December 2020

Dear All,

One final update before the darkest nights and the bright lights of Christmas!

We are all taking a full break over the Christmas period and none of us will be at our desks after today until the week beginning Monday January 4th.

Here are some of the things to look forward to in the New Year!

After a lovely start to our new series of Recovery Conversations, with John Elsworthy sharing about Nature Connection, our next event is on Sunday January 10th 11.30am - 1pm with our very own Caspar Walsh with a focus on Mindfulness.

We have a new booking system for these through Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/recovery-conversations-tickets-132802183907 or you can join through the normal Zoom link.

These Recovery Conversations will continue every month, alternating on weekday evenings and weekend mornings with speakers on each of our three lenses of Nature Connection, Mindfulness and Creativity.

Following dates: February 10th, March 13th, April 14th

Our next Online Recovery Retreat runs on the weekend of January 22nd-24th. We are already getting bookings in for this!

Please do share the details with anyone you know who is interested to join - https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/online-retreats

Applications are now open to staff this retreat.

If you are thinking about applying to staff, all of the information is at the beginning of the quick application form which is available here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1q3SASHKXZvFjR9IlzR9Ov6ga_QTx5VjE6V4h1Nnjcq4/edit

The deadline for completing the staff application is Monday January 4th.

Tribe Space runs every two weeks on Zoom, and for now Ben is leading the sessions.

Ben says “Tribespace has become a regular place to connect in with yourself and the W2F community. We get a chance to land, check in, and be led in creativity / nature connection / mindfulness processes and activities. There is also space for folk to grow in their leadership, by finding and developing activities to lead in the group. If you have a piece you’d like to bring, contact me in advance so we can talk it through!"

The next Tribe Space will be Tuesday 26th January, with Tuesday 12th set to be a monthly Round Table - our community consultation space.

Other dates for your diaries!

The first monthly Mentoring Days of 2021 will be January 30th, February 27th and March 27th (Open Experience Day).

We have a new year-long Creative Pathways programme exploring the Archetypes with single days over 5 weekends.

Intro Day - March 20th (in person)
Lover Day - April 10th (in person) / April 11th (online)
Warrior Day - June 12th (in person) / June 13th (online)
Magician Day - October 9th (in person) / October 10th (online)
Sovereign Day - December 11th (in person) / December 12th (online)

This programme will also be open to others who are in established recovery, and more details about the programme will follow in January.

All these upcoming dates will go on our website in the New Year.

Caspar is putting together a guide book for multi addiction recovery. There will be a section covering each addiction.

It will primarily be for people in addiction recovery and also for the wider world to gain insight, empathy and connection into the many different recovery processes. It will include poetry, art and text and will be a work of inspiration and beauty.

This is an open call to the Tribe to see if any one would be happy to write a short piece for the book on your personal journey into recovery. Caspar will send you prompt questions and a guide to the structure of each section and can help in the editing process.

It would need to include a little of your story, your challenges and your reaching a place of relative freedom. It can of course be anonymous.

This will be unpaid. Money generated from sales will support Write to Freedom and its aims.

Decisions on which story will be included will be based on the overall structure (yet to be decided) and flow of the stories as a whole.

Stories need to be complete by end of January 2021.

Please let Jo or Caspar know if you would like to be involved.

Have a read of this new blog post with some lovely reflections from the November Tribe Retreat days - https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/news-blog/2020/12/17/reflections-from-our-tribe-retreat

All best wishes to you all for a peaceful and healthful 2021,

Jo x

September 2020

Hello all,

Here is our latest Tribe email update. Please have a good read through.

Online premiere of our latest short film, To Know the Difference is on Saturday the 12th of September, 11am - 12.30pm.

We’ll be showing the film followed by an interview and Q&A with those involved in the production process, exploring the learning and creative healing journey.

Please join the Facebook event that we have set up (this helps more people to see it), and do share it widely with friends and family - https://www.facebook.com/events/1224235994581911

Please note we have a different zoom link than normal. Click this link to join straight through. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81210384785?pwd=STg4UTFVRDg0NEFXR04yLzhzME5TQT09 

OR 

Meeting ID: 812 1038 4785
Passcode: 732573

Zoom support needed for the premiere - we are looking for someone who feels comfortable and confident with Zoom to help us manage the call and the security of the call. Please send me a message jo@writetofreedom.org.uk if you feel able to do this.

Our next Mentoring Day will be an Open Experience Day on Saturday 19th September and will take place at Hakeford Woods in North Devon, in person as it currently stands. 

The address is Hakeford Woods Forest School, Stoke Rivers, Barnstaple EX32 7LB and the closest train station is Barnstaple. Do please organise lift sharing for any of you travelling from South Devon.

Our next Online Retreat is booked for October 2nd - 4th. All details and applications here. Please share widely. https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/online-retreats 

Staff sign-ups for the Online Retreat are open. Information and sign up is here: https://forms.gle/Y9paugMi6i9GqpTh7 

Please reflect on your capacity, willing and ableness, and sign up as soon as possible, so we can begin building the staff team.  
 

Great News! We have been awarded funding from the Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health to create a W2F steering group to discuss potential research questions for a long term study around the effectiveness of our work in addiction recovery. This is will play a crucial role in recruitment of new participants, securing funding and the overall future of W2F. 

Date: Saturday 17th of October. 10am - 1pm. Meeting online or in person. TBC.

For those who attend, as thanks, you will each receive a luscious W2F goody bag, refreshments (if we meet in person) and support with travel expenses. 

Please email jo@writetofreedom.org.uk asap if you can make it so we can get your goody bag ready! A max of 15 places available. 

A note on the Tribe WhatsApp group... In case anyone has previously missed this or would now like to join, there is a Write to Freedom Whatsapp group. This is used mainly for sharing self-created content that is within Write to Freedom’s ethos, and receive reminders of upcoming events.  Please email jo@writetofreedom.org.uk with your Whatsapp number if you’d like to join the group. 

All best wishes,
Jo

August 2020

Hello All,

Write to Freedom is having a charity-wide break from August 10th – 24th. During this time none of us will be checking our emails etc. As core staff members, Ben will be back on the 31st, Jo on the 24th, and Caspar is on sabbatical from office-based work until the end of September.  

Wishing you all a good August whatever it holds for you. We’re encouraging reflections on what is means to break, and disconnect from a particular source of support. Lending an eye towards nourishing the spaces in between all things Write to Freedom.  

When we meet back, it’ll be the Autumn, and there is a lot to look forward to after break. Here’s a breakdown of the upcoming events. 

Our next online retreat is booked for October https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/online-retreats 

Staff sign-ups for the online Retreat are open. Information and sign up is here: https://forms.gle/Y9paugMi6i9GqpTh7 please reflect on your capacity, willing and ableness, and sign up by the beginning of September, as this is when we will be building the staff team.  

 As always, please spread the word in your community and on social media, to encourage people to sign up.  

• Next Mentoring Day, August 29th, on Dartmoor, and the first one that the Lavender Hill Tribe (June’s online course) can attend. 

• Next Round Table, Tuesday 1st September 7-8pm 

• Next Experience Day, Saturday 19th September, location either in North Devon or on Dartmoor, still to be decided. (in person as it currently stands).  

A note on the Tribe WhatsApp group. In case anyone has previously missed this or would now like to join, there is a Write to Freedom Whatsapp group. This is used mainly for sharing self-created content that is within Write to Freedom’s ethos, and receive reminders of upcoming events.  Please email jo@writetofreedom.org.uk  with your Whatsapp number if you’d like to join the group. 

 
A Tribute to Mel Lamb 
Anyone who has attended an event at High Heathercombe will most likely have met Mel, who cared for the centre for many years. She sadly passed away this July. Have a read of a beautiful tribute to her with words from Caspar and a friend of Mel’s, Dita.  https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/news-blog/2020/8/5/celebrating-the-life-of-mel-lamb-high-heathercombe-centre-manager 

With summertime blessings

Doug

June 2020

Hello all,

Hope you are keeping well
A few updates and upcoming news….

The online events are all on the same usual Zoom link -
https://zoom.us/j/6375405321 - password is W2F

Experience Days reflections

These two online days in the middle of June were such a success. Those who were there reported back on how powerful the days felt, how strong the container was and how much support everyone felt. So many of you put in so much energy to make to hold the event in such a beautiful way, and to make the whole thing happen. Very special.

We will be posting some audio recording highlights from the Experience Days online very soon.

Some words from Ali (written as a Facebook post):

"Our first Online Experience weekend was an incredible journey for both staff and participants. I 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.”

Some wonderful feedback from some of the participants:

"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 and nature, creativity and mindfulness - nothing more is needed.” ~ Sarah

"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.” ~ Jacob

"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.” ~ Becs

Upcoming Events

W2F’s Men’s Circle - Saturday July 4th, 10am - 3pm, Online.

This is a new space for W2F men coming together with men from the ManKind Project

We'll each be looking at the potential for healing and learning through the archetypes that some will already be familiar with through the Creative Pathways programme. The men who will be supporting us are an inspiration in how to live and be authentic, open, accountable men in a world where the masculine is often very distorted.

The essence of having separate gender groups is to learn how to be with ourselves and our chosen gender in a healthy, loving, honest way. This in turn helps us be with all other genders in a healthy way when we are back in the wider world. There is also a W2F women’s circle reforming. We are working with inclusion for non gender specific identification.

Round Tables coming up - fortnightly on Tuesdays, Online

July 7th (hosted by Ali), July 21st (hosted by Doug) and August 4th (host needed)
7-8.30pm

Reconnection Evening - Monday, July 13th, 7pm - 9pm, Online.
* For those who joined the recent online Experience Days *

This is a chance for all who attended the Experience Days in June to meet again, take some space to check in and share and integrate some of what we have explored together on this weekend. We will also be setting a small activity to do a week before the session, and there will be an opportunity to bring and share what you found to the group. 

Future dates of ongoing Reconnection Evenings will be circulated closer to the time.


Mentoring Day, Saturday July 18th, 11am - 6pm. Dartmoor.
Our in-person Mentoring Days are back!! …with all the appropriate social distancing measures.
And monthly beyond that. 


Write to Freedom August closed time

Just to let you know that we’ll be closing our ‘offices’ for 2 weeks in August to have a charity-wide break! From Monday 10th August and back on Monday 24th August.

All best wishes and happy summer time,
Jo

May 2020

Greetings Tribesters

Time is moving strangely on in these strange times. We are responding as a community in the best way we know - with love, clarity, connection and creativity. We're proud to be offering support to Key Workers in Recovery at this time. We are set to run our first non residential Experience Weekend and I'm really touched at how many of you have connected to the new Creative Pathways programme online and in nature. It's a path that I walked for many years, often alone in solitude and loneliness. To bring it to my Tribe brothers and sisters and to see and feel the same enthusiasm and engagement is really affirming for me and helps me step ever more into the wider circle, shoulder to shoulder with you. You and this mean the world to me. 

The three years funding has made a huge difference to our community and to my nervous system and health! I feel I'm relaxing more and more into what I know I was born and love to do. Having stepped back from my freelance work as a writer and retreat leader and bringing that energy fully to our Tribe has created a deep feeling of freedom and connection. I'm being creative for its own sake and that is deeply healing and a lot of fun!

Big thanks and love to Ben and Jo again for all you do and bring. Your passion for the work, your skill, kindness and keen eye for detail make this ship move so well through all kinds of waters! And a big continued welcome to Ali and Doug, our new freelance staff, riding the waves of all that's going on right now. Thanks for stepping into your new roles so willing and ably. Ali for your stirling outreach work helping new Tribe members step in and existing Tribesters reconnect. And Doug for all your calm support with Creative Pathways and the Round Table meetings, helping us navigate ever deeper into the world of Zoom!
And of course to you, all of you, the Tribe xx

Below is a brief overview of what's on offer and what we're up to. Do have a read through when you have some time and space. We'd love you to be involved in a way that works for you. If you're unsure what that is right now, come and join Creative Pathways. At its root it's about helping you find your passion and supporting you to plant it deep and help it grow. There's plenty of different projects and activities to try on for size. If one thing doesn't fit, try on another :)

We are now in the long term planning of funding and finding a permanent home for us on Dartmoor - so everyone can join us in our work and play, whatever the weather, to create, sit, watch, walk, work and rest. Let's dream long and gentle. If we've got this far with such an amazing community and resource, we can plant our roots deeper into the soul and soil 🙂

Love and gratitude

Caspar x

Recovery Anchors for Covid-19 Key Workers in Recovery (more details)
Programme Leaders - Ben, Amber, Ali, Peter, Doug
Supervisors - Freddy Weaver and Bethan Evans
Contact Ali to sign up and discuss - ali@writetofreedom.org.uk 

Creative Pathways - to Healing and Meaning
Current Archetype - Warrior
Every other Saturday 9 - 11am (at present)
See upcoming events page for dates and details
Programme Leader - Caspar
Contact Jo jo@writetofreedom.org.uk or Doug doug@writetofreedom.org.uk to sign up

Round Table - Tribe Updates, Connection and Discussion Space (more details)
Every other Tuesday 7 - 8.30pm
See upcoming events page for dates and details
To lead, initiate or support the calls, contact Ali ali@writetofreedom.org.uk or Doug doug@writetofreedom.org.uk
Programme Leaders - Ben and Ali
Usual Zoom link and password

NEW! W2F Experience Weekend, June 13th and 14th 2020
Offered in two parts over two consecutive days

Day 1
An open invitation to the wider community of addiction Recovery, family, friends, colleagues and co-workers to experience the connection and inspiration of our work and community, supporting long term addiction and trauma Recovery. Minimum 'clean' time for those in addiction or behavioral addiction Recovery - 1 week.

Day 2
A deeper dive for those in existing addiction Recovery. An opportunity to experience immersive elements of the residential programme including nature connection, creativity and mindfulness. 

During the time of Covid-19, these weekends will be a gateway to our existing support and community, including online Tribe meetings and the Creative Pathways programme. 

To stay involved in the community beyond this weekend you'll need to commit to attending one of our residential weekends within 1 year of the Experience weekend - If lockdown is lifted at this time.

You'll need to attend Day 1 for a place on Day 2 

Book your place on Day 2 here

Looking for volunteer staff of all experiences and abilities. 

First Tribe staff call: Thursday 14th May, 7.30-9.30pm. Usual Zoom link and password.

Programme Leaders - Caspar, Ben and Ali
Contact Jo jo@writetofreedom.org.uk to sign up.

We Celebrate Denise, Amanda P and Mike D for stepping into their passions and into their growing edges in their recoveries and wider lives. Well done you beauties! They will be supported by Peter and Ali for now with me supporting Peter and Ali in turn. 

if you are curious about your growing edges, where deeper, creative healing could be found and how you can work with this healing to serve your communities, do get in touch. Creative Pathways has been set up to support this as a group.

Stepping Into your Leadership / Becoming an Initiator
Peter, Ali and Melissa have shared a powerful learning, healing, growing journey with us over the last few years as trainee leader/initiators. They are now holding space for other Tribesters to step up and into the next stage in their journey... your journey. 

Programme Leaders - Ali, Peter, Melissa and Caspar
Contact Ali ali@writetofreedom.org.uk and Peter pcranfield@hotmail.com

One to Ones with Ali and Peter and Caspar
There are ongoing peer led mentoring sessions open to all Tribesters each week. Contact any one of us if you'd like to connect and or receive support.

Tribe Talks
We are planning to put on inspiring 4-6 weekly online talks from people inside and outside the Tribe. Including talks on nature connection, creativity and Mindfulness. We need volunteers to hold this role and seek out speakers.

Contact Doug doug@writetofreedom.org.uk or Ali ali@writetofreedom.org.uk 

Research and Building our Evidence Base
We are looking for Tribe volunteers interested in helping us build an even better evidence base for the work we do. This will be in partnership with Exeter University

We need to set up a consultation Tribe group to explore the questions we need to be asking to research.

Programme Leader (for now) - Caspar
Contact Jo jo@writetofreedom.org.uk 

Recovery Tribe Media and Nature Immersion Center - Dartmoor
Long term sustainability project

We are in the early stages of planning and consultation to fund, build and develop a centre on Dartmoor for the whole Tribe and wider recovery and creative communities. 

We will apply to Reaching Communities in 2022 for part funding as a legacy project of the current three year funding we've been awarded. 

We need Tribe support and volunteers to build our contacts in the creative industries, including: filmmakers, musicians, artists, directors, producers, business people, philanthropists, corporates. 

This will be a space for us all to venture out from and for those wanting more comfort on our Mentoring Days but still want to connect to the beauty of the moor and Tribe! Also a studio and recording space, workshop space and general hang out spaces to relax and connect. We are currently in early stage planning with Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs, Agile Properties and Dartmoor National Park Authority. This will be a chance to learn professionals skills and personal development as well as helping us build and base and put our roots in the ground - to find a home. 

Programme Leader - Caspar
We need help to find:

• Existing community spaces on Dartmoor to test our business model

• Land on Dartmoor for a new site

• Philanthropists, corporate and creatives to support, guide, partner and fund us ( a long term venture which is why we are starting now)

Contact Jo jo@writetofreedom.org.uk 

Summerhill School - 100 Years
Caspar is putting together a photo book celebrating a 100 years of his first school, Summerhill. What was learnt and experienced there in the early 70's fed directly into the creation of W2F.

Looking for 

• Support to put a Crowdfunding campaign together

• Designer

• Publisher

• Distributor

• Project co-ordinator

Programme Leader - Caspar
Contact Caspar caspar@writetofreedom.org.uk

March 2020

Due to the ongoing developments with COVID19, all of our regular and residential face to face events have been postponed. In their place we are offering a series of online programs, which are currently being developed and look set to be an exciting and creative addition to the work and support that W2F offers.

For people interested in starting their journey with Write to Freedom, we will be offering an online retreat that will span weeks rather than days, giving participants the opportunity to delve deeply into their recovery, foster nature connection daily practices, and step into a community of nature based recovery during this time of social distancing. If you are interested in participating, please email us to register your interest. 

For existing Tribe’s members, we are now offering 2 weekly facilitated support circles online, providing continuity of community connection, peer support, and nature connection.

The Round Table: Tuesdays: 7 - 8:30pm

The Tuesday Night Round Table will be a place to meet to discuss how we as a Tribe can be of service to our community and the wider world (particularly during this current Corona crisis); to hear about W2F updates; ask questions, feedback and get involved with what we’re offering. Everyone will get to check in briefly with an appreciation and how we’re doing. We are trialling the Round Table to be 60 minutes long for now, with a social space held open afterwards for up to half an hour for those who want it. All the Tribe are welcome. 

“In the Round Table this week (March 31st), I’ll be explaining our change in plan. We’ve realised that there are front line workers out there that need our support through this global crisis. The focus on developing a digital residential will be put on the back burner. For now, we want to create a mentor program where we can offer extra psychological and emotional support for NHS workers who are in recovery. We will invite members of the Tribe who feel able, to hold 1-to-1 calls to anchor people through this vital time. We will also link into regional networks offering support at this time (e.g. Co Lab and Devon County Council). Our idea is to create a safe system and support structure and train Tribe members in simple coaching and mindfulness exercises that they can do over the phone or online. We’ll be creating a network of professional W2F support and supervision for those in the Tribe who are anchoring and will be on call throughout.  Our plan is to assess suitability of potential recipients in a similar way to the residentials. We’ll provide regular introductory Zoom circles before pairing up begins. We also want to create a Facebook post where we’ll be asking everyone to share to spread the word and encourage people to apply. This Tuesday we really welcome your feedback and ideas on this. See you there!”

---

Creative Pathways - Weekly Creative Practices: Saturdays 9 - 10:30am

The Saturday Morning Creative Pathways sessions will be more of a place for inner focus, reflection, resourcing and process, to explore exercises that weave throughout your week. The lenses for these sessions are creativity, nature connection and the Archetypes. All the tribe are welcome. 

“Our first call will be a chance to check in after the Archetypal training day: what has stayed with us; what have we discovered; what next. Everyone from the existing community are welcome to join – whether you attended the day or not. We will also explore the first activity for each of us to do in the coming week. Our first gathering will be on Saturday 28th March at 9am on Zoom”. - Caspar

February 2020

Welcome to our full February news update!
We have a new format of posting all the monthly updates on a non-public page in the website. In the column on the right you can see the full list of monthly updates.

Creative Pathways non-residential weekend

A great sign up so far for the indoor training day (March 14th) and the Archetypes walk on the moors on the Sunday (March 15th). There are still places. Go online to apply.

Have a read of Caspar’s Creative Pathways blog here.

Please spread the word amongst the Tribe. There are 10 signed up so far and there are more places for more of the Tribe to join us. We set the 2nd of March as the first deadline. We need to close applications by 10th of March, latest to order food etc.

March 28th Experience Day

We need volunteers and nominations for at least three members of the Tribe to help Amanda P. co-ordinate the next Experience Day. This will include designing the activities of day; choosing a location and getting the word out to the world. Details for the day are here.

April 24-26th Residential

Applications now being accepted to staff the April residential. Those who have attended one or both of the Creative Pathways Archetypes activities will be given priority in assessment. The staffing application form is here.

We also need to get the word out to the world for new participant sign ups. The best path has always been through word of mouth so do think on who could benefit from what we offer and get in touch with them. If you are unsure of the best way to approach the conversation, give Caspar a call: 07771 561 447
The new participant application form is here.

If anyone is able to print out and post up fliers, please email Jo - jo@writetofreedom.org.uk for a copy to print out and we can reimburse the costs.

May 2 Celebration Day

This is a completely new part of what we offer to the Tribe and the wider community.

As part of our new programme development we are connecting to our wider communities, friends and family to come and celebrate those who have come through the latest residential and joined the Tribe along with creative offerings from the wider Tribe. What this will look like will be up to the W2F community to decide. We’re hoping for an event where we can share food, stories, poetry, music, dance etc. This is about sharing with the world who we are and what we do and celebrating our shared recovery.

We welcome volunteers and ideas for the day including where to put it on and how to get the word out to the world.

Caspar will be supporting and mentoring the Celebration Day team through the process. This will involve a few online meetings, finding a venue, promoting the day and co-ordinating the different elements of the day itself. No previous experience of any of the above necessary. The more the merrier on the team.

Mentoring Days

Big thanks to Amanda P for stepping up to the Mentoring Day Co-ordinator role and Phil N for leading / initiating the February moorland gathering. We need your support to make these happen. And they are a great way to build confidence and skills and connection. See the January update email for the outline of how the Mentoring Days will be going forward.

Next Mentoring Days:
February 29th, Dartmoor
March 28th (Experience Day, Dartmoor)
April 18th, North Devon

Volunteering/Nominating

We’re still low on numbers for some of our volunteer activities. We need the support and it’s a key part of how we all find a place in the Tribe; where we can step out of our comfort zone, learn, grow and offer our gifts to the world. It helps us and others. If you have any nominations for anyone who you think would benefit, do speak to them and us. We need you, you beauties!

New Paid W2F Staff Role

Jo, Ben and I have been working for the last few months on establishing what the new role will cover. This has involved looking at the whole organisation as it is now and how it will expand in the coming years as well our individual roles and what support we need. We will be looking to advertise the new position in May. All Tribe members are welcome to apply.

W2F and University of Exeter Research Group

We need a minimum of three people to step up and help us to start looking at building our evidence base over the next tree years. This is a key link to our future growth and sustainability and part of our commitment to Reaching Communities. It’s going to be a creative process, looking at new ways of gathering info, working with Exeter Uni and potentially other partners. It will be a rewarding journey for us to go on, for sure.

W2F Social Enterprise Development

Caspar has met with Dartington School for Social Entrepreneurs (DSSE) to discuss developing a social enterprise to create another income stream for our work. Caspar will be receiving coaching from DSSE around W2F setting up a Community Interest Company (CIC) to run alongside the charity’s current work. What we generate in Creative Pathways will be content to help us develop our profile, recruitment and income streams: written word, films, images, music, digital media etc. There will be at least one training day we will put on with the DSSE for all Tribe members. As part of the Creative Pathways programme we’re encouraging the Tribe to join us on the journey, to help us develop the vision for the CIC alongside individuals building skills for your own creative enterprise. Let us know if you would like to be involved. We already have a few signed up!

W2F Map of the Communities

Ali has suggested we create a W2F country wide map where we can see at a glance where the Tribe communities are and who to contact. This will be a great way to see how we are growing and how we can connect. We are working on that now. Will keep you posted.

Latest W2F Film project

We are in the final stages of editing the next film, working title, ‘To Know the Difference’. Our latest featured Tribester is Laura Hamlyn. Steve Clucas will be creating the sound / music. Intended completion is April or May.

New Poems – The Archetypes

As part of the Archetypes training, Caspar has created 4 new poems covering the Lover, Magician, Warrior and Sovereign Archetypes. Come to the day to hear them read for the first time! The intention is to make them available on future residentials. The Archetypes will hopefully become more and more embedded in what we do and how we navigate our internal worlds together and on our own.

Managing How We Get Info to the Tribe

Since we got the funding, there’s clearly lots of exciting stuff happening. We want to make sure we get this info out to you so you know what’s happening and opportunities as they arise. We want to do this without overloading you so this is the new way:

There’ll be a monthly voice recorded whatsapp message from Caspar for now. There’ll also be a monthly bullet pointed email update (short, clear to the point). You can the click a link to this email which will take you to the website for more detail on each heading.

How you get info to us

Your input in the Reaching Communities bid, the programmes and wider ideas have been key to shaping our strategy and refining our programmes over the years. Please keep your thoughts, ideas, dreams and feedback flowing to us. You can phone, whatsapp, text, email or stand on a hill, make a fire with twigs and ferns (dried) and smoke signal it 😉

You can contact Caspar or Jo for any more info or to talk stuff through

jo@writetofreedom.org.uk

caspar@writetofreedom.org.uk

Caspar - 07771 561 447 

January 2020

Greetings Tribesters

Welcome to our first update of 2020!
There is detail in here, requests for support, volunteering and dates for activities for you to sign up to. When you have time and space, make yourself a cuppa and make yourself comfy 😊. You may need to read more than once. I often do.
 
The amazing news of our success with the Reaching Communities bid is still settling. Jo McGain, Ben and I are immersed in unfolding and implementing all the work that went into it and the programme development we hope to achieve over the next three years. Personally it’s been a little overwhelming. There is deep gratitude for sure and also now the reality of the work (and pacing) to do.
There is a three stage model around new projects which I thought was spot on:
1)     The ideal
2)     The ordeal
3)     The real deal
The hope is that the ideal is more realistic so the ordeal is less harsh and the real deal comes as soon as poss!
 
A key focus is how can we do this sustainably, keep relations and connections flowing and strong and ensure we work to our individual capacities without burning out?

New Project Co-Ordinator role (title to be confirmed)

Jo M, Ben and I are currently redefining our job roles and spec, working towards creating space for the new role. This will continue to work closely with the community to help people personally and professionally grow. Keep ‘em peeled.
 
Creative Pathways

We had provisionally planned a full, non residential weekend on March 14th and 15th for the next stage of our Creative Pathways programme delivery and development. Due to the scale of work we need to do to get all systems flowing with the Reaching Communities funding, we are now going to make this next step a one day Archetypes training with me and Bethan Evans on:
 
Saturday 14th March. Holne Village Hall 9.30am for a 10am start. Finishes 6pm
For those of you wanting to staff on our next Recovery Tribes residential in April, attending this training and listening to the W2F online Archetypes introduction by Elizabeth Klyne (https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/archetypes-talk), will be part of your staff application assessment process.

If you want to sign up for the Creative Pathways day (Tribe members only), please email Jo - jo@writetofreedom.org.uk 

There will be an option to stay on the moors on the Saturday night and share a meal and share a walk together on Sunday 15th. We’ll be exploring more of the work we cover on the Saturday in relation to the landscape.
There is good value accommodation at The Dodbrooke Farmhouse next to where Amber and I live. £15 for the night for a bed and bathroom. There are two double rooms and a single. First come first served. 

Judy Henderson: 01364 631 461
There are also the Shepherds Huts in the village

Mind Mapping the W2F Universe!

This diagram is a snapshot from a bigger Mind Map we are putting together to see at a glance what’s happening and who is holding or needs to hold, what.  Where you can see the XXXX in the diagram is where roles need to be taken up either by paid staff or volunteers.
Below the diagram is a more detailed explanation of developments, new structures and roles that are filled need filling.

New Mentoring Days Structure and roles

Ali and Melissa and others have held a lot of the Mentoring Day organising for the last three and a half years. BIG gratitude and thanks for all your hard work and dedication and love!! 😊. It’s great to have others holding this for so many years and its time for them to hand this over to the Tribe. We need your support with this.

Amanda Pugsley has stepped up to be our next Mentoring Day co-ordinator. BIG Gratitude Pugsey!! 

If your co-ordinator time falls on an Experience Day or a Celebration Day you will need to co-ordinate these as well. With support!
Each Co-ordinator role will run for between 3-6 months.

We need a volunteer or a nomination for February’s Initiator/Leader, and for each subsequent month. I’ll be Northing and supporting both roles till end of March. The three of us will meet by Zoom to discuss themes and season and who to invite to step up to hold part of the days. TBA.
 
From April to June, Peter, Melissa or Ali (who TBC soon) will take over Northing for three months. The Northing role will be for three months per person. The idea is to allow those less experienced who want to step up (or to be lovingly nudged 😉) to co-ordinate, initiate/lead, can do this while being properly supported and guided by an experienced member of the team.
 
Those Northing the co-ordinators and initiator/leaders will be offered a remuneration £80 per month if you wish to take it. Any member of the Tribe can step into this paid Northing role when you have a good handle on both roles and you and we feel you are ready.

If you’re taking on a role as co-ordinator or Northing etc, you will be given a W2F email address to use - let us know if you have any issue with this. 
In order to support us all and to ensure safeguarding and container building, going forward all Tribe members will need to let the Mentoring Day Co-ordinator know if you’re coming.
We are hoping to reach further afield and reconnect with those we’ve lost touch with.

We’ll need to know:
·       Transport/lift sharing needs
·       Are you in active recovery from your addiction of choice?
·       Any extra support – where you are in your recovery
 
For the time she’s in her co-ordinator role, Amanda P can be contacted on: AmandaP@writetofreedom.org.uk 

Next Residential

The online application for the next residential (April 24 - 26) will be online within the next two weeks.

Experience Days

Volunteers or nominations open to support elements of the Experience Days. See website for dates - https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/w2f-events

Celebration Days

We need volunteers to step up or nominations to help build and put on the new Celebration Days. This will be a chance for family and friends to come and celebrate and honour the new members of the Tribe and their journey through the Recovery Tribe residential. There will be a creative element to the days. This could include poetry, spoken word, music - sky’s the limit. Contact Caspar direct - caspar@writetofreedom.org.uk 

One to ones and Training Days

As of February, Caspar will be offering an alternating month of up to 8 one to one, hour long, supervision sessions on Zoom, phone or in person.
The alternating month will be a group training day. Details to be announced on website
February is now open for one to ones. First come first served. Email me direct: caspar@writetofreedom.org.uk 
March’s training day will be the archetype training with me and Bethan Evans.

Monitoring and Logging Volunteer Hours

A big part of the success of the Reaching Communities lottery bid was down to your volunteer hours and what that said about your commitment and the need for what W2F offers in return. Going forward, we are asking that you keep a tally of all the hours you give in service to W2F so we can evidence this at the end of the funding and match it (or go beyond) the average we calculated in the bid.

Please send your volunteer hours to Jo (jo@writetofreedom.org.uk) by the last Friday of each month, for that month.

Evaluation and Evidence Base for our Work

We are meeting with Exeter University this month to begin the process of building a new evaluation and evidence base. Exciting! This will be looking at the journey each of you have gone through so far and capturing that in a way that shows the impact and importance of what we do together. We will also look to capture the experiences and statistics of all new members joining the Tribe in the coming months and years. The data will be gathered by the new paid project co-ordinator, the volunteer co-ordinators and those holding the south on the residentials.
 
Community Consultation

We will continue to listen to your thoughts, feelings, ideas and challenges. We’ll set a meeting up later in the year to discuss this further, exploring where we are with projects and development. Do please email Jo (jo@writetofreedom.org.uk) with any feedback you have at any time. A good guide to submitting this is -

·       What’s your intention with offering the feedback?
·       How could it support you and W2F?
·       Do you need any support or to speak to a member of the staff team?

With love, respect and gratitude,

Caspar and the team

December 2019

Hello All,

Here is the second of our monthly updates with news of activities and events for the Tribe.

As always, if you’d prefer not to receive these emails, please do let me know.

There is a lot of information here, but some great things happening to join, so do read all the way through!

Amazing Funding News!!

We are so delighted to share that we have received 3 years worth of Big Lottery Funding to continue the amazing work that we do at Write to Freedom!!!

This is not currently public news and only for discussion within the tribe. Please don’t share yet with family and friends or anywhere online.

We will send an update in January, once we have the green light to publicly celebrate.

2020 Dates

We have set our dates for Mentoring Days and Experience Days right through 2020. 

For quick reference, here are the first few - 

January 25, Mentoring Day, Dartmoor

February 29, Mentoring Day, Dartmoor

March 28, Experience Day, Dartmoor 

April 18, Mentoring Day, North Devon

All dates for the year so far posted on the website here - https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/w2f-events

New Mentoring and Experience Day Structure

The Mentoring Days will have a new structure going forward. There will be 2 key roles that the Tribe need to fill and an overall mentoring support and training role held by an experienced leader/initiator.

Role 1. Mentoring Day Co-ordinator. This will involve all Mentoring Day communication with Tribe, organising lift sharing/transport, deciding location of day, collecting dana and feedback/evaluation forms. You’ll need to be able to carry out this role for between 3 and 6 months.

Role 2. Mentoring Day Initiator. On the 8 Shields Compass you will North a single Mentoring Day, creating a theme and seasonal focus and inviting members of the Tribe to hold elements of the day. You and the co-ordinator will work together to run the day.

Role 3. Overall Mentor for the above roles to ensure each is supported throughout. This supporting/training role will be held for three months. The first mentor will be Caspar for Jan, Feb and April 2020.

Taking up these roles will also be a part of your assessment process for residentials and a great opportunity to learn and grow in a supportive atmosphere.

We’ve created a crib sheet for this new structure for you to follow.

If your time in role falls on an Experience Day you will have a separate crib sheet to work from and will also be mentored through that process.

These crib sheets will be available on the website in a private area. We will send a link out for these around mid Jan.

We’re asking the wider tribe to step up to give a break to the amazing few (thank you!!) who have been holding these roles for the last three years.

Please step up for one of the 2 roles so we can get rolling for January 2020. We need a co-ordinator and an initiator for the Jan 25th Mentoring Day.

First Creative Pathways Training

The first Creative Pathways Training weekend will be held on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March 2020. This will be non residential. We have a provisional booking at Holne Village Hall. There will be camping (!), shepherds huts and B+B’s nearby. We may run this weekend in Exeter or Exmouth if a suitable venue can be found – same weekend. The venue will be confirmed by end of Jan.

Attending Creative Pathways trainings will be a key part of your assessment process for staffing future residentials and a great training opportunity for you to support the Mentoring Days and Experience Days. See Creative pathways blog for more info. 

W2F support and training day for the men of MoMENtum

On Saturday the 15th of February we are hosting an indoor exploration/mentoring day for the men of MoMENtum in Exeter. We need W2F volunteer staff men and women to support the next stage of our work with them. This is part of bringing our work to the wider community. Please contact Jo if you’re interested.

Caspar’s Latest Blog Post

Have a read of Caspar’s moving new blog post, ‘We are the Founding Members’ - https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/news-blog/2019/12/19/we-are-the-founding-members

Recording of Archetypes Zoom training

Last Saturday we had an introductory talk on the Jungian Archetypes from Elizabeth Klyne.

We recorded this and both the audio and video of this talk is available here on this webpage - https://www.writetofreedom.org.uk/archetypes-talk

Please note that this is for the W2F community only, please don’t share around.

Christmas Holiday Times

Caspar will be away from the end of today (Friday 20th) and back on Monday 13th.

Jo will be away from Monday 23rd and back on Thursday 9th.

Such wonderful news at the end of a challenging, transformational year! 😊

Many good wishes to you all for the festive period,

November 2019

Hello All,

This is the first of a monthly update on any news of activities and events for the Tribe.

As always, if you’d prefer not to receive these emails, please do let me know.

There is a lot of information here, but some great things happening to join, so do read all the way through!

Filming with Caspar We will be starting shooting the next W2F short film on Monday 11th of November in south Devon/Dartmoor. Locations to be announced by end of play, November 6th. The purpose of the film is to inspire new members to join the Tribe, build partnerships, secure funding and spread the message of recovery.If any of you would be up for joining us as crew and/or featured in the film itself, do let us know. We need you 😊.The film will follow another poetic narrative which is almost complete. Will send that out along with locations, on November 6th. We will be working closely with Philip Harris’s drawings based around Dartmoor. The film will focus on transitions from his 2D ‘sketches’ into live action shots of the actual places he’s drawn. Tribe members will appear in each of these live action settings. The poem is a universal one. We will each help tell another beautiful story of healing and recovery. It’s gonna be a beauty. Please email Caspar direct by November 8th at the latest if you would like to be involved - caspar@writetofreedom.org.uk It won’t happen without you 😊

Invitation to join the Trustee AGM next week

The W2F Trustee AGM is taking place next Wednesday 13th in Totnes. 

We are inviting you to join and participate in the meeting, to offer ideas and to see where we are at as a charity, from 6.30 - 9pm. (There will be Trustee only business until 6.30pm.) It is possible to join the meeting either in person in Totnes, or via our Zoom link.

If you would like to join, please let me know.

Upcoming Tribe Events

Tribe Gathering on Zoom - Tuesday, November 19th 7-8.30pm

Please check the website soon, we are hoping to have a special guest speaker for this!

Experience Day, North Devon - Saturday, November 23rd 11am - 5pm

Open to anyone interested in the work that we do! Bring any family (must be over 18) or friends, or pass the details on to anyone you know who is interested in our residentials. All details on the website.

Mentoring Day - Saturday, December 7th 10am - 5pm

Meeting on Dartmoor, as usual.