The Camphill Family - A new house in the Croft Community
Extract from their website:
"Genuine care and concern for one another makes for a very special atmosphere.
Every day something good happens in The Camphill Family. A new skill is learned, an experience is shared, a new friend is made - perhaps a friend like you. Thanks to our friends, our 11 communities now offer a home to more than 500 adults in need of special care and understanding.
We all lead full and fullfilling lives, with everyone contributing the best of his or her own skills to their community as a whole, and with the encouragement to develop interests and abilities in the way that is right for them."
My brother James, who many of you know, has Downs Syndrome. We are very close and throughout the many fun filled years we have known one another I've always noticed how much he savours the opportunity to be part of something and make a difference. Despite limited abilities he lives a really rewarding life with a number of friends in a home in Woking where he does everything from a gardening job to Adult Education and the odd trip to the pub. He really loves the fact that he is part of a community.
The whole ethos of Camphill is based on similar principles. They believe that everyone has the right to live a fulfilling life with challenge, responsibility and individual achievement. Throughout the country they have 11 communities where people live and work in a caring environment. The communities aim to part support themselves by selling the goods they make, the crops they farm or running tea shops as well as a whole range of other activities.
The residents of the Croft Community enjoying a well earned meal
I am raising money especially for a building project at the Croft community in Malton, North Yorkshire. Six residents live together in Greengate House from where they work in the Cafe and Shops, the weavery, the candle making workshop, the library and the garden. Due to a government requirement that everyone must have their own bedroom, the community needs to raise funds to convert the derelict barn which is attached to the house. The alternative, which would be a real wrench for all of those in this small community, is for two residents to leave.
Please help me to raise my target of £15,000 for this very worthy cause and help Chris, Ian, Jane, Alison, Nicky and Andrew to say in their home. Many thanks for all you give.
