News & Blog
After months of only online events through the Covid-19 lockdown, we had our first in person and socially distanced Mentoring Day in the lush summer green of the wild and wonderful Dart Valley.
Hi I’m Ben, Write to Freedom’s Operations Manager.
That means I have a hand in most aspects of the organisation. My main role is to think about systems, workflows and relationships, to ensure the smooth running of our programs and our staff team. I have the pleasure of co-leading on our residentials, as I’m also an Integrative Counsellor.
My story with Write to Freedom began in January 2014, on a blustery High Heathercombe. The charity was training up a cohort of mentors to work alongside disadvantaged teenagers, in and out of prison. For two years I then volunteered on a range of programs, working with youth offenders, reuniting imprisoned fathers with their children, and piloting addiction recovery residentials. For me it was a time of passion and discovery for the healing and transformative benefits of combining wild nature and inner exploration. I was always left hungry for more.
By the end of 2016, I became the charity’s administrator at a time when we made the decision to solely focus our efforts on improving the lives of adults in addiction recovery. 2017 was a year of rapid growth. We delivered many residentials, integrated a new leadership methodology, and sowed the seeds of the thriving recovery community that we have today.
As the years and number of retreats are stacking up, my role within the organisation has shaped and moulded to fit my skills. We seem to be growing together!
“Write to Freedom has the ability to encourage and nurture people’s passions and talents, which then ripples out into the community. It’s great to be a part of. At it’s core, I see that the community is about nurturing healthy, grounded relationships. Not only with others, but with ourselves.”
The culture we continue to create is one where any experience can be seen as an opportunity for growth and reflection. All it takes is time, patience and a healthy dose of tenacity!
If I were talking to somebody who might be thinking about attending something Write to Freedom has to offer, I’d say how regardless of age or life experience, we are all like little plants, requiring just the right amount of soil, light and nutrients to flourish and flower.
Write to Freedom gives each person the time, opportunity and language to look at those conditions and figure out what works and what doesn’t. Maybe I need less watering, maybe I need more light. I might also need a prune here and there!
I am always happy to talk with anyone who is considering signing up for a residential, so do get in touch.
Thanks for reading!
Ben
Our first Online Experience weekend was an incredible journey for both staff and participants. I, as a staff member, personally did not imagine we could present something on zoom that would feel so connecting, nourishing and immersive.
Well – we did it and more!
The biggest and most beautiful thing that I shall take away from the Experience is that we now know we can reach out to those people who for health reasons, location etc can not come to a residential.
Covid-19 has made us all think, act, feel a little deeper about what it means to be connected and how does it feel to be isolated. An online community feels the way forward to become more inclusive for those who can’t get to the moors.
“I felt held and supported even though it was a digital gathering. In some real life circles I participated in, I have not felt this level of intimacy and trust. Everybody was heard and included. This experience gave me a good reminder that things don’t have to be complicated in recovery. Connection to people, nature, creativity and mindfulness - nothing more is needed.”
“Felt very safe being online because there was still a nature connection being actively encouraged to happen through the processes & conversations.Bodywork and meditations were lovely, and deeply nourishing. It all felt very inclusive, and, as always, nature nurtures and supports recovery no matter what.”
“Despite the day being online the essence of my experience was a feeling of being welcome and connected which was great, as there were plenty of opportunities for me to share my thoughts and I did not feel afraid to do so. Being able to share my experiences with others and hear about their experiences, which have similarities is very helpful for my recovery as a reminder that many people have face the same challenges and are overcoming them, which is encouraging.”
Caspar introduces our upcoming online Experience Days giving a picture of what to expect if you join in. More information and sign ups on our web page here >>
Have a watch here of Ben chatting to Laura about her experiences of being part of Write to Freedom over the last couple of years.
A series of poems and images by Caspar on the Jungian Archetypes, as part of our Creative Pathways to Healing and Meaning programme.
You waited
By Caspar Walsh
You waited
for the longest time
didn’t you
as you were broken apart, piece by piece
way before you’d even got a foothold
before you even knew what it meant to have a choice.
so you headed up into the hills - alone
no map
through bramble thorns and thick black earth
death and winter everywhere you looked.
Through the seasons
with a cautious, unfolding love
you weaved a new world for yourself
and the decades and days slowly lifted into life.
Finally,
you made it back
to the fireside
hands raised to the heat
and you grieved for what was lost
what you never received
loving at last, what is in front of you now -
a new family
deeper roots.
You did this
this difficult, beautiful thing
for the love of you
for the love of us
yes
you did this…
We waited
By Caspar Walsh
We waited
for the longest time
didn’t we
as we were broken apart, piece by piece
way before we’d even got a foothold
before we even knew what it meant to have a choice.
so we headed up into the hills - alone
no map
through bramble thorns and thick black earth
death and winter everywhere we looked.
Through the seasons
with a cautious, unfolding love
we weaved a new world for ourselves
and the decades and days slowly lifted into life.
finally,
we made it back
to the fireside
hands raised to the heat
and we grieved for what was lost
what we never received
loving at last, what is in front of us now -
a new family
deeper roots.
We did this
this difficult, beautiful thing
for the love of you
for the love of us
yes
we did this…
Melissa
This Poem is important to me because it reflects how the strength and beauty of connection has been transformative for me. My connection with nature has flourished throughout my recovery journey with Write to Freedom and has allowed me to feel at peace, calm and a sense of belonging on this earth. The poem reflects the bond that I felt developed with my buddy and the joy of creating this together.
I have been in recovery for 3 and a half years, since 20th October 2016.
I have been involved with Write to Freedom since February 2017.
Laura
This poem emerged from the experience of connecting with a tree, becoming aware of the details and noticing the changes. I enjoyed the process of re-connecting daily and sharing with my buddy, it was a lot of fun! I felt supported, grounded and inspired. Forming a relationship, seeing reflections and similarities between myself, the tree, my buddy. Now I am connecting with more trees, the natural world around me and interacting differently.
I have been in recovery for 2 years, since the 5th May 2018.
I have been involved with Write to Freedom since September 2018.
Write to Freedom (W2F) is an award winning charity supporting people in addiction recovery to change their lives through mentoring, self-empowerment, wilderness experiences and the power of community.
This funding will support delivery of all programmes and develop a sustainable future to support long term addiction and trauma recovery throughout Devon and the UK.
W2F will develop their ground-breaking programme of ‘Recovery Tribes’ residential courses for new participants across the region. Also, to build the new creative and therapeutic ‘Creative Pathways to Healing and Meaning’ programmes. This will specifically work with developing personal skills and passions as pathways to volunteering, employment and long-term recovery
Write to Freedom was founded in 2008 by recovering addict, Caspar Walsh.
Staff and volunteers have a background in addiction recovery.
Introductory days and residential courses are nature-based, combining physical activity, team-building, bushcraft skills, group sharing and storytelling as processes for inner change. These are a complement to traditional treatments and have been hugely successful, with ongoing referrals and a growing recovery community.
Led by service user feedback, W2F are developing long-term Creative Pathways for participants working in partnership with Exeter University and industry professionals. This integrated approach provides the continuity to support full recovery.
The pilot project of this new programme saw the production of a short film, We Seek the Teeth, completed in September 2019. The film focuses on long term participant and lead nature connection facilitator, Ali Chapman and involved three members of the Write to Freedom community in the production crew. The film won second place in the Recovery Street Film Festival in the UK, been accepted into the Recovery Voices Festival in Michigan USA, and has been entered into a further three international film festivals.
Quotes
“Everyone should have equal access to supportive communities; to learning healthy ways of expressing and untangling confusing pasts and behaviours; to accessing natural environments and to exciting, creative and inspirational experiences.” - Caspar Walsh, Founder and Creative Director.
“Being involved in the film was adding another layer of healing and shedding a layer of hurt. I had to explore how it felt to make myself vulnerable and to trust – trust myself, the creative process, the end result. I began to learn to trust again on my W2F residential in 2016. My tribe has never let me down. I thank all involved for the passion and tenderness in making this beautiful film of hope and healing.” – Ali Chapman, subject of ‘We Seek the Teeth’, film Participant 2016, and Trainee Leader
“I left with gratitude and fulfilment. The amazing tribe of Write to Freedom have guided me on another step into my journey that has given me purpose and hope again. I surrendered my walls and nervousness and found another journey of self-discovery and spiritual connection. It’s been the most awakening journey I could have ever taken.”
- Emma, Participant 2018
“What I learned and experienced on the residential enhanced my life and gave me tools and ideas that have helped me to grow into the new life that I know is indispensable to continuing recovery. W2F is not just an event, it is a way of life.” - Peter, Participant 2017, and Trainee Leader
Link to latest blog, ‘Gold in the Shadows’, - https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/news-blog/2020/2/10/gold-in-the-shadows
Write to Freedom
Creative Expression - Nature Immersion - Community Connection
