Join me to Set Up
a Commune in the North
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.
​
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
​
Ideally in West or South Yorkshire or East Lancashire.
​
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!
​
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.
​
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.
​
**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
​