Something a little different to show the diversity of projects around Dorset…. enjoy….. :o)

COLE STREET FARM COHOUSING COMMUNITY
 THE THRESHOLD CENTRE
Cole Street Farm, Cole Street Lane,
Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5JQ
www.thresholdcentre.org.uk
info@thresholdcentre.org.uk
01747 821929

NEWSLETTER – Spring 2010

Happy New Year to you all – a little late but heartfelt all the same!
Thanks for your continued support and interest in our project.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIVING AT THE THRESHOLD CENTRE
Our community is constantly evolving and opportunities for newcomers to
join us arise from time to time.  As you know, we are a friendly
cohousing educational community with a sustainable living ethos near
Gillingham, Dorset, and the first group to offer affordable housing in
conjunction with a local Housing Association.
Members can live here either as owners, part owners or rental tenants of
the units, depending on availability.  We also have rooms in the main
farmhouse available for short/medium term self-catering stays for those
who wish to get a taste of cohousing in action.
We welcome people interested in exploring co-housing or community, and
people who just want a break in the beautiful Dorset countryside.
Prospective residents are very welcome to come for a weekend at our B&B
rates, to see if the place would suit them for a longer stay.

For Sale: private two bedroom cottage. Contact Nancy Winfield,
nancywinfield@hotmail.co.uk for further details or phone 01392 211794.

Shared equity via East Dorset Housing Assn: a one bedroom cottage is
available. Contact Amanda Pearson on aep123@hotmail.co.uk for details.

For private rental: currently we have a large en-suite bedroom available
in the farmhouse, contact Caroline Sharman on 01747 821929. The rent in
the farmhouse is £80 per week, which includes bills. As well as their
bed-sitting room, guests can use the sitting and dining rooms in the
farmhouse, enjoy the large courtyard garden, and will share the
farmhouse kitchen
For rental via EDHA. From September there will be a one bedroom unit
available. For details contact Amanda Pearson on aep123@hotmail.co.uk

If you are interested in any of the above, or would like to go on our
list for future vacancies, please get in touch. We seek residents who
would enjoy being part of a supportive community and would join in
shared activities – these include running workshops, some meals,
meditation, gardening and social time.
See our website for more information.

New Recruits!
Our next batch of newcomers have now arrived. Linda P (as opposed to
Linda J  - already resident) has joined us regularly on our garden/work
weekends, so we are delighted she has now become a full-time member and
look forward to her teachings on permaculture and gardening generally.
She is full of ideas for uses of our land and systems for sharing the
work. Julie and Richard are also here now and Richard has been hard at
work sorting out the initial biomass problems. We look forward to
singing with Julie,  experiencing workshops with Richard and hearing
their travellers’ tales as they are fresh back from visiting other
communities abroad.

National Cohousing Events
Alan Heeks and Amanda Pearson (both residents here at Cole Street Farm)
will be involved at this event on Saturday April 24th
International cohousing experts to visit London in April.
Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant, the award-winning Californian
architects who pioneered cohousing in the USA and wrote the cohousing
‘bible’, will be guest speakers at a UK Cohousing Network Conference on
Saturday April 24th in London. The programme will include lessons from
20 years of cohousing in the USA, project management and design &
reports from established and developing cohousing projects in the UK.
Workshops will include overcoming obstacles, legal & finance, governance
and more.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all those
individuals and groups in the process of planning their own cohousing
project and also for those just contemplating cohousing.
Fee £25.pp.
For details email: info@cohousing.org.uk.
Full programme details www.cohousing.org.uk
Additional cohousing events in April featuring McCamant and Durrett are
also planned.

ECOS trust Sustainable Building Seminars – Two events in April
Sustainable Building Materials - health, carbon, life.
Tuesday 20th April. 9am - 4.45pm. Great Bow Wharf, Langport, Somerset.
Fee: £160 plus VAT (£188 inc.)
The seminar is for Housing Association development managers, building
professionals including architects and quantity surveyors, materials
suppliers and purchasing managers, building contractors and anyone in
the industry who wishes to know more about sustainable building materials.
Make Mine an Eco Home - helping to make your home better for you, your
pocket and the environment.
Wednesday 28th April. Great Bow Wharf, Langport, Somerset.
Fee: £96 plus VAT (£112.80 inc.)
This interactive seminar is for homeowners, self-builders, landlords and
anyone else wishing to get great ideas and a good grounding in how to
carry out a sustainable building or refurbishment project.
 For further information, to download a flier and to book your place
online visit the Ecos events webpage at www.ecostrust.org.uk. or tel.
01458 254349

EXTRA EVENTS AT THE THRESHOLD CENTRE
We will soon have a beautiful new downstairs meditation room (thanks to
Peter and Bill for all their hard work) and, as well as using the space
for meditation and therapy treatments, plan to hold regular events
encompassing wider aspects of sustainability.

TOWARDS 2012 weekend course.
We are fortunate to have two remarkable spiritual teachers from New
Zealand staying with us in May, husband and wife team the Reverends
Helen and Polaris Eggers.  They are holding a 2-day workshop here on the
15/16 May entitled Enlightenment and the Human Energy Field.  This will
be a stimulating and mind-expanding weekend!  We hope you will join us.
Cost £95.
Helen will be offering individual healing sessions and soul readings at
the Threshold Centre throughout May.  For more information and bookings
contact Linda Joyce on 07973 529245.  Their website is
www.way-of-the-heart.org

Subsequently we intend to hold monthly day workshops under the TOWARDS
2012 theme.  Contact Linda or Caroline 01747 821929 for more information.

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS – 2010
The cohousing and work weekends have proved very popular this year, so
please book early to avoid disappointment.
Cohousing Workshops :
These are residential and run from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.
They provide an opportunity for individuals or groups to experience life
in a cohousing community for a weekend, at the same time learning how to
go about setting up a project. They are very popular, so book early to
secure a place.  2010 charges:  £140 for course, lunches, snacks and
evening meals.  B&B £25/£35 per night, depending on location.
April 23-25: June 11-13: Sept. 10-12: Nov. 12-14

Gardening/Work Weekends
We offer bed and board in exchange for your help and it’s not all work!
 Arrive in time for Friday supper if you can, otherwise early on the
Saturday.
May 28th-30th: July 16th-18th: Oct. 15th-17tth.

Open Afternoons for Visitors/Enquirers
These take place on the Sunday afternoon of the work weekends from 2-4pm
(see previous item).  A chance for enquirers and potential joiners to
have a look around, ask questions about cohousing and enjoy a cup of
tea. There is no charge, but donations are welcome.

Open Lunches
These take place on the first Sunday of each month from 12.30 – 3pm. An
informal gathering with a chance to look round and meet the residents.
Please let us know (on 01747 821929) if you would like to come, and
bring vegetarian food to share.

Meditation
We hold open meditation on the first Thursday of each month from 8-9pm
offering meditation and visualisation techniques suitable for all levels
of experience. Please let us know (on 01747 821929) if you would like to
join us. There is no charge, but donations are welcome.

With best wishes from us all,
Jane, Luke, Sarah, Amanda, Peter, Monty the dog, Caroline, Bill,
Michael, Gay, Andrew, Linda P, Julie, Richard,  John and Jamie, Alan,
Linda J, and not forgetting Muriel.