We're still collecting donations
On the 17th July 2020 we'd raised £370 with 14 supporters in 42 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
We're standing up for our rights to reside in a caravan on site while working on our woodland, as permitted by law.
by Candice Jules in Arborfield, England, United Kingdom
On the 17th July 2020 we'd raised £370 with 14 supporters in 42 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
We have just 3 weeks left to raise £15000 to pay our barrister to represent us in a public inquiry, or lose everything we've worked so hard for!
We've redirected every penny we earn to this venture and to defend our right to reside on site, improve our woodland and create a sustainable, off grid, woodland based enterprise that will support our family, our community and our planet.
19 months ago we bought a neglected woodland with the goal of rejuvenating it and turning it into an oasis of food, colour, wildlife and sanctuary. A space where we can work together as a family,remove invasive species, plant trees, create a food forest and bring our community into the space to work, play and heal.
We erected a small wooden caravan on site to work on site and have time over and above our additional day jobs to get the woodland sorted and start our dream.
Within days the local council enforcement team took offence to us being on site and issued an injunction, systematically took away our rights to permitted development of our shed and fencing and creating as many obstacles as possible to slow us down and stop us.
We have worked hard to fight every step of the way. We won our first appeal, and the council have had to withdraw their unlawful temporary stop notices, however we still face a public inquiry appeal on our caravan ( which they're claiming is a building despite all the evidence to the contrary) , several treeworks appeals (which they didn't decide within the statutory 8 weeks, or even at all) and a fencing appeal, the removal of the injunction, as well as two compensation claims to date.
In the meantime, our woodland continues to offer up its abundance as fruits of our labour and we are now ready to start making sustainable charcoal from the rhododendron we've removed and sell sustainable firewood from the fallen or removed trees. We have started planting hedges with edible berries and pollinators to attract bees and butterflies, our grasses have attracted dragonflies and the space we've opened is ready to start being properly planted as a food forest, with bushes, shrubs, fruit trees and ground cover like sumptious strawberries and healing comfrey.
In the summer months we hope to host glamping in a bell tent on site, therapy and healing meditations under the trees, forest school and forest gym, wellness mornings where our clients can indulge in a few hours of much needed nurturing through therapy, massage and meditation.
Where our finances should've been spent on our business, they've been redirected to legal and planning fees and we are now restricted even further by coronavirus and having to add homeschooling our toddlers to the mix.
Every bit of money you help us raise will plant a tree, plant or bush. It'll help us pay for equipment, legal and planning fees and help us improve the environment and set up a long term sustainable business that will serve both our family and our community.
This project offered rewards