Help The Copper Pot Campsite

Aim

The Copper Pot Campsite is a for profit eco business, That helps whoever is can. The project aim is to raise funds to save the business.

Hello all, Thank you for taking the time to read this, I do really appreciate it.

The Copper Pot Campsite came about 7 years ago, when my wife and I bought a plot of land in east Cornwall. We spent 7 years creating an environmentally safe haven for wildlife whilst also creating a beautiful safe place for people from all walks of life to come and enjoy and also create a business that supports the local economy (which she does, I send all my guests to local eateries and I try to buy as much of my materials as I can locally and use local tradesman and companies whenever I can)

The vision I had for Copper Pot was to create a stable, sustainable business coupled with a readily accessible space that offers a haven to whoever needs it. As well as having beautiful accommodation for paying guests – in the form of lovely canvas tents and hand-built wooden shepherd huts – I envisaged a site with various spaces for Community to come together in different ways. 

-       A central firepit and communal eating area, where guests can sit and talk, cook, eat and relax surrounded by nature

-       A small garden nursery to raise seedlings and grow plants for both revegetating wild spaces to create wildlife habitats and to sell on an honesty stand.

-       A wooden workspace, with wood burning stove & comfy chairs to sit in, where people in need of company can find a warm, safe and welcoming space at any time of year. Hot drinks and biscuits would be freely available; there would be tools and natural materials for those who might wish to keep their hands busy by whittling or carving while they sit; there would be opportunities to sit and chat, or to read quietly, or knit or draw…  

The use of the workshop would be free, so finances need not be a barrier. But if people wish to donate funds or materials to support the cost of tools, that would be welcomed too. 

-       A small quiet sanctuary, where people in need of solitude because of anxiety, depression, PTSD or other mental health challenges could come and put up a small tent or sleeping hammock, use their private firepit area and just heal (again donation only, no cost)....

Unfortunate luck

This is the 4th year of Copper Pot being open, and despite my vision for the site developing steadily in the first 3 years (the central firepit is built and in operation, and I’ve recently finished building a poly-tunnel to raise seedlings), this last year I've run into some serious difficulties...

Like so many other small businesses, the pandemic hit us hard, with bookings taking a nosedive due to national lockdowns. Sadly, a relationship breakdown last year saw me taking on a large loan to manage the site alone, and since then, I’ve been hit by one unlucky thing after another. 

This last year has been unusually dreadful, business wise (usually Copper Pot is a busy hive of wonderfulness during the summer), and the sheer enormity of managing a site this large on my own has been exhausting. Even working 7 days a week, I’ve not been able to keep up, so I recently asked for help. Whilst I had some wonderful responses with people sign up to stay short term on site and help, this too was hit by catastrophe, the worst of which involved the new helper accidentally setting a Winter tent (my personal tent which I'd lent her) on fire, that rendered the tent useless and all its furnishings destroyed through smoke damage. 

As a result, I now have only one unit (my shepherd's hut) available to paying guests; I have no onsite helper and no tent for a helper to use; and there are no funds to replace either. If this current trend continues, I won't be able to survive, never mind build the Community areas I have planned.

When I took the loan to buy out Copper Pot I had no idea how catastrophic this year was going to be, and I didn’t imagine I’d have to set up a crowdfund to simply stay afloat.

A way forward

I need to raise funds to buy a new tent so the site can continue operating as an accommodation site through the winter. I would also love to be able to raise enough funds to pay off at least part of the loan (I have no expectations of paying the loan off with this crowdfund, as it is a very large loan, but reducing it slightly would be fantastic), to enable me to get some breathing space and possibly allow me to get ahead. 

So initially, I desperately need to raise enough funds to replace the tent which was destroyed. Any extra funds raised here will go towards reducing the loan, building the wooden workshop, and starting work on "the quiet corner". 

Copper Pot has helped people in the past and I desperately want it to be able to help people in the future. It’s a true haven for wildlife and people, and I want to see that continue and grow.

So, please, please, help if you can. If you’re not able to offer any funds, sharing this post among your community of friends, family and work colleagues would be just as valuable to me… Have a look at the rewards and make a pledge… get in touch and visit the site – there’s lots of availability for bookings (Did you know we have a GORGEOUS Shepherd’s Hut available? Called Talulah and she sleeps 6) and the site always needs volunteers for work days. 

As always, I’m ever so grateful for your support and kindness, I can’t do this without you.

The Copper Pot needs you, and so do I – please help it to continue to be a wonderful haven for wildlife and people alike, help her continue to help people in need and help her support the local economy and to grow into something even more special. 

Thank you

 James X

This project successfully funded on 5th January 2023