Just two weeks to book your tickets and enjoy a fantastic weekend of workshops and entertainment!

There's just two weeks to go before the UK Permaculture Convergence - don't miss out! Book your tickets today in order to enjoy a weekend of fantastic workshops such as: 

• Chris Evans: Permaculture in the Himalayas
• Hannah Thorogood: Regenerative Agriculture at the Inkpot
• Graham Burnett: Vegan Permaculture
• Deano Martin: Designing Grain Polycultures for Food, Fertility and Fun
• Wilf Richards & Alan Charlton: Bridging the Gap Between the PDC and Diploma
• Jan Martin: Diploma Accrediation Presentation
• Chris Warburton-Brown: An evening Woodland Bat Walk
• Andy Goldring: Let's Get Enterprising. We are good ecologists, Andy argues we need to be great economists too
• Aranya: Your smartphone as a design tool
• Pippa Chapman: Designing polycultures
• Jo Barker: Foraging - a permaculture way  

Full list and draft programme here...

Why not make a week of it and take advantage of a new course taking place on the same site, Gilwell Park, during the week before the convergence: 

7 Ways To Think Differently - a new course and a new book by Looby Macnamara (author of People and Permaculture)

"The thoughts and actions of people past and present have determined the current state of our planet. If we change our thinking, we can change the health of our own lives, and also the future state of our world."

Join Looby, Peter Cow and Kerry Lane for an imaginative and playful adventure into shifting our own thinking to support a thriving present and future for ourselves and humanity.

8^th – 12 Sept (just before the UK convergence at the same site)

www.designedvisions.com

Please phone 01981 540121 to book onto this course.

Click here for a complete list of workshops on offer during the UK Permaculture Convergence.
Don't miss out - book your tickets today!

London Permaculture Festival

by Lucy Purdy 

With just days now to go, the team behind the London Permaculture Festival are poised and excited to welcome people to Cecil Sharp House in Camden on Sunday July 6.

With innovation and solutions taking centre stage, we’ve gathered together a truly inspiring group of people, workshops and stalls this year. We hope there will be something at the festival for everyone: from whetting the interest of people new to Permaculture, to innovative and exciting projects to inspire the most experienced of Permaculturalists.

On the practical side, speakers will include ‘Vertical Veg Man’ and guardian gardening writer Mark Ridsdill Smith, who will explain how to create a self-watering container garden. No batteries, timers or outside taps needed! Annie Levy will discuss lacto-fermenting with a Permaculture twist, Juliet Kemp will explain the huge wealth of possibility by practicing Permaculture in pots, while nurseryman and rare plant collector Paul Barney of Edulis nursery will tell you about 10 edible perennials which he promises will “float your boat”.

Shamaila Akram, of Tuba Seed Permaculture, will hold an interactive introduction to Permaculture, while Maddy Harland of Permaculture Magazine and the Permaculture Association’s very own Andy Goldring will speak on Big Picture Permaculture and Permaculture in Cuba respectively. Andy will also talk about what was discussed at the IPC and how this will feed into this September’s Convergence, and the next global event, to be held in London 2015.

Hart will bring a taste of music
and culture of the Baka
to Camden on July 6.

A workshop which has drawn lots of interest in the run-up to the festival is run by Su Hart who has formed a fruitful musical partnership with the Baka people of the Cameroon rainforest since first visiting there in 1992. She formed a band, Baka Beyond, and produced two albums with the Baka too. Hart – a veteran of the likes of Glastonbury Festival - was drawn instinctively to the Baka’s relationship with music: a binding force in their lives. They live in the rainforest, hearing nothing but natural sounds, so learn from birth to listen acutely to the natural world around them. They cure illness and argument with song, they raise their voices to enchant animals, to bring luck in the hunt, to soothe babies and to unite the group in purpose and in joy. Hart will bring a taste of this to Camden on July 6. Read more here.

Also unfolding on the day in a beautiful, colourful celebration of Permaculture will be experts in straw bale building, cob making, seed-bomb sculpting, and an introduction to aquaponics by a man who keeps tilapia fish in his garage! Plenty of kid-friendly events will take place too for budding Permaculturalists of the future.

A thriving new staple of the London Permaculture scene, and one which will be explored at the festival, is the Permablitz. Permablitzes involve people coming together to create or improve a community or household edible, wildlife-friendly garden, according to the principles of Permaculture. This is learning about Permaculture and gardening as you work, building community networks, sharing good food and enjoying the feeling of coming together on something worthwhile. The concept will be explained in detail on July 6.

A thriving new staple of the London Permaculture scene, 
and one which will be explored at the festival, is the Permablitz.

We urge you to come along on the day, dip into those workshops and activities which really grab your attention – all of which are explained

here – and spread the words among friends and family via Twitter and Facebook. There has been a real buzz about this year’s festival. We’ve had articles published about us in Sublime Magazine, in which Permaculture was described as “dynamic, evolving and inspiring” and on Recycleopedia.com too. This piece read: “The festival looks set to be an inspiring, action-packed day out, suitable for all ages, and most importantly, a chance for people to connect over the ideas of Permaculture. Warning: many find that once it takes root, it becomes a way of life.”

The festival will unfurl in the heart of the capital, where diversity and abundance of human spirit abound. This is what Permaculture is all about! Hopefully you can be part of this wonderful day.

www.londonpermaculturefestival.com

UK Permaculture Convergence 2014: Get ready for a life- changing event!

by Anna Schmidt

Strategic Communications Coordinator at the Permaculture Association

The Permaculture Association warmly invites you to spend an unforgettable weekend (12th – 14th September) at this year's UK Permaculture Convergence. The event takes place at Gilwell Park in London, an amazing forest location with great views!

Book your tickets online here.

The weekend will be packed with a huge diversity of workshops. Whether you are new to permaculture or want to deepen your knowledge, be sure you'll leave this event with plenty of new ideas, knowledge and practical skills. Three month before the convergence, we already have over 10 confirmed workshop leaders and speakers, which include Looby Macnamara, who is going to present her new book “7 Ways to Think Differently”; Chris Evans, who will talk about permaculture in the Himalaya; and Maddy Harland, who will introduce us to the world of unusual trees and forest gardens.