News stories for August/September 2000

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Media request for documentary help

I am working on a documentary series about people who are changing their lives and setting up organic smallholdings or relocating to rural areas either in the UK or abroad in order to improve their quality of life. I have spoken to the organic press, soil association and farmers markets and also rural property agents. There has been a good response but the time frame is very important in that we hope to find people who are about to move to start a new life, or people who have moved recently and are still experiencing a degree of culture shock.

Some of the people we have already spoken to have worked on holiday on organic farms in order to gain experience. Do you have a newsletter or a bulletin board where we could post a letter to your members asking if they have come across people who are new to smallholding who plan to leave their jobs to start their own venture?

I would be most grateful if you could contact me on 020 7251 6966.

Many thanks,
Liz Dyson
Researcher, Ricochet Films

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Blooming Butterflies

Apparently this year has been a poor one for British butterflies. This may well have been due to wet and changeable weather during the spring. We have definitely noticed a drop in numbers, particularly Tortoiseshell and Red admiral. However towards the end of summer we had a real burst of activity in the gardens, particularly attracted to the buddlia. In one day we counted 9 species, including: -

• Gatekeeper
• Small Copper
• Peacock
• Comma
• Small Tortoiseshell
• Red admiral
• Painted Lady
• Brimstone
• Small White

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Website hits explode!

Over the last nine months we have seen a steady rise in the hit rate on the Hockerton Housing Project website from under 100/month to over 300. However over the last two weeks of September we have received nearly 1,500, the equivalent of the first six months. We are not sure why this has happened, other than an increase in other websites linking to us. If it is you, please let us know and we would be happy to reciprocate.

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NEW Website to be launched in October

Last year we created a project website that we were very proud of. Focussing more on content than style we have tried to use it to update people on the project’s progress and provide details of our activities, in particular guided tours. Over the summer a company, Green Media, who provide a web creation service and are focussed on promoting environmental agenda, approached us. Since then we have been working together to develop an improved site that will be far more stylish whilst increasing it’s content. There will be many more images and an improved layout. New sections include: -

• Virtual Tour – This will provide a series of images and text taking the viewer through the key stages and elements of the project. It answers many of questions we are frequently asked.
• Sustainable Community Project. A dedicated section has been made to this important project that we are working on over the next couple of years. The project’s aims are to assist individuals and small groups to develop their own sustainable communities.

We are hoping to launch this during early October with the same address – http://www.hockerton.demon.co.uk/ . The site will be developed further over the coming year, particularly as we develop new projects.

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Boungiorno Italia & Kon-nichi wa

This summer has since continued interest in the project from abroad – most notably from Italy and Japan. Due to several articles on Italian websites and written media we had a burst of enquiries from Italians requesting more details of HHP to develop their own ideas. We also had two visitors to the project from Japan, one of which has subsequently asked us to actively help with the design of his plans in Japan for an environmentally friendly home. Earlier this year we were included in an architectural exhibition (created by Royal Institute of British Architects) in Japan.

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Talking Point

Talks are a useful way in which we can speak to many others about the project principles. It is also a key feature of our Sustainable Community project. Over the next few months we are providing a number of presentations to a very different audiences. If you are looking for speakers for conferences, seminars, special events, or to your group, please contact us to discuss further or look on our website for more information. Presentations coming up include the following:-

• North Staffordshire Arts & Architecture Club – Tuesday 3^rd October – "Where Swampy meets Wimpey". Contact Chris Hesketh on 01538 373477 or email info@chris-taylor-design.co.uk
• Royal Aeronautical Society – Wednesday 25^th October – "Sustainable Development and the Property Market". For further details email conferences@landor.co.uk
• Humber & Wolds Rural Community Council – Sunday 15^th October. For further details contact Alyson Linnegar on 01724 735572
• Chartered Institution of Building Service Engineers (East Midlands regional meeting) – Tuesday 14^th November- "Green Building". (to be confirmed)

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Flood of visitors

After a relatively quiet summer, the number of visitors to the project has increased significantly. In the last few weeks we have had group visits by two architect practices and three councils (particularly planners). In the next couple of weeks we are also expecting visits from regional Government and a local MEP. If you are interested in visiting as an individual or would like to organise your own group tour, please see our website for more details (see ‘Guided Tours’). We have also developed tours o cater more for those looking to develop their own sustainable community projects. Please contact us for more details.

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Sustainability Community Project Update

During the first phase of this project we focussed primarily on researching the best way to provide services to assist those interested in developing their own sustainable communities. In the last few months we have started to develop these services. This includes: -

• Website (see also article above on ‘New Website’) – Complete redesign of website to provide more relevant information. The ‘Virtual Tour’ will show how many of the issues facing HHP were overcome, providing potential solutions for other potential projects. This includes a whole section dedicated to this project with more details of services, links to exchange networks and news about other projects.
• Site Visits and Talks – Tailor made to help these people.
• Workshops – Developed the format and piloted a community’s festival in July. We will be setting up workshops based at HHP during next year or possibly earlier.

If you would like further details on any of the above please contact to discuss further.

We have also developed partnerships with three other organisations to help us develop this project over the coming years. More can be found about these organisations once the new website is launched. They are: -

• Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT
• Permanent Publications (publishers of ‘Permaculture’)
• Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB)

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