The Runnymede Eco-Village community have built a long house kitchen, geodesic dome communal space and other low impact structures made from the renewable timbers and recycled materials. We’ve also dug a well (where we draw water from), setup solar panels for producing electricity. Our food growing is in the early stages, but our plan is to become as self-sufficient as we can.

Interview with Phoenix, a member of the Runnymede Ecovillage community:

Hamish: Hi Phoenix, can you tell us about the history of Runnymede Ecovillage and why it was established?

Phoenix: Sure, about 30 people walked out of London after some of the Occupy London movement, and the main mission was to get disused land to grow food and create low-impact homes. This was a response to the issue of land distribution in this country, where 1% own 70% of the land. The idea was to use disused land for sustainable living and experiment and learn about low-impact living.

Hamish: How did the community come about, and how long has it been here?

Phoenix: After some diversions by the police, we ended up at Runnymede, a historic place, and set up a camp. There were initial camps on other bits of land, but we eventually settled here. We were here for about a month before we were taken to court and got a possession order. We moved further down into the woods and set up here, and we’ve been here for about a year now. It hasn’t been easy, as we’ve been evicted multiple times, but we’re still here and still digging in.

Hamish: What is the issue with disused land, and why is it important to use it for sustainable living?

Phoenix: Disused land is a problem because it’s not used by anyone, and there’s a vast amount of it in the country. The idea behind the campaign is to use some of this land to grow food and provide a place for people to live sustainably and in a low-impact way. We’reliving very high-impact lives, and we need to learn to live in a more sustainable way.

Hamish: Can you tell us about the space and structures at Runnymede Ecovillage?

Phoenix: There’s a reproduction Anglo-Saxon longhouse about 50 foot long, built by one of our members who has experience in woodland skills. There’s also a big geodesic dome and various other structures and homes, including Hobbit-like homes, teepees, and benders. We’ve also cleaned up a lot of the area, including an old area covered in rubbish and old fridges, and made things beautiful.

Hamish: How has the community been received by visitors and the authorities?

Phoenix: We’ve been very friendly with all the people who come and visit here, and they see that there’s a good thing going on. We’ve had visits from the authorities, and they’ve been impressed with what we’re doing. We’ve also been evicted multiple times, but we keep coming back and keep networking with other communities. There’s another diggers camp over in the Forest of Dean, and we need more of these communities all over.

Hamish: Thank you for talking with us today, Phoenix. It sounds like Runnymede Ecovillage is doing some really interesting work.

They were evicted, by property developers

Runnymede Eco-Village: Sustainable Living on Disused Land

The Runnymede Eco-Village community was a group who walked out of London after the Occupy London movement to create a space for sustainable living and low-impact homes. The community aimed to use disused land to grow food and experiment with low-impact living.

The community was at Runnymede, a historic place, for about a year. They built various structures and homes, including an Anglo-Saxon longhouse, a geodesic dome, Hobbit-like homes, teepees, and benders. They also dug a well, set up solar panels for electricity, and were in the early stages of food growing.

The community faced challenges, including multiple evictions, but they dug in and networking with other communities. The idea behind the campaign was to use disused land for sustainable living and experiment and learn about low-impact living. The Runnymede Eco-Village community was doing some really interesting work, and there is a need for more communities like it all over the country.

On August 27, 1981, history was made in Cardiff, Wales when 36 women and four babies in pushchairs embarked on a march to the US Air Force Base Greenham Common to protest the deployment of American nuclear cruise missiles. This small start led to the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, which became a major catalyst in the worldwide anti-nuclear movement throughout the 1980s. In August 2001, the original Greenham women gathered to unveil a life-size bronze sculpture commemorating their original march. Lucy Campbell, who participated in the march, reminisces about her experience, recalling the camaraderie and friendship she found among the women, as well as the challenges they faced on the journey, such as the windy Seven Bridge and the need to take down their banners. She also remembers the felt-tip version of the banner they created to inform those behind them about their cause. Looking back, she now appreciates the experience, though at the time, it was something her mother wanted her to do.

FADE IN:

EXT. LONDON – DAY

We see the bustling city of London. People are rushing to work, cars are honking and the sound of construction is deafening.

CUT TO:

EXT. A BOATYARD IN SCOTLAND – DAY

A man, HAMISH, in his late-thirties, stands in front of a bright orange, round boat with 60 seats.

HAMISH
(to the boatyard owner)
I’ll take it.

BOATYARD OWNER
(shocked)
Are you sure? This is a lifeboat.

HAMISH
(smiling)
I’m sure. I want to downscale and have a more sustainable life.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LIFEBOAT – DAY

Hamish is inside the lifeboat, taking out the central seats to open up space.

HAMISH (V.O.)
It comes with nothing, no kitchen, no bathroom. But I have a plan.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LIFEBOAT – LATER

Hamish is setting up a stove and drainage system. He looks up and smiles.

HAMISH (V.O.)
For this summer, I plan to camp out in it. Take the central section out, open up the space, and just sling a hammock.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LIFEBOAT – DAY

hamish is looking at a map.

HAMISH (V.O.)
I’ve got this whole plan. After next year, I’ll take the boat across the channel and then go through the waterways of Europe.

CUT TO:

EXT. ENGLISH CHANNEL – DAY

We see Hamish sailing the lifeboat across the English Channel. It’s a bit uncomfortable, but he’s safe in the lifeboat.

CUT TO:

EXT. A CANAL IN EUROPE – DAY

We see Hamish navigating the lifeboat through a canal in Europe.

HAMISH (V.O.)
And actually go all the way down to the Mediterranean.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE MEDITERRANEAN – DAY

The lifeboat is sailing on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

HAMISH (V.O.)
And then, you know, through the rivers and canals of Europe and into Russia and down to the Black Sea.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE BLACK SEA – DAY

The lifeboat is sailing on the Black Sea. Hamish looks happy and fulfilled.

HAMISH (V.O.)
It’s technically possible to do that.

FADE OUT.

Don, provided a space for people to gather and connect, he was a free-spirited person who made his own choices and lived life on his own terms. He passed away, and many people who knew him gathered to remember him and the impact he had on their lives. The memories and connections that Don created have continued to endure even after his passing.

Some images from the house https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/50-aston-street.html?sortBy=relevant

A large-scale protest against the construction of an open-cast coal mine in Fos-y-fran, South Wales. Climate activists from across Wales and local residents, took direct action by occupying the construction site and chaining themselves to the excavation machinery. The protest is a symbol of the battle against climate change and a challenge to the government’s stance on the issue, with the protesters accusing the government of hypocrisy for participating in international talks on reducing carbon emissions while supporting the development of new coal mines at home. The protesters believe that the use of coal, the dirtiest fuel, will have a devastating impact on the global climate and will undermine efforts to address the issue.

Reflecting on the history of community spaces and how they have evolved over time. In the 19th and 20th centuries, two main types of community spaces existed: village halls and church halls. Village halls were neutral spaces for community events run by a local group, while church halls had a moralistic and ideological focus and were more restricted by the attitudes of the church.

The rise of community centres, in the mid-20th century, were driven by ideas of social justice and community empowerment. However, these centres later became commercialized and bureaucratized, losing their focus on community empowerment. In the 21st century, we need to “reboot” the older ideas of community spaces, such as the village hall, to better reflect the different needs and values of contemporary society.