First of all Thank you for taking time to connect with our crowd funder, I do not take your time for granted, and feel blessed that you are taking a look as this project, which means so much, too so many.
IN SUMMARY for those who need quick info, for those who want to feel the story more, please keep reading.
To create a safe space for change. To allow women a space to talk, connect, heal, grow and thrive. We are looking to raise £250K of which £180K will allow us to buy 33 acres of land in Wales, the rest will help us to create a warm, dry, eco built, off-grid space, with a kitchen, to be able to hold workshops, retreats, classes, year round. To build compost toilets, showers, so that we can have people on the land. To purchase the equipment needed to work the land, to support the woodland, plant more trees, clear out the waterfall of fallen debris etc.
Your donation however big or small will support us to create a private trust where the land will be left our future generations.
If we do not reach our goal here, we will keep going until we do, so your money will be held safe until we get there, but I believe that if we can find 10000 people who believe that we need these spaces in the world, to pledge £25 each then we will reach out target.....
Can you help? Please read the rest of our page here if you would like to know more, but if your heart says yes, then please give what you can, every little will help, and if you are a big investor who would like to know more feel free to connect with me further. Please share in your own communities too, with friends, groups, business connections, colleagues. I really appreciate you helping, this is community in action, right here.....
All are welcome to join our group, men and women, who support our vision if you can donate or not we still need your support.
FB GROUP: Click here Sacred Sister Village Supporters
Where we started.....
Like many of us our lives and businesses changed in a huge way when a pandemic hit and we all had to find our way through. Up until this time, I had always been in the beauty, spa and wellbeing industry. Creating events and retreats, seeing one to one clients, in a career that spanned 30 years. Overnight it all stopped!
In this time I recognised the deep loneliness that many of us were feeling, the lack of community support became more obvious, the reality we were suddenly being forced to stay apart from loved ones and those who were vulnerable in our neighbourhoods. But we were also pushed online......and so the Sacred Sister Community began. As we came out of lockdown we held our first community gathering, where we could all meet safely in a field together, and truly support each other to heal. A chance to recover from being mums, workers, homeschoolers, life jugglers and prepare ourselves for what ever came next, to refill our cups in community.
It really helped.....
In that time, I watched what it truly was for women to feel the genuine love and support of each other, how when they let down the judgements, the criticism, the fear, we could create magic.
Our sacred agreement was formed, by way of making sure that the space we created was safe and inclusive, these foundations include:
- Compassion
- Kindness
- Forgiveness
- Inclusivity
- Courage
- Non Judgement
- Radical Acceptance
All with an open heart and a deep desire to heal the sister wound that we all carry.
How have we grown?
Since then we have continued to grow our online community to over 2.6k women, connected sisters from around the uk into circles of support, began to train other sisters how to hold circles in their own towns through our circle training program, educated, gathered, retreated and so much more.......it has blown me away to see the impact this little idea has had to so many.
"My year could have been so very different without the community I have gathered around me since Flourish, Reset and Sacred Sister gatherings.Thank you for all you do for women and community" - Michelle
Now is the time to create a physical space in the world.
We often keep going in life, until we are so depleted and empty. Our physical and emotional health is affected and many times we can find ourselves experiencing poor mental health, suicidal thoughts, feelings of unworthiness and helplessness. The village will be a place for us to recharge. To unplug from the day to day, and to plug into nature and nurture as our superpowers.
"The sense of community and belonging that I've never felt anything close to before" - Jay
Our Offering...
A place where women predominantly but at certain times, men, children and families too, will be welcomed back to nature. A place where they can gain respite from challenging situations. For us to learn, heal and begin to trust once more the sisterhood that is our birthright.
Through workshops, retreats, sustainable projects, growing trees and food together, weaving and crafting from that which can be found in nature, the women that come to the village, will be able to uncover more of themselves, learn how to connect, to rebuild their confidence, and to shine their light through feeling empowered. Returning to their families, communities and workspaces and sharing from a resourced place.
We often keep going in life, until we are so depleted and empty. Our physical and emotional health is affected and many times we can find ourselves experiencing poor mental health, suicidal thoughts, feelings of unworthiness and helplessness. The village will be a place for us to recharge. To unplug from the day to day, and to plug into nature and nurture as our superpowers.
Trust the timing of your life!
This project has always had a timeline of it's own, I have learned in my years in business and growing communities, that you are literally going through a full birthing process, a full year of seasons to bring things fully to fruition, and sometimes when you force things they just don't work. I have had a couple of options that have come along and invitations to create the village, but I realised that the foundations were set in financial gain for those investing and this is really not our heartbeat. Yes we will seek to make money along the way through supporters, grants, payments for our events etc it is the only way to create a sustainable project with longevity, it has to pay its way in the world. But this is not a business, it is so much more, it is a cause, a community, a place for the women who need us, and a place where we can truly leave a legacy for our future generations. We would aim to always be in a position where marginalised groups, women in need, poverty, culture, ethnicity and background, will never impact our choices or the involvement of all people within the community.
All of you is welcome here!
I see this time now, as a time of change in the way the world see's what is needed for us all to heal and grow, and now is the time to make the changes for our children and their children. I so deeply want us to be the pattern breakers, the ones who say no more, there is another way, but we cannot do it alone.
Therefore this is not a quick project, it will be broken down into manageable parts so that all goals can be achieved. The first part of the project is to acquire the land.
These pics above are all from the land or from our gatherings and our feel for the land, with the kind of eco builds we wish to create.
With your money we will......
We currently have the invitation to purchase a parcel of 33 acres of land in a great location just outside Caerphilly in Wales. We already have a good percentage of our community residing in this area, with a further number in the Bristol, Bath and South West, all easily commutable. There are good rail and road links, and the land already has permissions to create space for 5 touring caravans, so in the first instance this could be a way to bring a revenue for further work to be completed.
There is a water source on the land, and privacy from over looking areas, important to us in the work that we offer.
There are 15 acres of woodland, which needs management, another strong way to create initial income.
Over time, we would look to provide a space of shelter for workshops and retreats, with kitchen and toilet facilities, along with various types of spaces for glamping style retreat opportunities, as respite spaces.
There is a beautiful waterfall on the land, this space could support the addition of a nature spa, with a wood fired sauna, changing space, and a place for deep relaxation.
We will be looking to create pockets on the land for yoga, body work, contemplation, meditation, and places to just be, in the peace and quiet of nature. It is amazing when you just take a moment to breathe in the woods, how life can take on a new ease, and your mind, body & soul, take on a new way of being, bringing about an inner stillness.
We would be able to create a full program of events and workshops through the year, also allowing local groups to use the space, schools, community groups etc.
I am excited about this project and what it can bring to this area of the uk, but also the opportunity to create a little piece of heaven on earth, for the good of all.
How much do we need to raise?
We are aiming to raise an initial £250'000 this will purchase the land at a cost of £180'000 and provide us with the beginnings of a pot to purchase equipment, farm buildings, and to build a field kitchen and toilets. We have the opportunity to apply for some local grants, which we will do once the land is acquired, incl tree planting for us to create more woodland where the old trees have fallen.
Everything we do will be with the land in mind, if a fallen tree is rotting we will be leaving it for the bugs and wildlife that will have already made it their home. We will make use of the resources we have onsite when building and creating woodland paths etc.
I know the impact this space will have in the world, I have already seen it in other areas, and believe this will be the first of such spaces in the UK and beyond.
Your money here is a donation to the fund that will create a Sacred Sister Community Trust and this is where the land will be held, in trust for generations to come.
In the first instance set up by myself and a team of volunteers who willingly give their time as a part of our community, as they know the benefit this space will bring. Over time creating work for facilitators and space holders, land workers and growers in the area, who wish to book the village to hold their own events and gatherings.
This has been a dream for many years, one that I would be silly to not say, scares me a little, but nothing worth doing ever came without risk and a little fear!
I know in my heart that we are on the edge now of creating magic, a community that when fully realised will make such a difference in the world.
Rewards
As a thank you for your donation, you will be welcomed into the wider village community, we will share our news with you through regular updates. We have a village supporters FB group you can join right now, if you have the means to invest or not, you are welcome, where you will be amongst some amazing people, to share your own ideas, and to connect with each other. You will also be welcomed to the land at certain times, where those who have contributed can come and see for themselves just what your investment in the village has created.
FB GROUP: Click here Sacred Sister Village Supporters
Thank you for taking the time to read, I really do appreciate you. All of your donations are welcome, however big or seemingly small an amount you can give in these tough times, if we can all do our bit, then we can make this space a reality.
Sending so much love and gratitude in advance, and I look forward to you visiting on one of our open days real soon! (manifesting magic in my own belief right there!)
Rev. Laura Ireland X
Founder of Sacred Sister Community