Level – Previous Experience Required
Date 1 –  TBC
Duration – TBC
Price – Free Inc camping
Venue – The Woodyard Gloucestershire

Why
Build Camp exists to help make the most mind bogglingly beautiful natural buildings affordable for schools, charities, community groups, trusts, educational organisations & individuals who put other people and the environment first.

What
The last Build Camp building a 15 meter barn with sauna and wildlife roof. The structure will be an experimental roundwood construction designed to support a heavy roof holding mixed habitats for invertebrates. It’s very exciting to host the first Build Camp directly supporting our own courses and training programmes at our HQ on Duchy Home Farm in Gloucestershire. We ask a commitment for the full 11 days.

This is a real build so we need everyone to be physically fit and competent with tools. We will be camping on-site together in basic conditions. 18yrs +.

Learning
Every day is about passing on the core skills of the moment. The camp itself is also about building the ‘build community’ and working together to challenge the established economic strangle hold which squashes so much of the beauty and creativity in the human spirit. Build Camp is our chance to come together to build a better world.

Ethos
Build Camp projects do not offer any individual the opportunity to amass private wealth or property. We are committed to training people who can spare the time and are keen to work and learn regardless of wealth. The host organisations/individuals we support are usually underfunded. Sometimes there are resources to feed us all and sometimes not. Our buildings are available for anyone and everyone to enjoy. We believe in total transparency and all project accounts are published to participants at the project end. These amazing community developments would simply not be possible without your involvement.

Inspiration
During my time in Belize I helped a Mayan family build their first family home. The whole community came out to help women, children, elders, everyone. It was the communities business to ensure that everyone was provided for. We worked with natural materials and dug with our hands the way it had been done for hundreds and hundreds of years. At the end of the week we sang, danced and drank spirits to celebrate.

Flavor
Morning around the breakfast fire for coffee and pancakes. I’ve forgotten now how long we’ve been here but the bones of an incredible building rise behind us to mark our time. Smiling faces new, yet already familiar greet the morning. A days plan is hatched and once again the sound of mallets chattering on chisels mix with birdsong and the talk of the day. Finally as the light fades and a well earned super fills my belly I settle back at the fireside. The flickering light shows an outer skin forming on our building. Some nights I natter till slumber, some I just gaze into the flames and enjoy the warming glow before a well earned sleep.

You
If you have some previous building or carpentry experience and would love to learn more, are physically fit, love the outdoor life and care about building community, Build Camp could be right up your street.

 

Photo’s from Previous Projects

 

Time for topping out!

Another fab night of music around the fire.

A big thanks to this years crew, You where awesome!; Ben, Boycee, Dan, Jim, Josh, Lindy, Fran, Luke, Mark, Mat, Oliver, Phil, Tessa and Kath.

 

Testimonials 2016

It’s difficult to put into words, (or music or dance)…This building and the team have been fabulous. Lots of learning, experimenting, laughter, music, exceptional food and an amazing building for a fabulous charity. I don’t want to go home or burst the bubble. Thank you. Lindy.

So much positivity to take away from this experience. Not only a valuable learning opportunity but so much fun, community and peace. Sad to be departing but leaving with inspiration in my heart. Many thanks to Adrian and Kath and to everyone who made this project possible. Lot of love Matt.

Thanks to Kath for putting on a food fest and to Adrian for the woodworking. I think I have found a group of lifelong friends who I know will come running when called upon. I have had an absolute blast with all aspect of the past 14 days. I would like to shout a massive thanks for allowing me to be part of an awesome build and to a great charity. Cheers Boycee

What seems now like a very long time ago when I lived in Belize I had my first experience of a community building project. We helped a family to build their home, a simple and humble hut built from natural materials. The whole village came out to help; women, children, young and old, all dug with their hands, sticks, make-do tools or what ever they had to hand. Slowly bit by bit from the foundations upwards the hut grew. Back in the UK I felt inspired to continue this tradition which must surely have been common place here too not so long ago. Adrian Leaman (Wholewoods)