parenting
Circle of Security: THRIVE TENT,
Sunday 12noon
Eco Constellations: Oasis Garden Tent
Fri 2pm & Sat 10am
We are all hard-wired for relationships. Our children constantly seek relationships with us from birth. We innately want to be there for our children. In a world with so much pressure towards perfection all our children need from us is to be good enough.
(cos is a relationship-based parenting programme based on over 50 years of attachment theory and research about how relationships between ourselves and our children can be supported and strengthened leading to securely attached children.
Many courses focus on managing child behaviors with behavior management techniques, which are easily forgotten in the heat of the moment. COS differs in that it helps us to identify and understand our child’s needs — to see beneath behavior - and to strengthen confidence in ourselves as able caregivers/parents who love our children.
www.circleofsecurity.net
Maria Franchi : Rhizome Coop
Conflict Resolution, Consensus and Community Building
A Peer to Peer Support Session
Saturday 4pm
Jonny Gordon-Fairleigh: Stir Magazine
The Sharing Economy
FRIDAY 12th, 2pm
Tony Greenham: The RSA / REconomy
Regional Banking : Devon
FRIDAY 13th August, 10am
https://www.thersa.org/about-us/staff/profiles/tony-greenham
Nathalie Griffin & Tim Beasley
Activist Burnout
Date & Time TBC
“Since moving to England from Canada in 2001, I’ve been involved primarily with activist legal support and prisoner solidarity and, since 2007, I’ve been involved with a permaculture allotment project in Bristol. After re-training as a counselling therapist, I volunteered for Counselling for Social Change for two years, providing counselling support for many people managing the stress that comes with trying to build a more socially just world. I have co-facilitated this workshop at the Bristol and Cardiff Anarchist Bookfairs and I am always humbled by the resiliency and honesty of the participants”
Vera Hale: The Cave Cooperative
Community Housing Forum
FRIDAY 13th August, 12pm
Chris Hardy: Life Coach
“What would you most regret not having done in 10 years time?
Maro Hora : Faircoin / FairCoop
Fair coin : A digital currency revolution from Spain
Friday 12th, 4pm
Merlin Howse : Steward Wood Community
Micro-Hydro Power & Energy Storage
Friday 12th, 4pm
Anthony Johnston
Singing in the Wild
Come outside onto the land with Anthony Johnston and connect with nature through song, chant and the voice.
“We all have a voice, it’s part of being human. We also have an inherent desire to communicate ourselves. How we communicate and whether we do that directly or indirectly, is our choice. This work is for people who want to explore their voices to get across who they are in a creative, empowered and fulfilling way. With our voice we can express our internal world and allow deeper parts of oursleves to see the light of day, to be seen and heard by others. With the voice we can bridge our inner and outer worlds. We can reach the other at a deeper more fulfilling level.
When deeper and more intimate sharing becomes a possible, we become more available for true contact at levels that can bring meaning and fulfillment in relationship. The voice carries the possibility of change and transformation. Through music and harmony the soul can start to flower in beautiful and surprising ways. “
Steve Jones: Permanent Culture Now
Urban Permaculture / Making Rocket Stoves
SUNDAY 13th, 11.30am & 4pm
Helen Kearney: Ecological Land Coop
Herbal Medicine Walkabout & Balm-Making
SATURDAY 13th, 2pm
Doug King Smith: The Hillyfield Woodland Farm
Sustainable Woodland Management
Friday 12th, 11.30am
http://www.thehillyfield.co.uk
Nicola Lang: Transition Homes
Community Housing Forum
Friday 12th, 12pm
http://www.transitiontowntotnes.org/groups/building-and-housing/transition-homes/
Alex Lawrie: Somerset Cooperative Services
Funding, Cooperative and Social Enterprise Surgery
SATURDAY 13th, 11am
Aspasia Leledaki
Mindfulness for creating inner and outer freedom
SUNDAY 13th, 4pm
www.aspasiaawakebodies.co.uk
Marcus Letts: Euboea.io
Introduction to Euboea.io & Community Housing Solutions
CONFERENCE BARN
FRIDAY 12th, 12pm
www.euboea.io
Erica Lewis
No More Stress or Striving
“Erica’s career had mostly been in managing and developing projects and organisations in the not for profit sector. She was quite successful at this, but only because she was working so hard to cover up all her anxieties and lack of confidence or self belief. Gradually various self help approaches did have some effect, and Erica became a trainer of NLP and hypnosis – but she began to see that the effects were not long lasting, and there was still a lot of striving and self criticism involved. Five years ago Erica came across a different and very simple understanding of how we create our expereince which has been transformational resulting in being far less caught up in negative thinking and now enjoying natural wellbeing and clarity most of the time. Erica now shares this with others through her coaching and training.”
www.quietmindcoaching.co.uk
Bob Mehew: Huxhams Cross Farm
Biodynamic Farming at Huxhams Cross
Friday 12th August, 2pm
http://www.apricotcentre.co.uk/huxhamscrossfarm
Nick Mercer
Repair Cafe / Pedal-Powered Generation
THE PLOTTING SHED/ OFFGRID COLLEGE
SATURDAY 13th, 10am & 4pm
David Mezzetti: Real Food Store
Exeter’s New Economy
SUNDAY 14th, 2pm
The Real Food Store is owned by Exeter Local Food Ltd. which is a Community Benefit Society with over 300 members, one of the largest community-owned food enterprises in the country.
http://www.realfoodexeter.co.uk
Adam Ormes Court: The Soil Carbon Project
Crafts & Tech Area
DATE & TIME TBC
Our aim is simple - to get you to join us in the effort to sequester as much atmospheric carbon into soils as is humanly possible, ASAP. We already have all the technology we need at our disposal.
Why? At the same time as removing excess CO2 from our atmosphere, it will start to reverse the wholesale destruction of our soils, produce the highly nutrient dense foods we desparately need, and with your support, grow an economy founded on healing the earth, not devouring it.
This is something everyone can become involved in in some way – come and find out more.
David Parkes : Community Juice
The Housing Game
SUNDAY 14th, 11am
Nothing can be more socially divisive than the haves profiting from the have nots. Have we gone from a nation of homeowners to a nation of landlords? Is this a ticking time bomb?
How might we harness peoples energy in local place-making rather than just policy-making? .. and use the Localism Act as a framework to build local affordable housing?
DIY housing: What are the practical difficulties of building our own homes …? Learning the lessons of collaborative building and sustainable living.
Whether you a DIGGER or a DREAMER an ENTREPRENEUR or ECO-WARRIOR, come and share your experience and ideas on a romp around the housing crisis….
For further information: contact David Parkes 07787 153410
www.communityjuice.co.uk
Julian Pratt
Land Value Tax
Biophilia Open Discussion
SATURDAY 12th, 11.30am
Nick Rosen
The Politics of Off Grid Living
THURSDAY 11th: 4pm
http://www.off-grid.net/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Rosen
Becky Sarll: Open Door Renewables
The principles of Earthships and applying them to British Climates
Thursday 11th, 4pm
Earthships are a style of eco-building that are off-grid and built largely with recycled materials (often including lots of car tyres!). They harvest all their own water, generate all their own power and aim to provide space heating and cooling without the use of fuel.
Rebecca will explain how Earthships work and how the principles can be applied to any building in the British climate: new or old, large or small.
Rebecca has an MSc in sustainable building from the Centre for Alternative Technology, she lives off-grid, and has been teaching about Earthships and eco-building for 7 years.
http://www.opendoorrenewables.co.uk
Brett Scott: Heretics Guide to Global Finance
A guide to Alternative Finance
Friday 12th, 2pm
http://suitpossum.blogspot.co.uk
John C. Scott
All the power you could need for £100
Friday 11th, 4pm
Nicky Scott
The exciting world of Composting and Waste Management
Nicky has worked with numerous organisations advising on composting and setting up market gardens for more than 45 years. He is closely involved with Community Composting Network and the Federation for City Farms and community gardens member of the advisory committee on compost. Since 2005 he has been working with promoting composting in schools for all food waste and developing the equipment, systems and back up for this in collaboration with CCN members. He has been asked to write for Green Books making two films and four books to date. Nicky will be here at Off-Grid to share his wealth of knowledge with you, showing off the charcoal urinals we will be building, and the compost loos.
Sunday 14th, 2pm
Michael Thomas, Transition Network
Systems Thinking & Social Change Forum
SUNDAY 14th August, 3pm
&
Is Transition a revolutionary movement?
The Transition movement is building. People are reshaping their communities. It’s rooted in caring for ourselves, each other and the living world. It shows a different future is possible when we come together. But is it truly revolutionary movement? Mike Thomas from Transition Network will argue that it is through utilising the ideas of Erik Olin Wright’s Real Utopias project and Joanna Macy’s three dimensions of the great turning.
SATURDAY 13th August, Time TBC
http://www.permanentculturenow.com
Daniel Keys, Positive Money
Changing the monetary system
Saturday 10am
Jay Tompt: The REconomy Centre
Building Local Resilient Economies / The REconomy Project
Friday 11am
Trudy Turrell & Alan White: Don’t Bury Dartington
Resisting Development as a Community
DATE & TIME TBC
http://www.dontburydartington.co.uk
Sahara Vajra: East Dorset Forest Garden
Forest Gardening: If only food grew on trees
FRIDAY 12th, 10am
https://www.facebook.com/Eastdevonforestgarden/
Kit Vaughan:
Climate Change Adaptation: To go Off Grid or Engage in Action?
THURSDAY 11th, 4-6.30pm
Kit is the Director of CARE’s centre of expertise on climate change, the Poverty Environment and Climate Change Network(PECCN). He manages a global multi-disciplinary team of climate, environment and development professionals. He plays an active role in helping CARE to strategically mobilise new and existing resources in and around climate change and to fully integrate environment and climate change risks and opportunities into CARE’s portfolio of activities.
Before joining CARE, Kit led the WWF climate change adaptation team, and worked for numerous other NGO and UN agencies. He is a board member of the Climate Action Network International, a global coalition of over 850 NGOs and civil society organisations in over 90 countries. Kit has over 20 years’ broad experience in environment and poverty reduction for international development with a focus on participatory research in smallholder agriculture, community-based natural resource management, climate modelling, and international environment and climate policy.
Kit will be speaking in and helping facilitate a lively discussion around Climate Change action and adaptation on Thursday August 11th at Off Grid.
https://www.facebook.com/primecoppice/
http://careclimatechange.org/team/kitvaughan/
Stewart Wallis, New Economics Foundation
Exeter’s New Economy
Sunday 14th August, 2pm
http://www.neweconomics.org/people/entry/stewart-wallis
Ian Westmoreland: Demand Energy Equality
Solar Panels and Batteries - A DIY Demo
FRIDAY August 12th, 2pm
http://www.demandenergyequality.org
Steve Wheeler: Dark Mountain Basecamp
“Rewilding the Heart” and Qi Gong Workshop
DATE & TIME TBC
“Many of us are passionate about rewilding the land; reintroducing native species, healing the ravages of industrialism, and trusting nature to take its own course. But all too often we forget that we, too, are part of nature – and that our minds and hearts are just as much in need of rewilding, and are just as worthy of care, as the rest of the world.
In this session, I will guide participants through a series of collaborative games and experiments designed to help us reconnect with our bodies, to explore the relations between the inner and the outer environment, and to show that – just as as with the land – we can trust in the inherent wisdom of our own nature to begin the process of human rewilding.”
basecamp.dark-mountain.net
www.whiteoakhealth.co.uk
Gill Wyatt, Exeter Community Energy (ECOE)
Exeter’s New Economy
OFFGRID COLLEGE / CONFERENCE BARN
Saturday 13th August / SUNDAY 14th August 2pm
John Yates, Biophilia Project
Land, Money and Education - How to Make Another World Possible
Saturday, 10am - 5pm
http://biophiliaproject.blogspot.co.uk
