Project proposed by South Hams Holistic Education Community Co-operative Ltd. (SHHECom) for a Sustainable Living & Creativity Centre, at the existing Craft Workshop
and Land behind Schumacher College Area

To realise this Project, the Hon. Secretary Jeffrey Gale of SHHECom is proposing
the following Strategy to the Dartington Hall Trust:

1. SHHECom is registered as a Not-for-Profit Benefit of the Community Co-operative Company, whose main aim is to run Courses on a wide range of skills and subjects related to Sustainable Living and Creativity. We have a Team of Members with these kinds of skills and subjects to exchange in running these courses. Since foundation, we have run several at other Communities – Full Permacultural Design, Eco-Home Self-Building, Renewable Energy, Compost Toilet Building, Creative Arts.
   
   
2. The other primary aim is to acquire land and buildings where our Centre could be properly equipped and housed. In South Hams, costs if Freehold are very high, so Leasehold would be a preferred option, provided it is for 10+ years.
   
   
3. The existing Craft Craft Workshops area behind Schumacher College seems to afford a suitable place for the Centre we are proposing, and so we might negotiate a long lease (or freehold purchase) for this, together with about 2 acres of land. Existing parking area would be shared with Schumacher College. Several of our Members wish to run Courses on Self-Build Skills (Eco-Homes), Localised energy systems including Biogas Plant Building, Woodcrafts, Permacultural Design Certificate, Woodland & Horticultural Management for Sustainability and suchlike.
   
   
4. Our skilled Craft-building Team needs to build a Staff Eco-Dwelling with local natural materials, timber-frame combined with strawbale plastered*. This Project could run alongside our first Self-Build Eco-Homes Course. We will also build our Linear Biogas Plant with a Course alongside for hands-on experience. Combined with various solar-sourced systems, this plant would provide base electricity from its generator to service the Centre's and homes' needs. The whole Project could achieve zero off-site energy and zeroCO2 emissions.
   
   
5. These self-help practical skills are much-needed by young people, both here and abroad, where incomes are frequently too low to start a mortgage for a home.
   
   
6. An organic vegetarian Community Diner would be run by a Chef-Manager, helped by a rota of our Residential Staff Members to serve Students as well as Staff Members.
   
   
7. The aims and ethics of this Centre seem to fit present aspirations if the Trust Estate to become much more self-reliant for its energy needs, for economic sustainability and to create eventually a Sustainability Academy.
   
   
8. All new buildings and equipment will be financed by our Company. Various Grants are available for Sustainability Education, especially when Courses are subsidised to make them accessible to young people, to enable development of practical skills and knowledge.
   
   
9. Our skilled Building Team might offer to build Eco-Homes at low cost to the College's Staff or Estate Workers.

October 2008