So, it's now 8th March 2020.  Ever since I got back I've been turning over and over the idea of setting up a large-scale commune, mostly modelled on Twin Oaks, with bits of Ganas, Can Tonal/ Vallbona Mutual Aid and old-school Monastic/Abbey living thrown in.

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In other words:
- egalitarian - income/wealth sharing, equal access to resources and decision-making
- 100-200 people
- mostly communal, with porous/soft/flexible boundaries (everyone has their own room)
- generating income collectively through community businesses
- relatively self-sufficient and with an understanding that always increasing self-sufficiency is probably wise given the increasing problems facing us/society/the planet
- skill- & knowledge-sharing inside and beyond the community
- a commitment to always improving inter-personal communication and self-knowledge

- enjoy and take pride in work and doing a good job and serving others/the community
- a regenerative approach to the health of the land, ourselves, our relationships and our ecology
- an understanding that the state and capitalism are not our friends

- solidarity and practical aid beyond our community

- an inter-generational community which values the contributions and meets the needs of different age groups: from each according to their ability, to each according to their need.

- Being as accessible as possible: physically, mentally and emotionally

- A place of refuge and hope

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Ideally in West or South Yorkshire or East Lancashire.

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I could go on, I've been thinking about many aspects of this for a long time, but it's obviously time to start finding the people to do this with, before I decide what times the communal meals are served each day!

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If you want to be one of those people or you just want to be kept informed of progress, please fill in the form at the bottom of this page. 

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While I haven't got any actual plans for what to do next, i imagine i'll have some sort of get together in autumn or winter 2020 for the beginnings of a group.

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**Update 24 Oct 2020**

4 of us met up to kick the project off!  We were Cath, Ben C, Mikee, Jack (plus Luke for the first half). Here's what we decided:

Agreement on general locational ideals: North/ West Yorks /Lancs etc....​

Agreement on meeting times.  Regularly Saturdays at 14h30 to 16h00

Recruits would ideally:

• Come before we start study circles

• Have read these two articles:
  https://peacenews.info/node/9288/diary-impossible-plan
  https://peacenews.info/node/9336/diary-i-propose-starting-study-circles  

• Have filled in form below

• Listen to GPaul podcast at https://soundcloud.com/point-a-gpaul/income-sharing-across-the-pond

 

To Do...

• consider comms, eg alternative to slack,  https://opensource.com/alternatives/trello

• Recruitment ideas & individuals

• Jitsi hookups in Mornings if we want https://meet.jit.si/P6WaterCooler

• Consider resources for a study circle

• Think next time about keeping non attendees up to date

• Consider starting a kitty for expenses/building up a fund

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