Short-term (2 to 4 weeks) "manual work" projects in United Kingdom

Buddhafield (website: www.buddhafield.com) is an English Buddhist collective that is part of the international Buddhist movement, the Triratna Buddhist Community (website: http://thebuddhistcentre.com). Buddhafield emerged out of the coming together of Buddhism and ecological awareness in the 1990s. Buddhafield is inspired by the ideal of living and working more simply and kindly in a community informed by awareness of our interconnections with each other and with nature. Buddhafield runs a programme of camping activities in the South West of England and owns two beautiful pieces of land, which they are committed to managing sustainably and which they use for several events each year.

Buddhafield's Green Earth Awakening Camp is held over a period of five days, on a beautiful site in the Blackdown Hills, in Somerset, England. The event brings together people for a sharing and celebration of alternative social, cultural, political and spiritual values. The mix of activities around Buddhist, environmental, healing and social change themes together with general festival attractions such as singing, dance, yoga, drumming, live music, craftwork, saunas, hot tubs and forest school activities for children, attracts a wide range of people. The feedback we get is that for many the event is a reminder that a more positive and kind alternative to conventional competitive and environmentally damaging ways of living is possible. In keeping with the Camp's Buddhist ethos the event is a drug and alcohol-free zone.

Volunteers will be assisting in setting up the event, helping put up tents and carpet them as well as other manual jobs around the site. The event itself will take place from 16 to 20 July. During the camp, volunteers can aid with recycling and after the event help with sorting and collecting recycling. As recycling during the event is minimal they can help maintaining 4 compost toilets, which will require sweeping, toilet roll, occasionally cleaning and soap replenishing if needed.

The work is very team-based. The whole enterprise runs on goodwill, awareness of each others' needs, good communication and mutual support. During set-up and take-down there will be organised events around Buddhist themes, attendance at which is completely voluntary. There are generally also alternatives such as spontaneous musical gatherings, often around a fire.

Buddhafield will provide food (vegan) and hot drinks are available throughout the day. Volunteers should provide their own tents and their own sleeping gear such as sleeping bag and sleeping mat.

The event site is in remote countryside, with only two buses per day going near the site. The nearest town is Taunton which has good trains to London. Once on site it take a long time to leave and go shopping etc. We are therefore asking all VAP volunteers to arrive in time to travel up to the site together on 7 July on the 17.30 bus from Taunton town centre. We recommend arriving in Taunton by about 4pm to make sure you find the right place before the bus comes!

The nearest station is Taunton. Journeys take about 2 hours from London or Birmingham, 1 hour from Bristol and 30 minutes from Exeter. Book via http://www.thetrainline.com/

Taunton is about 4 hours from London and 1 hour from Bristol. National Express run regular services to Taunton. See www.nationalexpress.com.

Once in Taunton there are two buses per day which can drop you within 5 minutes walk of the Camp site. The bus stops are about 15 minutes walk from Taunton station and five minutes from the coach station.

Volunteers will be asked to pay a fee of 40 GBP upon arrival. This fee will be used in a fund to support the creation of new workcamps in the UK.

The Othona Community in Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex was founded in 1946. It is a residential centre for people of different ages, nationalities and backgrounds to seek a common understanding in the cause of peace. Othona has welcomed VAP volunteers since the early 1970's. Othona is a multi-faith non-dogmatic Christian Community founded next to one of the oldest churches in the UK (654AD). It fully involves non-Christians. It is an experimental community where work, play, drama, art and study are combined. Volunteers will be fully integrated in the life of the community.

During the summer we will be undertaking the refurbishment of our reed bed system alongside this there is ongoing work to the grounds and gardens, ditches to be cleared and fencing to be repaired and painted.

In 2014 there will be a single discussion theme to which all VAP activists are invited to participate and share. The subject is the United Nations Millennium Development Goals which were signed up to by almost every state on Earth in the year 2000.
There are eight areas targeted for action by the world community and these are the eradication of poverty and hunger, the achievement of universal primary education, equality for women, reduced child mortality, improved maternal health, effective treatment of diseases, environmental sustainability and finally, the development of a global partnership for development. These targets were to be achieved in 15 years.
With five years to go what progress has been achieved? Is there anything we can do to promote these positive ambitions?
All incoming volunteers to VAP's British projects will be asked to find out about what each of their countries is doing to fulfill the promises in the goals and this information will be shared with the others and we hope it can lead to some wider discussion and activities.

In tents close to the community centre. Food will be healthy and home made. Vegetarian diets can be catered for.

The Othona Community is situated on the east coast of Essex, next to a nature reserve. It is 5 Km from the nearest village.

London and Stansted airports and Southminster train station are the closest for arrivals and departures.

During the volunteers time there, there will be various themed study weeks including, "Embracing a Diverse Community" and "Snakes and Ladders: The Musical" – details of these events can be viewed on Othona's website http://www.othona-bradwell.org.uk/Events
Outside their work duties volunteers are encouraged to join in these activities.

We will also be offering work-free (but on-site) 'days off' on Thursday 31st and Friday 8th, plus the opportunity to spend much of Saturday 2nd at Bradwell Village Show (though that will involve helping to organise parking and end-of-day clearing-up).

Volunteers will be asked to pay a fee of £40 GBP upon arrival. This fee will be used in a fund to support the creation of new workcamps in the UK.

Clervaux Trust works with young people who are experiencing difficulties with their educational experience through a practical skills curriculum on the land and using craftwork. We have a 100 acre site and plan to develop a biodynamic farm with market garden and animals. Much of the development work is in the very early stages and help with building it all up would be very gratefully received. The trust also opened a bakery and cafe in Darlington centre which is supplied by food and produce from Clow Beck Eco Centre. We aim to make the people of Darlington as healthy as possible with access to great organic and biodynamic food, as well as giving young people an understanding of life cycles and processes. Clow Beck Eco Centre has a mix of fields, woodlands, rivers, and boggy areas in a lovely part of North Yorkshire. There may well be other courses running over the summer as well so things could either be quite active at times and sleepy at other moments.

Volunteers will work on various tasks such as assisting in the gardens and in the farm, looking after the animals, painting internal and external walls walls around the site, erecting a fence in the front field, preparing and cooking food in the kitchen. There is plenty to do. It will be quite physical and you could pick up some new skills or hone old ones.

Volunteer s will sleep in a large static caravan. There is a shower and compost toilet block and large kitchen and dining area. Volunteers will be sharing this during the day with whoever is on site but will have it only to themselves in the evening.

Clow Beck Eco Centre is 6,5 km from Darlington and 9,5 km from Scotch Corner. It is right by the River Tees on the border of North Yorkshire and Country Durham. If you look at multimap the post code is DL2 2TF.

Darlington is the closest train and bus station. Durham Tees Valley, Newcastle and Doncaster are the nearest airports if you unfortunately prefer to fly.

In order to attend this project volunteers will need to add to their VEF a scanned copy of their Certificate of Good Conduct and a scanned copy of their passport. They should bring the original of the CGC and their passport to the workcamp.

Upon their arrival volunteers will attend an induction in Safeguarding, Health and safety and Equality and diversity.

Volunteers participating in this workcamp are expected to pay a participation fee of £40 (GBP) which will be used in a fund to support the creation of new workcamps in the UK.