A Place to be Real Together

Blog

OthonaWDorset's New Chapel Heating Reduces Our Carbon Footprint!
by Tony Jaques
Wednesday 14th December 2022

Great news about our continuing bid to reduce Othona's carbon footprint. We have replaced the gas boiler heating the chapel and library by two types of air-source heat pump.

Within the same project we've also installed an Eddi energy diverter. This makes smart use of power generated by our photovoltaic panels. It will enable expansion of this renewables technology at Othona in the future.

Our project has been part funded by Low Carbon Dorset as part of the European Regional Development Fund and will save over 5.3 tonnes of CO2 each year. Thank you so much to these organisations for their support!

Pot Wraps! Energy Saving!
by Robin Shaw
Thursday 10th November 2022

Thank you to our Roll Ups gang for our new energy saving insulated thermal cooking bag (also called a wonderbag, or pot wrap). Enables us to cook porridge etc using a lot less energy.

A real community creation. The idea from Kathryn, the pattern by Eleanor, the sewing by Roll Ups crew, the cooking by chefs!

Boiling water and porridge - no further heating required

After 30 mins wrapped up.... Yummy porridge!

Pay What You Can - Growing Community
by Robin Shaw
Wednesday 28th September 2022

Chill time, ideas, shared jobs, fun, spiritual refreshment - with flexible arrival and departure dates. And PAY WHAT YOU CAN - no set charges.

This event is unusual for Othona.

You can book to arrive and depart on dates that suit you (between Thursday afternoon and Wednesday morning).

You only pay as much as you choose - we have no set charges for this event!

Visit the event page: Growing Community - Pay What You Can for more details.

Win a Beautiful Quilt
by Robin Shaw
Wednesday 28th September 2022

Don't miss this chance to have this handmade quilt and to support two community projects.

Raffle drawing date is now Fri 21 October 2021.

Buy a raffle ticket (or 6!) and have a chance to win a beautiful quilt made especially for OthonaWDorset by June McColm.

Proceeds from the raffle will support SHARP (Sandwell Homelessness and Resettlement Project) in Birmingham AND help fund Othona West Dorset's new stone seating circle and firepit.

Below is a photo and the story of the making of the quilt.

See poster for details and use this... Read More

Giving Thanks for the Life and Service of Queen Elizabeth II
by Liz Howlett
Saturday 10th September 2022

The Othona Community joins the Nation in mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Her long reign has been marked by her faith in God, her dignity and her commitment to public service. We mourn for her loss, celebrate her life and pray for her family.

Gracious God, we give thanks for the life of your servant Queen Elizabeth, for her faith and her dedication to duty. Bless our nation as we mourn her death and may her example continue to inspire us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Circle dancing at Sunset
by Tony Jaques
Saturday 13th August 2022

Dancing at Tamarisk Farm while the sun sets and the moon rises during Othona WDorset's Circle Dance event. Wow.

Click on the link below to see the video!

 

Thank you to Raffi for the tune!

https://youtu.be/HiQALBWEjj4

When a cute kitten image IS justified!
by Tony Jaques
Saturday 23rd July 2022

Apprentice Mouser!

Our jobshare caterers Eleanor and Tom and their toddler Teddy have an addition to the family. The ginger boy-kitten is called Link (after a character in the Legend of Zelda video game).

The Farley family live in the ground floor flat under Robin and me. Our own cat Otto, an eminent 15 years of age... Read More

Building for Conviviality
by Tony Jaques
Tuesday 5th July 2022

We made a great start on a circle of stone seats with a firepit/table in the middle. This was a project each morning for people aged 18-36. They were a great little team. (Kathryn and Tony helped too - let's not comment on their ages!)

As a Community Experience week this had plenty of time for chilling too. On the beach, round the woodland firebowl or playing mega-Qwirkle.

We began three days late because of Covid, but look: we've completed the first section of the stone circle. The concrete base was laid down the week before by Pete Baird, Dave Marsh and Andrew Gough.

Loads more photos HERE 

Next... Read More

New Events, New Core, New Life!
by Tony Jaques
Monday 18th April 2022

Writing on Good Friday may I offer you new programme events, generous new discounts, new faces on our team?

Hoping we can tempt you

At long last Othona has a programme of new events into the autumn bookable on our website. (Others for autumn and winter will follow soon.)

In May alone we have bluebell-time relaxation, short stories, a new retreat leader, zany digital art, and 'the good life'. 

You'll find more new facilitators and innovative events - not to mention more photos - than any previous year. We hope you'll browse through the full programme and discover something irresistible.

By the way, there is a filter function at the top of... Read More

Climate Crisis: What can we do in '22? - online event
by Tony Jaques
Saturday 15th January 2022

Othona's first full-on 'conference by Zoom ' was a real feast. Experience, passion and invigorating ideas about how we can respond to the greatest issue of our time: climate change and the degradation of the planet.

We had a raft of different speakers, some of whom were at COP26 last November. All the way from hands-on farmers to a protesting climate activist, to an international campaigner for inter-faith cooperation on the environment. There was a storyteller too and an expert on rewilding and bringing back the beavers! People who know their stuff and walk their talk.

Now you can catch up with them all on Youtube!

https://youtu.be/WQhEZdxwIpU  ... Read More