Community Draft Document

This is a collection of documents associated with establishing a spiritually focused community in Nebias, south of Carcassonne in the French Pyrenees.

They are not entirely cohesive, but should provide a sound basis – and save a great deal of work – for anyone setting up a new community. The initiative was taken by the Global Change Foundation, an offshore trust set up for the purpose, and various other enlightened change projects.

Index of Documents

The Community for a New Reality (essentially setting out the vision for potential funder members)

1. Co‐housing Governance A position document provided by a group in London who succeeded in setting up a co‐housing based community

2. Nebias Community Constitution – substantial but not quite complete draft constitution with operating guidelines

3. Providing Education for the Community youngsters

4. Some evolved project management techniques for the community

5. Legal Structures and agreements envisaged

6. Constitution of eventual LLP established for holding property

7. The Chateau Communities Project

8, The Chateaux Living Network Another proposal from 2006 to start a whole network of community locations. The words are less spiritually orientated than the earlier attempt, but the intent is identical!

LOCO An Intentional Village for London _____________________________________________________________

SUGGESTED FINANCIAL & GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE FOR LOCO CO‐HOUSING PROJECT

SECOND DRAFT ‐ February 1999

1. Aims as a basis for the Financial & Governance Structure:

 To create a viable co‐housing group based around the principles of individual dwellings and a commitment to sharing community values; to reflect in the statements of finance and governance the core values agreed upon by the whole community.  To establish a beautiful, peaceful, harmonious and exciting place in which to live, socialise and work, based on mutual respect for others and the honouring of diversity.  To welcome people of all backgrounds, all spiritual paths ‐ or none; all ages, all sexual orientations, all races, subject always to their being able and prepared to give full respect to everyone else in the project.  To create as fair a financial and governance structure as possible, having regard for the needs of all those people who are connected with the project.  To separate out ownership of the project as a whole from occupation of individual dwellings, in order to create a more equal arrangement and better context for genuine democratic governance, and to safeguard the assets of the Group. This way, no one has more rights than anyone else around the dwelling they occupy, regardless of how many shares they may have in the Group ‐ see Ownership, below.

2. Realities

 Thaere has been serious debate on the issue of ultimate decision‐making rights and whether those with a higher capital stake in the Project should have more say (through their greater share ownership) than others with a lesser stake.

The arguments divide as follows:

 Someone who is prepared to invest thousands of pounds of life‐savings or the equity in their present home will need to feel convinced that their money

is safe. Otherwise they wonʹt be attracted to the project. Their fears will be that if everyone, regardless of whether the have made a capital investment, can have equal decision‐making rights, their investment would be at risk from the possibly impractical or extreme views and/or demands of a group with no risk at all.

On the other hand...  We should not be replicating the ʺthem and usʺ patterns of the current, unfair social system and that the Project is an opportunity to design and implement a new and fully fair financial and governance model free of the old paradigms. Everyone, regardless of financial investment in the Project, should have an equal say in all decisions. Just because someone has more money invested should not give them more power as well.

 Ultimately, it seems to come to a choice: a) are we trying to change the social order by doing a Co‐Housing Project or b) are we trying to build a Co‐Housing Project?

It is possible to do both but the emphasis needs to be on building a Co‐ Housing Project first and, through its success and impact on the world, change the social order for ever, even in a modest way. It is doubtful that being uncompromising on this and confronting the existing social realities ‐ as opposed to working round and, in some cases, with them ‐ will lead to a Co Housing Project at all, let alone making a significant societal paradigm shift.

 For this reason the decision making process needs to be carefully layered to give maximum power to everybody within clear constraints around ʺlife‐ threateningʺ issues. Types of issues will need to be identified and listed and decisions on them clearly allocated to appropriate decision‐making bodies.

It could work like this:

a) Everyday decisions, including all management decisions for the Project, should be taken by the Management Committee, which is voted on and represents everyone.

b) Strategic Decisions to be made by the Directors of the freehold‐owning company on behalf of the Management Committee and shareholders in the Company.

c) Major, ʺterminalʺ decisions that affect the very existence and well‐being of the whole Project, to be made by the shareholders of the Company.

d) Financial decisions, informed by the needs of the Project ‐ as represented by the Management Committee ‐ and by the financial realities, will be made by the Finance Group, consisting of Management Committee representatives and Directors.

 In practice, as with a block of flats where leaseholders are also shareholders in the freeholder, there will be useful checks and balances. Everyone on the Management Committee will be a shareholder and as many shareholders as possible will be living on the Project and therefore on the Management Committee. Those shareholders who are not in the Project ‐ possibly banks and other lenders ‐ will be planned to be bought out as soon as possible and, in any case will be kept to a minority on the shareholding group against the majority representing the people who live in the Project.

It follows that the sooner everyone can acquire more shares in the Project the better and more equitable the Financial and Governance system will be. See Ownership, below.

3. Phasing

 For the reasons set out above in Realities, advice and experience points to the need for a phased development, with the first 0n‐site phase being a ʺcapitalʺ‐focused phase, involving primarily those who will invest cash. This is essential to build confidence in other agencies we will be dealing with and anyone else who we may wish to involve (eg developers) or borrow money from. It is unlikely that there is any other way to get the Project kick‐started.

The second on‐site phase will have as its focus the involvement primarily of those who do not have cash to invest.

 The overall Project Plan will include from the outset safeguards and clearly defined methodologies for both on‐site phases. The Project Plan will be agreed in full as part of the Design and Development phase (pre‐site), in order that the needs of all involved, capital investors or not, are met and fully incorporated.

There will inevitably be some overlapping of phases and there is the opportunity to incorporate other elements. For example, the first on‐site phase could include a number of Community Enterprises (attracting EU funding) which could be established initially around the needs of the Project.

In this way, for example, small, one‐person businesses could be set up with the aim in the first instance of aiding the construction of the dwellings and other buildings and infrastructure. Having got started in the Project, these

businesses could then be established enough to go on to serve the wider community. Examples include: café, kindergarten/crèche, electrician, plumber, roofer, carpenter, landscape gardener etc.

4. Ownership

 All buildings and infrastructure to be owned by the Group as a limited company with shares. The Group will consist for legal purposes of the shareholders ‐ see Governance, below.  Always subject to the final discretion of existing shareholders and Directors, anyone can buy and own shares. In practice this will be anyone who has invested in the Group, namely banks, individuals who may wish to support but not live on the project, those who have sold their homes elsewhere to move into the project and bought shares in it, and those who build up ownership of shares through rental payments ‐ see Renting, below.  Ownership can only be through ownership of shares in the limited company, ie the Group.  No dwellings, other buildings or parts of the project site or infrastructure can be owned by an individual or group of individuals: only by the Group.  Shares will be set at £1,000 each.  One objective will be to ensure that shares are owned by as wide a group of people as possible and that one individual or small group cannot exercise undue influence over everyone else by disproportionate ownership of shares.

For this reason, building up a widely distributed ownership of shares is strongly encouraged. Therefore, those people who join the project with no capital will be required, as part of the Co‐Housing Occupancy and Participation Agreement, to build ownership of shares so they can develop a more equal involvement in and ownership of the project ‐ see Entry and Renting, below.

5. Governance

 Directors are voted onto and off the Board of Directors by the Shareholders at a Shareholdersʹ Meeting. One share counts as one vote.  The ultimate and legal responsibility for the management of the Project rests with the Directors. Directors will be responsible for monitoring decisions made at Management Meetings and, in some cases (to be specified), for ratifying or vetoing these decisions. In this sense they are acting rather like Trustees of a charity.  Management Meetings will be held every month (or more frequently if necessary or desired) and will consist of debate and decision‐making (or in some cases recommended actions to be put to the Directors for ratification).

Everyone will be encouraged to attend Management Meetings to join in

debate, regardless of age or experience. Children and older people will be encouraged to actively participate in this process.  Day to day decisions will be made by elected Management Committee Members, elected onto the Management Committee by the members of the Group, at an annual Management Committee Election.  The number of Directors and Management Committee Members will depend on the size of the Group and the amount of business to be transacted.  In reality, there will be a great deal of cross‐over, with many people wearing Management Committee, Directors and shareholders ʺhatsʺ.

6. Occupation

 Dwellings to be occupied as in a leasehold situation, with leases having a nominal value ‐ say £1 ‐ and everyone paying for the space they occupy by way of ʺground rentʺ, calculated on a square foot basis. Thus, the bigger the space you occupy, the more you pay. Ground rent would be based on the financial needs of the Group and would include:

‐ paying interest on any loans

‐ paying back any capital from loans

‐ paying dividends to shareholders

‐ paying for the maintenance of the buildings, including an allowance for refurbishment

‐ paying for the maintenance of the infrastructure (roads, paths, common gardens, means of energy generation, means of waste disposal etc)

‐ covering the running costs of the common parts of the project (eg common house, workshops, crèche)

‐ building up and maintaining a reserve fund for contingencies and future capital projects

‐ salaries of workers directly employed by the Group (eg admin person, crèche leader, maintenance workers, gardeners).  The level of Ground Rent would be reviewed annually.  Those who have purchased more than ten shares can elect to off‐set their ground rent payments against dividend payments on their shares. This is particularly relevant to those who have chosen to retire and have invested their life savings in the project but who may have only a very modest pension income.

7. Entry

 There will be two ways of entering the project. For wage earners, each family group or individual occupier will be required to purchase one share in the Group in order to dwell on the site. This share will cost £1,000. This

equates to current normal practice when renting a flat, ie having to pay one months rent in advance + a deposit equivalent to one monthʹs rent. For those who cannot raise this initial deposit, loans may be offered by a Credit Union ‐ see Credit Union, below.  For the unwaged or for those on benefit, there will be the option of paying off their £1000 ʹdepositʹ in kind, through Community Hours, within an agreed period. Everyone wishing to dwell on the site will be required to sign up to the Co‐ Housing Occupation & Participation Agreement ‐ see below.  Everyone wishing to dwell on the site will be required to spend a preliminary period as paying guests (at a rate to be agreed) of the Group in order to create an opportunity to fairly establish their eligibility and for them to see if they really wish to join.  The Group, acting through its Management Committee, reserves the right to refuse entry to the project for whatever reasons.

8. Renting

 All rental levels will be equally based on the level of income required to maintain the whole project ‐ see Occupation, above.  In effect, everyone will be renting, regardless of their share ownership.

The only difference in rent will be according to size of dwelling unit and/or whether share dividend income is offset against rent.  Payment of rent ʹin kindʹ is allowed and encouraged within agreed cash and productivity ratios.

FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION:

9. Co‐Housing Occupation & Participation Agreement/Values Statement

10. Credit Union

 A Credit Union will be established as part of the project, to make loans to new members as needed and to provide a means of members growing capital within the project.

11. Selling Shares & Leaving the Project

12. Code of Conduct

DRAFT

For community discussion amongst itʹs constituency

Nebias Community

Constitution and Agreements First draft vsn5, March 2001

Drafted by the Global Change Foundation

INDEX 1. Aims of the Community

2. Community Decision Making

3. Relationship with local community

4. Property Ownership

5. Principles of Governance

6. Meetings

7. Community Elections and Voting Procedures

8. Entry to, and Regulation of Membership

9. Accommodations, and the Cost of Occupation of Housing Stock

10. Community Work

11. Community Enterprise

12. Organic / Permaculture Food Production

13. Web Site

14. Spiritual Path

15. Hygiene

16. Community Exchange Trading System

17. Good Parenting and Education

18. Code of Conduct

19. Prohibitions

20. Disputes

Whereas :

a) The Global Change Foundation, an Offshore Trust established in New Zealand, has taken an initiative to form a Community in the town of Nebias, in the region of Aude, France, and b) a number of like‐minded people have come together to first create and then join the Community and c) we wish to create a constitution and agreements for the regulation and good order of the same, the following are now agreed as providing the organisational and regulatory context for our Community :‐

1. Aims of the Community  To create a viable Community based around property held in common in the town of Nebias  A commitment to sharing Community values  To reflect in our approach to finance and governance the core values agreed upon by the whole Community.  To establish a beautiful, peaceful, harmonious and exciting place in which to live, socialise and work.  To base the philosophy and way of being of the Community and its members on:‐ a) mutual respect for others b) acceptance of the practices of any valid spiritual path as embraced by other Community members c) an honouring of diversity d) an honouring of nature and all sentient life forms e) a wish to balance the material and the spiritual in all that we do

f) an understanding that an act of conscious evolution by humanity is underway, that it holds exciting prospects and that we wish to participate fully in it and contribute fully to it.  To welcome people of all backgrounds, all spiritual paths, all ages, all races and cultures, subject always to their being able and prepared to give full respect to everyone else in the project and to the aims of the project itself.  To not encourage, accept or tolerate any form of spiritual or cultural fundamentalism as we see this as a denial of choice and diversity.  To create as fair a financial and governance structure as possible, having regard for the needs of the Community itself and all those other people who are connected with the project and form its wider constituency  To separate out ownership of the property that forms the material fabric of the Community from occupation of individual dwellings, in order to create a more equal arrangement and better context for genuine democratic governance. To create a suitable legal structure set up to facilitate investment in property for the use of the Community. The structure selected is a French legal entity called a Societe Civil Immobilier (hereafter referred to as an SCI), and having been constituted and funded, this organisation has been given the name ʺGCF Community Propertiesʺ.  To enter an occupation agreement with the SCI and safeguard the assets of the SCI.

2. Community Decision Making  The decision making process is carefully layered to give maximum empowerment to every individual member of the Community within clear constraints around issues that are about the evolution of the overall Community, or in some way ʺlife‐threateningʺ to its continued well‐being. It also delegates certain areas of responsibility, especially operational matters, so as to avoid the whole Community constantly going to a level of detail that is counter‐productive.  Three Management Facilitators shall be appointed, one to hold responsibility for each of the following :‐ 1) The day‐to‐day operations of the Community 2) The development of Community enterprise, i.e. the businesses that the Community chooses to establish and operate so as to sustain itself financially 3) The spiritual life of the Community, ensuring that spirit is balanced with the material world in all that we do.  A Management Committee shall be established, and shall consist of the three Management Facilitators together with at least the following appointees: 1) A Community Finance Director 2) An Integrity Counsellor 3) Up to three representatives of the Community at large, being one for every 20 (or part) resident adults not holding any other Management Committee office, the defining number not including those who may be in any probationary period.

4) A representative of all youth under the age of 16 and drawn from that group 5) A person, responsible for process within the Community, i.e. who makes sure that the process of any related Community activity such as

coming to key decisions is conducted and facilitated in an enlightened way and using appropriate tools for Community participation 6) One person representing that part of the constituency not normally resident in the Community.  Everyday decisions that fall outside the brief of the three Management Facilitators will be taken by the Management Committee.  A system of retirement and re‐election shall be established by the Community meeting for debate, and the rules thereof appended hereto  Strategic decisions involving capital and property in the Community housing are the province of the SCI and will be made by the Manager or Stakeholders of SCI. The Community as a whole is entitled to make representations on all such decisions, to make specific requests for more accommodation or for building works and to receive reasonable explanations as to decisions that are made  Financial decisions relating to income generated by the Community shall be made by the Management Committee after having listened to the recommendations of the three Management Facilitators.  In practice it will be an objective of the Community and the SCI working together to reduce or ultimately buy out the interest of any bank or other mortgage lenders as soon as possible and practical, and without damaging the operational financial stability of the Community.  For planning purposes, the financial year of the Community and its enterprises shall commence on the first of April. Prior to the beginning of each financial year the Management Committee shall draw up a draft annual budget of incomes and expenditures for the Community in good time for the Community to debate said budget and for such resulting modifications as are agreed to be incorporated in a final version.

3. Relationship with the local community  We believe it is vitally important that we form and maintain really good relations with the local community  Members are encouraged to learn French, both to assist in communications generally, and to foster good relations  Members are encouraged to join in all events organised by the local community, and to explore other ways of forming good relationships and ties.  The Community will organise occasional events to which the local French community can be invited, for mutual fun and to engender good feelings generally.  In the context of evening meals taken together, we shall make a practice of regularly inviting members of the local community to join us.  One or two members of our Community will be given a specific brief to ensure that these measures are really effective.

4. Property Ownership  All Community buildings and infrastructure are owned by the SCI on behalf of the Community which organisation shall be regulated by its statutes  Always subject to the final discretion of existing stakeholders and manager, anyone deemed suitable can buy and own shares in the SCI. In practice this will include individuals who may wish to support but not live on the project, those who have sold their homes elsewhere to move into the project and bought shares in it, and those who build up ownership of shares through periodic payments.  Ownership can only be through ownership of shares in the SCI.  No dwellings, other buildings or parts of the Community site or infrastructure can be owned by an individual or group of individuals: only by the SCI.

 Recognising that some Community members may have or wish to acquire their own housing, financial mechanisms will be developed to allow them to enter and fully contribute to the Community.  One objective will be to ensure that shares are owned by as wide a group of people as possible and that one individual or small group cannot exercise undue influence over everyone else by disproportionate ownership of shares.

For this reason, building up a widely distributed ownership of shares is strongly encouraged. Therefore, those people who join the project with no capital will be required, as part of the Community Occupancy and Participation Agreement, to build ownership of shares so they can develop a more equal involvement in and ownership of the project.

5. Principles of Governance  Holders of Community appointments and members of the Management Committee are voted in and out by the Members at a Community Meeting in accordance with Elections and Voting Procedures below  The ultimate and legal responsibility for the management of the Community rests with the Management Committee .  Community Meetings will be held every month (or more frequently if necessary or desired) and will consist of debate and decision‐making (or in some cases recommended actions to be put to the Directors of the SCI for ratification). Everyone will be expected to attend Community Meetings to join in debate, regardless of age or experience. Children and older people will be encouraged to actively participate in this process.  Day to day decisions will be made by the three Management Facilitators and/or by the elected Management Committee as appropriate. Elections to these posts will take place at an Annual General Meeting of the Community.

6. Meetings  The management structure is designed so that trivial and routine decisions are normally delegated. Therefore meetings of the whole Community will be called over issues that are significant, and require the input and involvement of the whole Community. Members are expected to attend all such meetings as far as possible and will be given at least 48 hours notice of the time and place of any such meeting.  In lieu of attendance, a member may submit a signed statement to the effect that they will not be attending and that they will be satisfied with any vote which takes place in their absence.  Absent members may indicate on this statement which way they wish to vote on specified issues that are known before the meeting, and such votes shall be recorded as if the member had been in attendance.  No voting may take place unless at least 80% of members are present or have submitted a signed statement.  Should a member fail two times in a row to either show up at a meeting or sign an absentee statement without good cause they will be deemed uncooperative/unavailable and a meeting will take place without them, their right to consultation having been temporarily removed. This right is automatically reinstated on attending a subsequent meeting.  Wherever possible, regular monthly Community meetings will be scheduled at the previous meeting and/or held at a regular time, e.g. Sunday evenings at 7.00 p.m.  Emergency meetings may be called by any Community member or group of members as long as at least two other people have agreed to the need for a meeting on the issue being presented. It is then the responsibility of the sponsoring group to obtain written confirmation from each other member of their attendance, or their voting wishes in the event of non‐attendance.

Confirmation may be achieved by having each member initial a list of eligible

Community members, a written statement of the issue for which the meeting is being called appearing at the top of each such signing page and a space being allowed for voting intent for those who cannot attend. If 80% agree to attend or register a vote (the latter category being no more than one third of the total) then the meeting may be called at a time no less than 48 hours after the completion of the voting list. Such a meeting will then be treated as any scheduled meeting.  Meetings shall be regulated and conducted according to the ʹProcedures at Meetingsʹ document herewith as appendix B

7. Community Elections and Voting procedures  Members subject to election shall be elected as follows : first, where appropriate each post shall be defined, in terms of the qualities and skills required to fill it. Candidates shall then be proposed by members of the Community against the established criteria. Posts shall then be filled by election, using a ballot box for privacy.  It is preferred that policy decisions be made through 100% consensus, i.e. it will be attempted to achieve the agreement of all Community members on any specific issue. A facilitation method designed to achieve this will be used.

This process is designed to prevent ʹmobocracyʹ, whereby an artificial majority exists due to vested interests or personality conflicts and is able to ʹrailroadʹ the Community.  In the event of a one hour period of ʹstand‐offʹ between two opposing ʹcampsʹ during the debate over any single issue, there being no foreseeable end in sight the motion will automatically become void. The start of the one hour period will normally be the start of the debate but if the issue is part of a wider discussion a start time may be signalled by any full member.  A failed motion will be re‐introduced at the next Community meeting as the subject of a vote, bearing in mind concessions that might be made to

satisfy all parties. In the event of such a vote being invoked, a 2/3 majority is required for the motion to be carried.

8. Entry to and Regulation of Membership  There is a set of criteria that are required to be fulfilled in order to enter the Community. These are exhibited as appendix A hereto and, for each applicant, are the subject of a written set of questions and a Community interview process. This is not intended to be in any way onerous, but it is important to us that people joining our Community share our values and aims.  Members will have either ʹfullʹ or ʹprospectiveʹ status. In order to determine weather a newcomer is right for the Community, and vice versa, they will initially join for a period of six weeks.  Prospective members will have equal rights in all areas except for voting and contributing financially to the capital base in the SCI.  After the probationary period, a prospective member will either have their status changed to full, be allocated another probationary period or be rejected following a vote by the other Community members.  On entry to the Community, each adult in a family group or individual occupier will be required to purchase one Community share in order to dwell on the site, except a) those who have placed funds in the SCI to the extent of at least $20,000 or the equivalent in another currency, and b) the initial stakeholders of the SCI who will not be required to pay this entry fee. The entry share will cost £1,000. (This equates to current normal practice when renting a flat, i.e. having to pay one months rent in advance + a deposit equivalent to one monthʹs rent)

 For those providing services to the Community or to its development there will be the option of paying off their £1000 ʹdepositʹ in kind, through Community Hours, within an agreed rate and period. This is by negotiation with the Finance Director. Everyone wishing to dwell on the site will be required to sign up to the Community Occupation & Participation Agreement as shown in appendix B or as modified by the Community from time to time.  The SCI (in the case of investment), and the Community acting through its Management Committee, reserve the right to refuse entry to the project for whatever reasons, and are not obliged to give them in the case of a rejection.  A full member may only be dismissed from the Community following a) written notice over whatever action has occurred, agreed upon by other members and b) a final vote by those other Community members a predetermined number of days after this warning.  The written notice will include the number of days that the offending member(s) have in which to put right what is wrong. This number of days may be zero in the case of a particularly severe or illegal incident, leading to an immediate final dismissal vote.  In the event that the dismissal of several members becomes an issue at the same time, each will be dealt with individually and none will have voting rights concerning the others.  Guests may be invited into the Community by any member so long as they agree to abide by the guidelines while inside the Community and have any necessary accommodation arranged in advance.

9. Accommodations, and the costs of Occupation of Housing Stock  There are two primary costs associated with living in the Community, these being the leasing of the property you occupy (from the SCI through the

Community administration) and a contribution to Community services and overheads. Dwellings are occupied on a short‐term leasehold basis, with a fixed term of one year and a rolling period of notice also of one year. Leases have a nominal commencement value and everyone pays for the space they occupy by way of ʺground rentʺ, calculated on a square metre basis. Thus, the bigger the space you occupy, the more you pay. Ground rent is based on meeting the financial commitments and needs of the SCI so that it can meet its obligations to the Community, and includes:

‐ paying interest on any loans

‐ paying back any capital from loans ‐ paying dividends or interest to stakeholders ‐ building up and maintaining a reserve fund for contingencies and future capital projects.

 The level of ground rent is reviewed annually.  All ground rental levels will be equally based on the level of income required to maintain the finances for the whole project in good order.  Those who are participants in the SCI can elect to off‐set their ground rent payments against any dividend payments or interest payable on their shares.

This is particularly relevant to those who have chosen to retire and have invested their life savings in the project but who may have only a very modest pension income.  In effect, everyone will be renting, regardless of their share ownership.

The only difference in rent will be according to size of dwelling unit and/or whether share dividend income is offset against rent.  The contribution to Community services and overheads is an amount determined by the annual budget, prepared by the management committee and made available for Community review prior to the start of each financial year. This amount shall be shared equally between every adult member of the

Community, with those between 16 and 21 counting as 2/3rds, those between 10 and 16 counting as 1/3 and no charge for younger children. The Community charge includes :‐ ‐ paying for the maintenance of the buildings, including an allowance for refurbishment ‐ paying for the maintenance of the infrastructure (roads, paths, common gardens, means of energy generation, means of waste disposal etc) ‐ covering the running costs of the common parts of the project (e.g. common house, workshops, crèche) ‐ salaries of workers directly employed by the SCI (e.g. admin person, crèche leader, maintenance workers, gardeners).  A significant proportion of the Community charges relate to services that could be provided by members. This being the case, they can be rewarded within the C.E.T.S system, and thus will reduce the overall money charges due under this item. Therefore, payment of Community charges ʹin kindʹ is allowed and encouraged within agreed cash and productivity ratios. This is by negotiation (within agreed general rules for valuing such time spent) with the Financial Director.  The costs of supplying heat, light and water (which is metered) to the Community house and any other premises occupied on a room basis will be split between the occupying members. Where apartments exist, they will be metered individually, and the occupier will be directly responsible for payment of these services.  The Community will endeavour to always have sufficient accommodation for both full and prospective members, however, it should be recognised that funds and short‐term pressures may limit this aim from time to time.  Prospective members must agree with other members where they will be staying prior to commencing their probationary period. They may take rooms

in the Community (subject to availability) on a short‐term basis, stay with an existing member, supply their own (i.e. camping at suitable times) or find accommodation in the vicinity of the Community.  Requests to acquire further accommodation, or to refurbish buildings that may have been ʹwarehousedʹ on behalf of the Community, may be made and discussed at Community meetings. These requests will then be passed to the SCI to act on, subject to its financial capacity to do so.

10. Community Work  As far as is reasonable, and according to ability, Community members will be expected to accomplish a certain amount of work for the Community itself in every week. There will be no ʹstopwatchesʹ but members will be expected to act in a responsible manner. All Community work will gain credits under the Community C.E.T.S scheme (see below).  This work may be either inside or outside the Community, and may include activity within the Community enterprises.  Certain tasks, due to their nature, may have their number of hours per week decided on a proposal‐and‐vote basis.  An appropriate number of hours work per week is difficult to determine as there are so many factors (the weather, some people have children and so on).

We believe Community members should generally treat the week‐day hours between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. as being available for Community chores.  Members should be free to choose when they work, so long as it does not hold up or conflict with other work. It should be borne in mind, however, that working the same hours as everyone else maximises leisure time spent together.  Community tasks will generally agreed in advance during Community meetings.

 Community members will at first be allowed to volunteer for the work which they would most like to do. In the event of a particular task being either very desirable or very undesirable a ʹlotteryʹ will be held.

11. Community Enterprise  It is the intention that the Community will conceive, implement and operate a number of small Community businesses or enterprises. These will be regulated under a structure designed for income generating activity, this to be called the Nebias Community Commonwealth.  The rules of the Commonwealth can be inspected on request at the Community office Those who are interested in being active in the Commonwealth are invited to join this organisation, which is separate from the Community itself. This is so that: a) risk associated with running businesses can be managed within a limited liability structure, and b) those Community members who have retired or are unavailable for any other reason can elect not to participate  Work in the Community enterprises may be for credit within the C.E.T.S system, or for payment, or for some combination of the two.  A list of those enterprises considered for inclusion at the time of first writing this document is attached hereto as appendix B

12. Organic / Permaculture Food Production

(Yet to Be Developed)

13. Web Site  It is intended to create a web site for the community in which the work of the community and the key documents such as this one made available for the use of other communities.  The site will set out the communityʹs purpose, provide images of our environment and surroundings, advertise and promote the communityʹs enterprises, workshops, channelled bulletins and any other information that may be of interest to a wider public.

14. Spiritual Path  The community will make it a priority to assist and support all members in moving along their spiritual path.  Those who are associated with the community and use spiritual tools, technologies, methods of divination or guidance in the context of stimulating spiritual growth will be encouraged to make these available to the community at large in the context of all of us acting as ʹcoaches to the wholeʹ in the matter of raising our vibrational frequency.  We shall observe appropriate rituals and acknowledgements of solstices and equinox, anniversaries that are important to us, major cosmic alignments and other dates that have significance in the life of the community.  We shall devise and celebrate appropriate rights of passage for young adults to recognise their growth into adulthood and responsibility; and similarly celebrate the development or responsibilities of each of our members wherever they have made significant forward movement and it is deemed appropriate.  We shall acknowledge universal consciousness and the realms of spirit (whatever we individually choose to call them) at mealtimes, at beginning and ending of meetings and other community gatherings by using appropriate invocations, graces, blessings and closings down.

15. Hygiene  In the context of a Community that it seeking to balance the spiritual with the material worlds, we feel that everyone should try to maintain inner and outer cleanliness as much as is practical and possible.  Biodegradable wastes must be appropriately stored and then properly composted.  Animal matter must not be included in the compost.  Non‐biodegradable wastes should be collected for disposal at the dump or another (better) alternative decided on by the Community.  Recyclables should be washed out, separated by their colour (if glass), recycling type number (if plastic) or grade/quality if metal.  Anything left outside must not be allowed to collect water in case this creates a breeding ground for insects.

16. Community Exchange Trading System  The Community intends to set up a Local Exchange Trading System to allow goods and services to be exchanged between members using a Community virtual currency. This is referred to herein as the C.E.T.S.  The system will be regulated by computer, and payments made by a form of cheque book issued to each adult member of the Community, together with those younger persons who choose to participate under the supervision of an adult.  Every new member will be given a credit within the system on joining

17. Good Parenting and Education  There will be several children in the Community, and they are welcome as a vital part of what we are doing

 Few will disagree that children learn from role models. We feel that it is important to provide good examples for them, and that the nature of this Community will automatically do this.  It is sometimes difficult to find communities that maintain high moral/legal/sexual standards, assuming this is even made clear to potential members before joining. We make it clear and simply point those who do not agree with us in the direction of other communities.  Members of the Community are encouraged to interact with the younger people and children of the Community and, where they show interest, to engage them in Community activities and things that add to their education.  It is intended to provide a home‐based educational system for the communityʹs children, and we expect this to have a higher real educational content than ʹconventionalʹ state education. Much of the educational program will be delivered via computer media and the Internet, and it will be broadly designed to lead to UK‐based, English language exams. Those in the Community who are qualified to teach, are willing to supervise students while working on their computers or who can involve youngsters in appropriate experiential work, are encouraged to participate fully in this program.

18. Code of Conduct

(Yet to be developed)

19. Prohibitions  Violence of any kind is not acceptable within the Community  We disapprove of ʹquick fixʹ methods of getting high, relaxing or forgetting about oneʹs problems. Artificial stimulants numb the mind and promote apathy/aggression, apart from being a complete waste of money.

 Similarly, we have noticed a growing trend towards promoting ʹalternativeʹ sexual practices. We do not feel that such promotion is conducive to a stable Community and certainly not appropriate where children are present.  Illegal drugs, tobacco and smoking in general are prohibited within the Community grounds, as is anyone who is obviously under their influence.  Polygamy, polyfidelity, polyamorism and other indeterminate relationships are considered an inappropriate environment for bringing up children and creating a stable Community.  Members should respect othersʹ wishes for peace and quiet and keep noise to a minimum, especially between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 am. Severe or repeated breaches of this request will be treated as an offence.

20. Disputes  In the event of any dispute, those involved should bring this to the attention of all, either at a Community meeting by publicly stating the issues involved, or if time is of the essence, by calling an emergency meeting.  These issues will be discussed by all Community members who will be invited to suggest and debate possible solutions. In this context this document should also be consulted to see if there is anything in it which might easily settle the dispute.  If no resolution is agreed upon, an independent arbitrator acceptable to all parties will be appointed, and, after due consideration, the arbitratorʹs decision shall be final.  Upon encountering an issue not already covered by this document, actions will be proposed by those members who are not involved in the dispute and a vote may then be taken on such proposals.

21. Selling Shares & Leaving the Project

(Yet to be developed)

22. Closing the Community

(Yet to be developed)

Awaiting development : Community Occupation & Participation Agreement Values Statement ‐ linked to Cathar prophesy?

Selling Shares & Leaving the Project Code of Conduct Creating and stimulating new realities Closing the Community Organic / permaculture food production

Appendix B : Procedure at Community Meetings

A strength of the Community is its diversity, with individuals coming from very different backgrounds, traditions and esoteric paths. This is also potentially its biggest challenge, and therefore we must learn to put issues of difference, and of ego, aside, so that we succeed in working together to good effect.

New Invitees

It is important that newcomers to Community meetings are prepared, so that we do not spend briefing time in meetings, since our time together is a scarce resource. Please ensure that any guest or new member you wish to bring is generally briefed on what we are doing before arriving

Procedures for the Facilitation of Meetings

There is a fine line between having no guidelines at all (which tends to waste a lot of time exploring anarchy) and completely regulating gatherings (which suppresses group creativity and flow). It is vitally important that we keep focused and protected in the work we are undertaking. The following recommendations are offered for development and amendment as we go forward, and are framed to assist us in remaining on purpose :‐

1) A facilitator is appointed from within our group, being present to guide the group in getting on with itʹs task, and thus having the authority to bring a debate to an end, or suggest directions we need to explore, in order to progress. It is asked that the group respect guidance and direction from the person fulfilling this role. The role will pass from time to time (between meetings) to others who feel competent and able to fulfil the role.

2) All meetings should commence with suitable invocations to bring in those who work with us in other realms, followed by cleansing and creating of specific energy protection to prevent our work from being interfered with.

3) At the end of every meeting we also need to conduct an energetic close down.

4) Once invocation/protection is completed, the facilitator will : a) Ensure that any newcomers are introduced, giving each person no more than one minute to do so b) Where there are several newcomers, call for a general introduction c) Check any matters arising from the last meeting, and ask what if any issues should be added to the dayʹs proposed schedule. The facilitator will endeavour to put some priority on the issues tabled,

and then seek to complete as many as may be possible in the time available without unduly pressurising the gathering. d) Conduct, (or request other to do so) a (speedy) review of what has happened since the last meeting e) Ask others to comment or report on specific items that have occurred since the last meeting. f) Then get on with facilitating the work for the meeting.

5) When issues are being debated, use of the talking stick is strongly recommended. It gives the holder the floor, so that, when the stick is handed to you, you have up to two minutes free of interruption in which to make your point, and then should relinquish the talking stick.

6) Members should not put across a second point before someone else who has not yet had their say.

7) Answers to direct questions are allowed and are not counted as putting across a point.

8) Interruptions are allowed provided that the interrupter raises his or her hand and the interrupted acknowledges the request. The interrupted, upon seeing a raised hand, may come to the end of their point before handing over to the interrupter. Following the interruption, the interrupted may continue within their allocated time.

9) If you wish to take the stick next, i.e. when the current holder has finished, please indicate by holding your forearm upright in front of you.

10) If the person speaking is going off the point, rambling or generally taking too long (having gone over the two minutes), please raise your arm above your shoulder to indicate that the stick should move on. This serves to lovingly prompt the speaker to relinquish.

11) Anti‐hijacking, anti story‐telling : from time to time we all feel the need to make speeches, and they can often divert a whole group way off the point.

Please be aware that this is not in the interests of what we are doing, it just wastes valuable time.

12) If you are holding the talking stick and speaking, and other members of the group start to raise their arms over their heads, please readily relinquish the stick to others.

13) When a subject has been debated for a while, the talking stick should be passed clockwise round the group to give each person the opportunity to summarise their position on the issue being discussed. The facilitator will endeavour to then come to a statement on behalf of the whole group, taking the majority of the summaries into account. If the position is still not clear, it is suggested that those present be broken up into smaller groups, to process and state a position, and report back to the whole.

These statements are then to be integrated into one.

14) Note that for some activities ‐ such as when one person is asked to report on a subject or issue ‐ the use of the stick is inappropriate. The facilitator

should indicate a time allowance for any such report before it is commenced.

Parallel Processing

When major tasks are being undertaken, it is valuable to break down the task into elements, and give each element to a small team, to process in parallel with other sub‐teams. The parallel processing is an extremely powerful way to process a large task, and requires a high degree of trust that every other team will do their job to good effect.

Keeping Focus

There are many ʹred herringsʹ that have the potential to derail the process of Community decision making. Generally, if we all make active use of the ground rules, especially points 5‐9 above, and do so in a positive and supportive way, we shall create a working environment in which we are fully on purpose and achieve what we have set out to do.

Thank you for your participation in these guidelines.

In the event that the community should fail, and its activities and structures come to an end, the following steps are to be taken :‐

Notes on Evolved Community Management Techniques For Community set‐up, management and projects

Define the constituency, then create a Commonwealth (see separate draft constituency)

As soon as you have a minimum number to form a proper quorum (you to decide what this is), hold a community visioning process for the whole community – ideally a two day event (at least). Facilitation by an external person with experience is very helpful here. Note: It often takes most of the first day to get all the ‘stuff’ out of the way. Use of the talking stick is invaluable (but remember, it does not work for everything. It should not be in play when someone is making a report, for instance, or you will never get to the end!) Have a declared purpose for your visioning, and some guidelines as to when / what / how / boundaries, etc. This avoids the onset of anarchy (all too easy sometimes) which leads to lots of frustration and no tangible result!

At the end, agree a Statement of Community Project Purpose. It can be acknowledged as a draft, so it is always capable of being modified as the community grows.

It can be great for community growth to re‐vision every one or two years – usually setting the vision higher, but also moving on from that which did not work. Likewise, adjusting the Statement of Purpose.

Keep a Skills Inventory for all associated people (i.e., the constituency), so that you know what they are qualified at, currently good at, and love to do. Use this when solving challenges, allocating jobs, or resourcing any community task or activity.

As a community, utilise Manifestation techniques frequently. If you all work cohesively to manifest the same thing, chances are that it will happen.

Team‐building techniques are valuable. This includes activities like spiritual ceremony, which builds higher links between participants as they activate together.

Operate Fluid Management system (and see notes from Sheldan Nidle of www.paoweb.com). Let leadership pass to the person best equipped to deal with the current major challenge. Don’t calcify over who is the leader. Don’t

get trapped in a ‘Command and Control’ type structures – that’s for the military! If you can create a genuine peer group‐based system where leadership is related to task, and everyone is prepared to live with the different perspectives of individuals without the need to dominate / win, you are developing very positively

Appoint a small community management team, preferably an odd number of people (so no hung votes or organisational stand‐offs!). For example, you might have: One for operations, one for ensuring focus on the spiritual activity of the community and one for external relationships including marketing, local liaison, visit and event promotions, workshops, external awareness of commercial opportunities, etc. Delegate all smaller decisions to this team. They are not expected to do all the work, but are ‘focalisers’ for those issues in their domain that need dealing with. It is expected that they call upon help from the constituency at large. (Note: some communities over‐ use the ‘joint community decisions process’ that they can find the entire community spending hours earnestly debating the colour of the loo rolls. Not what you want – this, in actuality, totally undermines the real decision making process for things that actually matter)

Event driven timing of budgets (linked to key achievements) are better than time‐based ones.

Use Brain Storming, and other creativity techniques, for all developments and challenges. (and See GCF’s Creativity Systems list of techniques). Planning Software and brainstorming software can be helpful (I am using ‘Personal Brain 5, which is great for expanding concepts and seeing the elements of what needs to be done; and how it all hangs together)

Parallel Processing – For a major task that would normally be done serially – and take many months. Break the team into small units; break the project into elements; allocate one element per team, process the elements in parallel on the assumption that the other teams all succeed in doing their various bits.

Note: this requires total trust between all participants, but is very powerful (and fast) way to work once it is mastered. You can totally out‐perform the conventional way to do things – and have fun doing it!

Appoint one or two Integrity Counsellors – they are essentially ‘elders’ although with indigo and crystal children all around us, be aware that they can and should be of any age that show the required wisdom. They sit in on each development (especially the meetings), and ensure that what is evolving is always ‘in integrity’ with both the vision for the community, and with its general ethics and agreed codes of conduct.

It helps enormously, at an energetic level, to have properly constructed clearings, invocations and decrees associated with meetings and activities.

Basically, it is keeping things free from interference and with the higher team invoked. Specific projects can be spiritually dedicated, and a ‘higher team’ appointed, to beneficial effect. This becoming the norm creates great and purposeful balance between the physical and the spiritual, and aids positive manifestation (and much else)

Develop a specific approach to building the constituency, and the enrolling process including required paperwork (can be tedious, but is usually necessary). Decide if you need a probationary period for new members, what the minimum should sensibly be, and what the criteria for passing out of probation into full membership might be. Allow the probation to simply get extended (by an agreed period) if there is any cause for doubt – don’t make acceptance a ‘rubber stamping’ exercise. Be very clear about what commitment / value systems / behaviour / resource contribution you are looking for – at least with yourselves (i.e., those empowered to confer permanent membership, which may well be a function of the whole community)

A community approach to resolving disputes is needed, along with a way to invoke it for a member who feels aggrieved. This, too, needs to be properly documented so that it can be understood and invoked even if nobody has needed it for years!

Legal Structures and Documents required Version 2 Dec 18th 2000

The Nebias Commonwealth Community agreement which protects the vision / philosophy and provides guidelines for governance and management of the community and its activities

Vision Document Sets out the vision and the ʹgivensʹ for the community, as appendix to community agreement.

Occupation agreement Between each resident and the Commonwealth: includes commitment to philosophy and guidelines of the Commonwealth.

Nebias Community Co‐operative Co‐creative venture for those who participate in the external business of the Commonwealth

Based on model from ICOM. In the UK

Community LETS system For the exchange of goods and services within and for the community and its constituents

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) For holding the actual property. The commonwealth thus becomes its constitution

DRAFT

For community discussion amongst itʹs constituency

Nebias Community

Constitution and Agreements First draft vsn5, March 2001

Drafted by the Global Change Foundation

INDEX 3. Aims of the Community

4. Community Decision Making

3. Relationship with local community

21. Property Ownership

22. Principles of Governance

23. Meetings

24. Community Elections and Voting Procedures

25. Entry to, and Regulation of Membership

26. Accommodations, and the Cost of Occupation of Housing Stock

27. Community Work

28. Community Enterprise

29. Organic / Permaculture Food Production

30. Web Site

31. Spiritual Path

32. Hygiene

33. Community Exchange Trading System

34. Good Parenting and Education

35. Code of Conduct

36. Prohibitions

37. Disputes

Whereas :

a) The Global Change Foundation, an Offshore Trust established in New Zealand, has taken an initiative to form a Community in the town of Nebias, in the region of Aude, France, and b) a number of like‐minded people have come together to first create and then join the Community and c) we wish to create a constitution and agreements for the regulation and good order of the same, the following are now agreed as providing the organisational and regulatory context for our Community :‐

1. Aims of the Community  To create a viable Community based around property held in common in the town of Nebias  A commitment to sharing Community values  To reflect in our approach to finance and governance the core values agreed upon by the whole Community.  To establish a beautiful, peaceful, harmonious and exciting place in which to live, socialise and work.  To base the philosophy and way of being of the Community and its members on:‐ g) mutual respect for others h) acceptance of the practices of any valid spiritual path as embraced by other Community members i) an honouring of diversity j) an honouring of nature and all sentient life forms k) a wish to balance the material and the spiritual in all that we do

l) an understanding that an act of conscious evolution by humanity is underway, that it holds exciting prospects and that we wish to participate fully in it and contribute fully to it.  To welcome people of all backgrounds, all spiritual paths, all ages, all races and cultures, subject always to their being able and prepared to give full respect to everyone else in the project and to the aims of the project itself.  To not encourage, accept or tolerate any form of spiritual or cultural fundamentalism as we see this as a denial of choice and diversity.  To create as fair a financial and governance structure as possible, having regard for the needs of the Community itself and all those other people who are connected with the project and form its wider constituency  To separate out ownership of the property that forms the material fabric of the Community from occupation of individual dwellings, in order to create a more equal arrangement and better context for genuine democratic governance. To create a suitable legal structure set up to facilitate investment in property for the use of the Community. The structure selected is a French legal entity called a Societe Civil Immobilier (hereafter referred to as an SCI), and having been constituted and funded, this organisation has been given the name ʺGCF Community Propertiesʺ.  To enter an occupation agreement with the SCI and safeguard the assets of the SCI.

2. Community Decision Making  The decision making process is carefully layered to give maximum empowerment to every individual member of the Community within clear constraints around issues that are about the evolution of the overall

Community, or in some way ʺlife‐threateningʺ to its continued well‐being. It also delegates certain areas of responsibility, especially operational matters, so as to avoid the whole Community constantly going to a level of detail that is counter‐productive.  Three Management Facilitators shall be appointed, one to hold responsibility for each of the following :‐ 4) The day‐to‐day operations of the Community 5) The development of Community enterprise, i.e. the businesses that the Community chooses to establish and operate so as to sustain itself financially 6) The spiritual life of the Community, ensuring that spirit is balanced with the material world in all that we do.  A Management Committee shall be established, and shall consist of the three Management Facilitators together with at least the following appointees: 7) A Community Finance Director 8) An Integrity Counsellor 9) Up to three representatives of the Community at large, being one for every 20 (or part) resident adults not holding any other Management Committee office, the defining number not including those who may be in any probationary period.

10) A representative of all youth under the age of 16 and drawn from that group 11) A person, responsible for process within the Community, i.e. who makes sure that the process of any related Community activity such as coming to key decisions is conducted and facilitated in an enlightened way and using appropriate tools for Community participation 12) One person representing that part of the constituency not normally resident in the Community.

 Everyday decisions that fall outside the brief of the three Management Facilitators will be taken by the Management Committee.  A system of retirement and re‐election shall be established by the Community meeting for debate, and the rules thereof appended hereto  Strategic decisions involving capital and property in the Community housing are the province of the SCI and will be made by the Manager or Stakeholders of SCI. The Community as a whole is entitled to make representations on all such decisions, to make specific requests for more accommodation or for building works and to receive reasonable explanations as to decisions that are made  Financial decisions relating to income generated by the Community shall be made by the Management Committee after having listened to the recommendations of the three Management Facilitators.  In practice it will be an objective of the Community and the SCI working together to reduce or ultimately buy out the interest of any bank or other mortgage lenders as soon as possible and practical, and without damaging the operational financial stability of the Community.  For planning purposes, the financial year of the Community and its enterprises shall commence on the first of April. Prior to the beginning of each financial year the Management Committee shall draw up a draft annual budget of incomes and expenditures for the Community in good time for the Community to debate said budget and for such resulting modifications as are agreed to be incorporated in a final version.

3. Relationship with the local community  We believe it is vitally important that we form and maintain really good relations with the local community  Members are encouraged to learn French, both to assist in communications generally, and to foster good relations

 Members are encouraged to join in all events organised by the local community, and to explore other ways of forming good relationships and ties.  The Community will organise occasional events to which the local French community can be invited, for mutual fun and to engender good feelings generally.  In the context of evening meals taken together, we shall make a practice of regularly inviting members of the local community to join us.  One or two members of our Community will be given a specific brief to ensure that these measures are really effective.

4. Property Ownership  All Community buildings and infrastructure are owned by the SCI on behalf of the Community which organisation shall be regulated by its statutes  Always subject to the final discretion of existing stakeholders and manager, anyone deemed suitable can buy and own shares in the SCI. In practice this will include individuals who may wish to support but not live on the project, those who have sold their homes elsewhere to move into the project and bought shares in it, and those who build up ownership of shares through periodic payments.  Ownership can only be through ownership of shares in the SCI.  No dwellings, other buildings or parts of the Community site or infrastructure can be owned by an individual or group of individuals: only by the SCI.  Recognising that some Community members may have or wish to acquire their own housing, financial mechanisms will be developed to allow them to enter and fully contribute to the Community.  One objective will be to ensure that shares are owned by as wide a group of people as possible and that one individual or small group cannot exercise undue influence over everyone else by disproportionate ownership of shares.

For this reason, building up a widely distributed ownership of shares is strongly encouraged. Therefore, those people who join the project with no capital will be required, as part of the Community Occupancy and Participation Agreement, to build ownership of shares so they can develop a more equal involvement in and ownership of the project.

5. Principles of Governance  Holders of Community appointments and members of the Management Committee are voted in and out by the Members at a Community Meeting in accordance with Elections and Voting Procedures below  The ultimate and legal responsibility for the management of the Community rests with the Management Committee .  Community Meetings will be held every month (or more frequently if necessary or desired) and will consist of debate and decision‐making (or in some cases recommended actions to be put to the Directors of the SCI for ratification). Everyone will be expected to attend Community Meetings to join in debate, regardless of age or experience. Children and older people will be encouraged to actively participate in this process.  Day to day decisions will be made by the three Management Facilitators and/or by the elected Management Committee as appropriate. Elections to these posts will take place at an Annual General Meeting of the Community.

6. Meetings  The management structure is designed so that trivial and routine decisions are normally delegated. Therefore meetings of the whole Community will be called over issues that are significant, and require the input and involvement of the whole Community. Members are expected to attend all such meetings

as far as possible and will be given at least 48 hours notice of the time and place of any such meeting.  In lieu of attendance, a member may submit a signed statement to the effect that they will not be attending and that they will be satisfied with any vote which takes place in their absence.  Absent members may indicate on this statement which way they wish to vote on specified issues that are known before the meeting, and such votes shall be recorded as if the member had been in attendance.  No voting may take place unless at least 80% of members are present or have submitted a signed statement.  Should a member fail two times in a row to either show up at a meeting or sign an absentee statement without good cause they will be deemed uncooperative/unavailable and a meeting will take place without them, their right to consultation having been temporarily removed. This right is automatically reinstated on attending a subsequent meeting.  Wherever possible, regular monthly Community meetings will be scheduled at the previous meeting and/or held at a regular time, e.g. Sunday evenings at 7.00 p.m.  Emergency meetings may be called by any Community member or group of members as long as at least two other people have agreed to the need for a meeting on the issue being presented. It is then the responsibility of the sponsoring group to obtain written confirmation from each other member of their attendance, or their voting wishes in the event of non‐attendance.

Confirmation may be achieved by having each member initial a list of eligible Community members, a written statement of the issue for which the meeting is being called appearing at the top of each such signing page and a space being allowed for voting intent for those who cannot attend. If 80% agree to attend or register a vote (the latter category being no more than one third of the total) then the meeting may be called at a time no less than 48 hours after

the completion of the voting list. Such a meeting will then be treated as any scheduled meeting.  Meetings shall be regulated and conducted according to the ʹProcedures at Meetingsʹ document herewith as appendix B

7. Community Elections and Voting procedures  Members subject to election shall be elected as follows : first, where appropriate each post shall be defined, in terms of the qualities and skills required to fill it. Candidates shall then be proposed by members of the Community against the established criteria. Posts shall then be filled by election, using a ballot box for privacy.  It is preferred that policy decisions be made through 100% consensus, i.e. it will be attempted to achieve the agreement of all Community members on any specific issue. A facilitation method designed to achieve this will be used.

This process is designed to prevent ʹmobocracyʹ, whereby an artificial majority exists due to vested interests or personality conflicts and is able to ʹrailroadʹ the Community.  In the event of a one hour period of ʹstand‐offʹ between two opposing ʹcampsʹ during the debate over any single issue, there being no foreseeable end in sight the motion will automatically become void. The start of the one hour period will normally be the start of the debate but if the issue is part of a wider discussion a start time may be signalled by any full member.  A failed motion will be re‐introduced at the next Community meeting as the subject of a vote, bearing in mind concessions that might be made to satisfy all parties. In the event of such a vote being invoked, a 2/3 majority is required for the motion to be carried.

8. Entry to and Regulation of Membership

 There is a set of criteria that are required to be fulfilled in order to enter the Community. These are exhibited as appendix A hereto and, for each applicant, are the subject of a written set of questions and a Community interview process. This is not intended to be in any way onerous, but it is important to us that people joining our Community share our values and aims.  Members will have either ʹfullʹ or ʹprospectiveʹ status. In order to determine weather a newcomer is right for the Community, and vice versa, they will initially join for a period of six weeks.  Prospective members will have equal rights in all areas except for voting and contributing financially to the capital base in the SCI.  After the probationary period, a prospective member will either have their status changed to full, be allocated another probationary period or be rejected following a vote by the other Community members.  On entry to the Community, each adult in a family group or individual occupier will be required to purchase one Community share in order to dwell on the site, except a) those who have placed funds in the SCI to the extent of at least $20,000 or the equivalent in another currency, and b) the initial stakeholders of the SCI who will not be required to pay this entry fee. The entry share will cost £1,000. (This equates to current normal practice when renting a flat, i.e. having to pay one months rent in advance + a deposit equivalent to one monthʹs rent)  For those providing services to the Community or to its development there will be the option of paying off their £1000 ʹdepositʹ in kind, through Community Hours, within an agreed rate and period. This is by negotiation with the Finance Director.

Everyone wishing to dwell on the site will be required to sign up to the Community Occupation & Participation Agreement as shown in appendix B or as modified by the Community from time to time.  The SCI (in the case of investment), and the Community acting through its Management Committee, reserve the right to refuse entry to the project for whatever reasons, and are not obliged to give them in the case of a rejection.  A full member may only be dismissed from the Community following a) written notice over whatever action has occurred, agreed upon by other members and b) a final vote by those other Community members a predetermined number of days after this warning.  The written notice will include the number of days that the offending member(s) have in which to put right what is wrong. This number of days may be zero in the case of a particularly severe or illegal incident, leading to an immediate final dismissal vote.  In the event that the dismissal of several members becomes an issue at the same time, each will be dealt with individually and none will have voting rights concerning the others.  Guests may be invited into the Community by any member so long as they agree to abide by the guidelines while inside the Community and have any necessary accommodation arranged in advance.

9. Accommodations, and the costs of Occupation of Housing Stock  There are two primary costs associated with living in the Community, these being the leasing of the property you occupy (from the SCI through the Community administration) and a contribution to Community services and overheads. Dwellings are occupied on a short‐term leasehold basis, with a fixed term of one year and a rolling period of notice also of one year. Leases have a nominal commencement value and everyone pays for the space they occupy by way of

ʺground rentʺ, calculated on a square metre basis. Thus, the bigger the space you occupy, the more you pay. Ground rent is based on meeting the financial commitments and needs of the SCI so that it can meet its obligations to the Community, and includes:

‐ paying interest on any loans

‐ paying back any capital from loans ‐ paying dividends or interest to stakeholders ‐ building up and maintaining a reserve fund for contingencies and future capital projects.

 The level of ground rent is reviewed annually.  All ground rental levels will be equally based on the level of income required to maintain the finances for the whole project in good order.  Those who are participants in the SCI can elect to off‐set their ground rent payments against any dividend payments or interest payable on their shares.

This is particularly relevant to those who have chosen to retire and have invested their life savings in the project but who may have only a very modest pension income.  In effect, everyone will be renting, regardless of their share ownership.

The only difference in rent will be according to size of dwelling unit and/or whether share dividend income is offset against rent.  The contribution to Community services and overheads is an amount determined by the annual budget, prepared by the management committee and made available for Community review prior to the start of each financial year. This amount shall be shared equally between every adult member of the Community, with those between 16 and 21 counting as 2/3rds, those between 10 and 16 counting as 1/3 and no charge for younger children. The Community charge includes :‐ ‐ paying for the maintenance of the buildings, including an allowance for refurbishment

‐ paying for the maintenance of the infrastructure (roads, paths, common gardens, means of energy generation, means of waste disposal etc) ‐ covering the running costs of the common parts of the project (e.g. common house, workshops, crèche) ‐ salaries of workers directly employed by the SCI (e.g. admin person, crèche leader, maintenance workers, gardeners).  A significant proportion of the Community charges relate to services that could be provided by members. This being the case, they can be rewarded within the C.E.T.S system, and thus will reduce the overall money charges due under this item. Therefore, payment of Community charges ʹin kindʹ is allowed and encouraged within agreed cash and productivity ratios. This is by negotiation (within agreed general rules for valuing such time spent) with the Financial Director.  The costs of supplying heat, light and water (which is metered) to the Community house and any other premises occupied on a room basis will be split between the occupying members. Where apartments exist, they will be metered individually, and the occupier will be directly responsible for payment of these services.  The Community will endeavour to always have sufficient accommodation for both full and prospective members, however, it should be recognised that funds and short‐term pressures may limit this aim from time to time.  Prospective members must agree with other members where they will be staying prior to commencing their probationary period. They may take rooms in the Community (subject to availability) on a short‐term basis, stay with an existing member, supply their own (i.e. camping at suitable times) or find accommodation in the vicinity of the Community.  Requests to acquire further accommodation, or to refurbish buildings that may have been ʹwarehousedʹ on behalf of the Community, may be made and

discussed at Community meetings. These requests will then be passed to the SCI to act on, subject to its financial capacity to do so.

10. Community Work  As far as is reasonable, and according to ability, Community members will be expected to accomplish a certain amount of work for the Community itself in every week. There will be no ʹstopwatchesʹ but members will be expected to act in a responsible manner. All Community work will gain credits under the Community C.E.T.S scheme (see below).  This work may be either inside or outside the Community, and may include activity within the Community enterprises.  Certain tasks, due to their nature, may have their number of hours per week decided on a proposal‐and‐vote basis.  An appropriate number of hours work per week is difficult to determine as there are so many factors (the weather, some people have children and so on).

We believe Community members should generally treat the week‐day hours between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. as being available for Community chores.  Members should be free to choose when they work, so long as it does not hold up or conflict with other work. It should be borne in mind, however, that working the same hours as everyone else maximises leisure time spent together.  Community tasks will generally agreed in advance during Community meetings.  Community members will at first be allowed to volunteer for the work which they would most like to do. In the event of a particular task being either very desirable or very undesirable a ʹlotteryʹ will be held.

11. Community Enterprise

 It is the intention that the Community will conceive, implement and operate a number of small Community businesses or enterprises. These will be regulated under a structure designed for income generating activity, this to be called the Nebias Community Commonwealth.  The rules of the Commonwealth can be inspected on request at the Community office Those who are interested in being active in the Commonwealth are invited to join this organisation, which is separate from the Community itself. This is so that: c) risk associated with running businesses can be managed within a limited liability structure, and d) those Community members who have retired or are unavailable for any other reason can elect not to participate  Work in the Community enterprises may be for credit within the C.E.T.S system, or for payment, or for some combination of the two.  A list of those enterprises considered for inclusion at the time of first writing this document is attached hereto as appendix B

12. Organic / Permaculture Food Production

(Yet to Be Developed) 13. Web Site  It is intended to create a web site for the community in which the work of the community and the key documents such as this one made available for the use of other communities.  The site will set out the communityʹs purpose, provide images of our environment and surroundings, advertise and promote the communityʹs

enterprises, workshops, channelled bulletins and any other information that may be of interest to a wider public.

14. Spiritual Path  The community will make it a priority to assist and support all members in moving along their spiritual path.  Those who are associated with the community and use spiritual tools, technologies, methods of divination or guidance in the context of stimulating spiritual growth will be encouraged to make these available to the community at large in the context of all of us acting as ʹcoaches to the wholeʹ in the matter of raising our vibrational frequency.  We shall observe appropriate rituals and acknowledgements of solstices and equinox, anniversaries that are important to us, major cosmic alignments and other dates that have significance in the life of the community.  We shall devise and celebrate appropriate rights of passage for young adults to recognise their growth into adulthood and responsibility; and similarly celebrate the development or responsibilities of each of our members wherever they have made significant forward movement and it is deemed appropriate.  We shall acknowledge universal consciousness and the realms of spirit (whatever we individually choose to call them) at mealtimes, at beginning and ending of meetings and other community gatherings by using appropriate invocations, graces, blessings and closings down.

15. Hygiene  In the context of a Community that it seeking to balance the spiritual with the material worlds, we feel that everyone should try to maintain inner and outer cleanliness as much as is practical and possible.

 Biodegradable wastes must be appropriately stored and then properly composted.  Animal matter must not be included in the compost.  Non‐biodegradable wastes should be collected for disposal at the dump or another (better) alternative decided on by the Community.  Recyclables should be washed out, separated by their colour (if glass), recycling type number (if plastic) or grade/quality if metal.  Anything left outside must not be allowed to collect water in case this creates a breeding ground for insects.

16. Community Exchange Trading System  The Community intends to set up a Local Exchange Trading System to allow goods and services to be exchanged between members using a Community virtual currency. This is referred to herein as the C.E.T.S.  The system will be regulated by computer, and payments made by a form of cheque book issued to each adult member of the Community, together with those younger persons who choose to participate under the supervision of an adult.  Every new member will be given a credit within the system on joining

17. Good Parenting and Education  There will be several children in the Community, and they are welcome as a vital part of what we are doing  Few will disagree that children learn from role models. We feel that it is important to provide good examples for them, and that the nature of this Community will automatically do this.  It is sometimes difficult to find communities that maintain high moral/legal/sexual standards, assuming this is even made clear to potential

members before joining. We make it clear and simply point those who do not agree with us in the direction of other communities.  Members of the Community are encouraged to interact with the younger people and children of the Community and, where they show interest, to engage them in Community activities and things that add to their education.  It is intended to provide a home‐based educational system for the communityʹs children, and we expect this to have a higher real educational content than ʹconventionalʹ state education. Much of the educational program will be delivered via computer media and the Internet, and it will be broadly designed to lead to UK‐based, English language exams. Those in the Community who are qualified to teach, are willing to supervise students while working on their computers or who can involve youngsters in appropriate experiential work, are encouraged to participate fully in this program.

19. Code of Conduct

(Yet to be developed)

19. Prohibitions  Violence of any kind is not acceptable within the Community  We disapprove of ʹquick fixʹ methods of getting high, relaxing or forgetting about oneʹs problems. Artificial stimulants numb the mind and promote apathy/aggression, apart from being a complete waste of money.  Similarly, we have noticed a growing trend towards promoting ʹalternativeʹ sexual practices. We do not feel that such promotion is conducive to a stable Community and certainly not appropriate where children are present.  Illegal drugs, tobacco and smoking in general are prohibited within the Community grounds, as is anyone who is obviously under their influence.

 Polygamy, polyfidelity, polyamorism and other indeterminate relationships are considered an inappropriate environment for bringing up children and creating a stable Community.  Members should respect othersʹ wishes for peace and quiet and keep noise to a minimum, especially between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 am. Severe or repeated breaches of this request will be treated as an offence.

20. Disputes  In the event of any dispute, those involved should bring this to the attention of all, either at a Community meeting by publicly stating the issues involved, or if time is of the essence, by calling an emergency meeting.  These issues will be discussed by all Community members who will be invited to suggest and debate possible solutions. In this context this document should also be consulted to see if there is anything in it which might easily settle the dispute.  If no resolution is agreed upon, an independent arbitrator acceptable to all parties will be appointed, and, after due consideration, the arbitratorʹs decision shall be final.  Upon encountering an issue not already covered by this document, actions will be proposed by those members who are not involved in the dispute and a vote may then be taken on such proposals.

21. Selling Shares & Leaving the Project

(Yet to be developed)

22. Closing the Community

(Yet to be developed)

Awaiting development :

Community Occupation & Participation Agreement Values Statement ‐ linked to Cathar prophesy?

Selling Shares & Leaving the Project Code of Conduct Creating and stimulating new realities Closing the Community Organic / permaculture food production

Appendix B : Procedure at Community Meetings

A strength of the Community is its diversity, with individuals coming from very different backgrounds, traditions and esoteric paths. This is also potentially its biggest challenge, and therefore we must learn to put issues of difference, and of ego, aside, so that we succeed in working together to good effect.

New Invitees

It is important that newcomers to Community meetings are prepared, so that we do not spend briefing time in meetings, since our time together is a scarce resource. Please ensure that any guest or new member you wish to bring is generally briefed on what we are doing before arriving

Procedures for the Facilitation of Meetings

There is a fine line between having no guidelines at all (which tends to waste a lot of time exploring anarchy) and completely regulating gatherings (which suppresses group creativity and flow). It is vitally important that we keep focused and protected in the work we are undertaking. The following recommendations are offered for development and amendment as we go forward, and are framed to assist us in remaining on purpose :‐

15) A facilitator is appointed from within our group, being present to guide the group in getting on with itʹs task, and thus having the authority to bring a debate to an end, or suggest directions we need to explore, in order to progress. It is asked that the group respect guidance and direction from the person fulfilling this role. The role will pass from time to time (between meetings) to others who feel competent and able to fulfil the role.

16) All meetings should commence with suitable invocations to bring in those who work with us in other realms, followed by cleansing and creating of specific energy protection to prevent our work from being interfered with.

17) At the end of every meeting we also need to conduct an energetic close down.

18) Once invocation/protection is completed, the facilitator will : g) Ensure that any newcomers are introduced, giving each person no more than one minute to do so h) Where there are several newcomers, call for a general introduction i) Check any matters arising from the last meeting, and ask what if any issues should be added to the dayʹs proposed schedule. The facilitator will endeavour to put some priority on the issues tabled,

and then seek to complete as many as may be possible in the time available without unduly pressurising the gathering. j) Conduct, (or request other to do so) a (speedy) review of what has happened since the last meeting k) Ask others to comment or report on specific items that have occurred since the last meeting. l) Then get on with facilitating the work for the meeting.

19) When issues are being debated, use of the talking stick is strongly recommended. It gives the holder the floor, so that, when the stick is handed to you, you have up to two minutes free of interruption in which to make your point, and then should relinquish the talking stick.

20) Members should not put across a second point before someone else who has not yet had their say.

21) Answers to direct questions are allowed and are not counted as putting across a point.

22) Interruptions are allowed provided that the interrupter raises his or her hand and the interrupted acknowledges the request. The interrupted, upon seeing a raised hand, may come to the end of their point before handing over to the interrupter. Following the interruption, the interrupted may continue within their allocated time.

23) If you wish to take the stick next, i.e. when the current holder has finished, please indicate by holding your forearm upright in front of you.

24) If the person speaking is going off the point, rambling or generally taking too long (having gone over the two minutes), please raise your arm above your shoulder to indicate that the stick should move on. This serves to lovingly prompt the speaker to relinquish.

25) Anti‐hijacking, anti story‐telling : from time to time we all feel the need to make speeches, and they can often divert a whole group way off the point.

Please be aware that this is not in the interests of what we are doing, it just wastes valuable time.

26) If you are holding the talking stick and speaking, and other members of the group start to raise their arms over their heads, please readily relinquish the stick to others.

27) When a subject has been debated for a while, the talking stick should be passed clockwise round the group to give each person the opportunity to summarise their position on the issue being discussed. The facilitator will endeavour to then come to a statement on behalf of the whole group, taking the majority of the summaries into account. If the position is still not clear, it is suggested that those present be broken up into smaller groups, to process and state a position, and report back to the whole.

These statements are then to be integrated into one.

28) Note that for some activities ‐ such as when one person is asked to report on a subject or issue ‐ the use of the stick is inappropriate. The facilitator

should indicate a time allowance for any such report before it is commenced.

Parallel Processing

When major tasks are being undertaken, it is valuable to break down the task into elements, and give each element to a small team, to process in parallel with other sub‐teams. The parallel processing is an extremely powerful way to process a large task, and requires a high degree of trust that every other team will do their job to good effect.

Keeping Focus

There are many ʹred herringsʹ that have the potential to derail the process of Community decision making. Generally, if we all make active use of the ground rules, especially points 5‐9 above, and do so in a positive and supportive way, we shall create a working environment in which we are fully on purpose and achieve what we have set out to do.

Thank you for your participation in these guidelines.

In the event that the community should fail, and its activities and structures come to an end, the following steps are to be taken :‐

Presenting the

‐ Chateaux Living Network ‐ “An Adventure in Evolving our Reality”

Chateau ‘2’

“Living in Enlightened Style”

Index

1) Introduction 2) Proposition for an Incoming Resident 3) The Visiting Community 4) Living within an elegant Chateaux Living Network property 5) The Sites 

Chateau de Bambecq



‘Chateau 2’



Other locations

6) Legal Structure and Management

Appendix 1 – Statement of Purpose Appendix 2 – Working Statement of Principles for the Residents Group Appendix 3 – Income Generation

Appendix 4 – The Catchment Area

The Chateau de Bambecq

1) Introduction

Many of us see how society has become increasingly dysfunctional over recent years. Standards, values and traditions have broken down, institutions that once served us have become moribund, business and government seem to be mired in corruption and traditional communities have disintegrated or been overrun by people from other cultures, many of whom often fail to integrate. The net effect is that much that we have held dear has begun to disappear before our eyes, assaulted and eliminated by irreversible change.

An important element of human community life is threatened by social breakdown associated with rapid change. To start the process of bringing back the standards and values that are important to so many, we believe an act of creative leadership is needed. We need to let go and evolve ourselves as quickly as the outer world changes, but with our attention focused on creating fulfilling new options as to how we operate our lives. Such options are based on balanced and viable alternatives to the outer world of competition, material greed and the diminishing integrity of society.

Steps of ‘Chateau 2’

At the same time as things seem to be breaking down, new possibilities come forward. The Chateaux Living Network is created to be one of these. The fact is that there are some wonderful, large, period buildings in many parts of Europe, standing unused and available to buy at eminently affordable prices.

Many of these places are just too big to be one‐family houses, yet are rarely right for larger institutions, such as schools, hospitals, retirement homes etc.

Some of them have the potential to be the basis to house wonderful residential constituencies alongside other activities. We intend to establish such living centres that help move things forward in a creative way, to evolve new ways of living and to bring great value and satisfaction to those people that choose to participate.

Our mission, then, is to build a network of linked and purposeful constituencies, each of which will be housed in a wonderful setting and host residents, a wider visiting constituency and a number of income generating activities. This note sets out how this works, how you can become a partner in the network and what such a change might mean to your life.

What we are looking for to secure this project:‐  A person or organisation to underwrite the start‐up. Funds will be returned with an agreed level of interest from the residential syndication process.  Individuals or couples interested in the philosophical basis of the project and able to bring capital to it as residents  Organisations interested in using the seminar and residential facilities in their work  Organisations interested in partnering to help facilitate the Network and be involved in its revenue‐earning activities  To raise at least three million euros from the syndication

Rear of ‘Chateau 2’ seen from the Long Walk

2) Proposition for an Incoming Resident:

We see joining the Chateau Living Network as having several distinct benefits that are not available with other residential schemes, the most important being to:‐

1) Join like‐minded others in evolving new ways of expressing community, to vision and realise what is possible for our constituency to achieve, and to hold and promote higher‐principled values and standards of conduct in all that we do 2) Thereby, to live in a highly fulfilling, purpose motivated environment 3) Have a wonderful home within a large residential property 4) Be part of an expanding network of beautiful properties, with the flexibility to move locations – either for holidays, or on a more long‐ term basis 5) Join as a founder of the Chateau Living Network 6) Benefit from substantial in‐house business opportunity (e.g. in the next property, Conferencing, Choral Music Centre and Anti‐stress Programs) that have the potential to pay all operating overheads of the property and create additional income for the participants 7) Benefit from the availability of a number of small businesses that can be operated by individual Network Members, from which to create personal income opportunities.

8) Become a full partner in a British registered business (Limited Liability Partnership) set up to own a number of suitable properties across Europe

9) Have the value of your initial investment in the network grow over time from, a) natural appreciation as property markets evolve, b) enhancement of value through careful development of the properties and c) the evolution of a private market of people actively wanting to join the network.

We think you’ll agree this is an exciting and potentially rewarding proposition!

Chapel at ‘Chateau 2’ seen beyond the Restaurant

3) The Visiting Constituency

We envisage a ‘visiting constituency’, over and above the relatively small base of permanent residents. A component of this is that it will actively stand for

certain ‘right‐minded’ values and standards, without becoming rigid or polarised. The ‘visiting constituency’ has five primary components, these being:‐

a) A wider group of people who spend much of their time being out in the world. This includes people who will always travel, but will use the community as their permanent base. b) People who live elsewhere, but visit, contribute, attend our various activities and feel themselves to be an active part of the constituency. They will be encouraged to visit for at least a week or two a couple of times every year. They will also be encouraged to spread their experiences drawn from our activities into their home areas. c) Those people, being residents or not, who contribute their capital to become co‐owners in trust for, and enable acquisition and operation of, the properties in the Network d) Those many people who come to our residential sites as part of our conferencing activity. One purpose of this is to bring many foundations, action groups, NGOs and societies – all of whom have a common way of working – into facilitated dialogue, so as to actively support each other and to co‐operate in finding ways to be more effective in their work. e) The much larger external constituency drawn to work with us through our use of public presentations, the Web/Internet and good media communications.

Outbuilding built around three sides of a Quadrangle: ‘Chateau 2’

4) Living within an elegant Chateaux Living Network property

Our principle purpose is the development of a like‐minded constituency that has a sense of purpose that moves us beyond and above the chaos of the materially obsessed world. But since it is important to balance higher concepts with the material aspects, let us take a look at the physical property that forms the infrastructure for this evolution. Initially, you will be part owner of two beautiful large chateaux. The intention is to evolve this into a growing network of wonderful, elegant chateaux, manoirs, possibly even whole villages ‐ all of them brought up to being in great condition and vibrant with life and activity. These hubs of the network will progressively be positioned in key points across Europe and elsewhere.

You will have the option to live permanently in the ‘hub’ of your choice, or have the possibility to move to another property from time to time (without the trauma of buying and selling) or to vacation at other places in the Network. Every site will be chosen so that its potential is to have most or all the overheads at each site met through revenue‐producing activity. Would you enjoy living and working alongside like‐minded people, sharing and benefiting from great extra facilities, that ordinary householders rarely experience? Would you find it satisfying to be part of a group that holds right‐minded values, standards, rites of passage, positive attitudes, creativity and other signs of a strong and forward‐looking constituency? If you resonate with the above then the Chateaux Living Network could be for you!

Entrance Hall, ‘Chateau 2’

At each site, we develop private suites of living accommodation for each member, couple or family unit. This ensures that everyone within the Constituency has their own space. We provide shared facilities for dining, social development and the operation of small business activities. We create a forum in the form of Constituency gatherings for important decision making, including those relating to shared costs of the overall facilities. The objective is that all operating costs, plus a level of income for development and distribution, should be met by the revenue‐generating activities.

Another key objective is to have a program at each site to make the properties ‘green’: that is to say, to start utilising alternative technologies to create hot water, heat the building, harvest rainwater, generate energy and so on. There are many interesting possibilities for progressively detaching each property from the grid. Since services for water, electricity, gas etc. are becoming ever‐ more expensive, and a community can operate economies of scale in

deploying new technologies, this seems like an excellent direction in which to proceed.

One of our interests is choral music and, where there is a suitable facility (such as the exquisite chapel in ‘Chateau 2’) appropriate types of music will be encouraged.

The Chapel at ‘Chateau 2’ – A Wonderful Centre for Choral and Classical Music

5) The Sites

The first two sites, being close together geographically, will be operated as one.

The Chateau de Bambecq. This beautiful small Chateau is already owned by the Partnership. It can be seen in detail at www.chateaudebambecq.net. The Chateau itself is primarily used to provide higher quality visitor accommodation. Within the grounds are a Farmhouse (operated in the holiday season as a gîte), and a farmyard square with extensive outbuildings.

Some of these are planned to be converted into permanent living accommodation, with two houses; an apartment built into the top of the Pigeonnary; and a Bunkhouse for temporarily housing younger visitors working on the (planned) organic kitchen garden or coming with building or estate management skills.

‘Chateau 2’. This has been a Catholic retreat centre, belonging to the local French Diocese, located within walking distance of the Chateau de Bambecq.

It is a splendid place to establish a core resident group, plus the much larger visiting constituency, having:  54+ bedrooms  lots of meeting rooms  a wonderful chapel, a truly sacred space (perfect for choral music events)  a fine restaurant with very modern kitchen,  two annexes with further meeting rooms and bedrooms,  a lake, playing fields and a total of five hectares of manicured grounds and woodland  all fixtures and fitting are included in the asking price, meaning that the property is immediately viable  there is also permission for some family housing in the grounds

Other Locations. We are in touch with interesting and suitable sites in Southern France, the Black Forest (Germany), a Greek Island retreat, Lanzarote and Portugal. We see these as possible future locations as the Network is developed.

The ‘Chateau 2’ Restaurant – just needs a few big plants……

6) Legal Structure and Management

The Chateau Living Network is based on an English‐registered Limited Liability Partnership. Each owner becomes a partner in the network, and has rights to vote on key issues affecting their ownership within the network.

Since there are no shares in an LLP, capital is raised by the issuing of Bonds to the Network members, and these are expected to grow in value over time.

Such bonds can be re‐sold, subject to certain guidelines. The Network is directed by the Founders, with advice from various professionals and other community groups. Individual sites will be managed by sub‐groups of residents.

The Village Church seen from ‘Chateau 2’

One of the many Conference Rooms in ‘Chateau 2’ Appendix 1 – Statement of Purpose

Our Purpose is: To bring together a nucleus of consciously evolving people

who, through their co‐creative living and working together, manifest, and then offer to many others, valid paths that collectively unfold the New Planetary Reality.

Appendix 2 – Working Statement of Principles for the Resident Group.

This sets out the Statement of Purpose above, and the preceding comments in the main text:

Our plan is a) to establish a nucleus of people according to our statement of purpose,

b) to evolve our first location with its hybrid residential/visiting membership, consisting of like‐minded people who are holding a higher focus for human evolution; and c) to generate and hold those higher frequencies that we know to be key drivers of the evolutionary jump currently under way on our planet.

We willingly come together to evolve ways of living in which, without conflict, we are:

1) Increasingly independent of those systems, social and personal programming, structures, institutions and assumptions associated with the old world; 2) Focused on increasing self sufficiency in all regards, both materially and consciously (which we see as working towards true Personal Sovereignty); 3) Ensure that we evolve and keep to the highest standards of personal conduct, effective approaches to maintaining social and community values and appropriate rights of passage for every individual.

4) As far as is practical, utilising alternative technologies to provide utilities such as heat, lighting, power and potable water, together with our own food production; 5) Pro‐actively balancing our material world with our connection to the Universal Consciousness, from whom we all emanate; 6) Without barriers to race, creed, culture or belief systems within our membership; 7) Cognisant that there is potential for a New Reality to emerge as the world undergoes increasingly rapid change, we understand that for this to happen, groups of empowered people like us need to embrace the role of architect and, together, help define and facilitate the evolution of a path or paths that will actively unfold that New Reality.

8) Based in co‐operation and co‐creation together with mutual support; 9) Supporting and empowering every individual who is part of our constituency and/or known to us as being ‘on the path’; 10) Having a service‐to‐others philosophy in all our activities; 11) Both outgoing and proselytic in nature, i.e. it seeks to activate and help facilitate the journey to a higher consciousness reality in all those it comes into contact with who believe that they are ready; 12) Rejecting all forms of inappropriate control and coercion, be they governmental, religious, commercial, cultural, or by any other means; 13) Willing to publicly stand for our principles and to say why; 14) Pro‐actively and publicly holding to account those who hold positions of power, from where we observe that they manipulate and often plunder our world. We do so by promoting appropriate standards for those in such positions, including general behaviour, honesty, service to the public, operational transparency and good governance to the population at large;

We also work to establish our larger visiting membership (i.e., those who are not resident full‐time), that will: 15) Join and enrich our experience by visiting us for ‘intensives’, staying with us and experiencing what we are doing at the leading edge of our group evolution 16) Be encouraged to fully participate and add to our work; 17) Take what they have learned back into their own lives and actively seed our work in the many other places in which they live; and thereby 18) Help to carry the knowledge of what our community is doing to others, enrolling those who are ready ‐ and being encouraged and supported by our community in doing so

Finally, to use the growing experience of our first location to; 19) Evolve ways of replicating the best of our experience; 20) Use this knowledge to establish many other groups intended to evolve their contribution to positive change in like manner.

In all our activities we, and our sister groups in other places, take fully into account guidance on how we might conduct ourselves as we help facilitate the Path to the New Reality. We also understand the need to recognise the sanctity of members’ individual paths while we work to activate and support constant evolutionary progress within our groups and thus, by example and associated frequency, the forward movement of the whole.

Corner of the Woodlands in ‘Chateau 2’

Appendix 3 ‐ Income Generation at the ‘Chateau 2’ Centre

One key revenue activity will be available to each site. Since they will usually be selected for their many bedrooms, meeting rooms and facilities for larger gatherings, a conferencing capability, including workshops, trainings, experiential groups, working parties etc. will be hosted regularly. This is a major revenue earner and for some sites may be all that is needed to more than pay all operational overheads.

We have evolved a number of relatively small businesses, many of which have been successfully prototyped. The idea is that a selection of these, according to the skills and interests of the residents, should be activated at each site. Many will be suitable to be duplicated, so that they may be run at more than one centre and, by sharing operational experiences, evolve more rapidly. These small businesses include (but are not limited to) some or all of the following:‐

 Bed and Breakfast and other seasonal holiday‐maker facilities using ʹspareʹ living space (‘Chateau 2’ currently has 54 bedrooms, proposed residents development will leave well over 30)  Bike and Boat rentals (mostly for use by clients of the above)  Celebrations at Christmas, Easter, Solstices, Equinoxes (and any other appropriate occasion) to bring large numbers of the wider constituency together  Restoration and sale of antique crystal chandeliers for the UK market (already operating)

         

Restoration and sale of certain other categories of antiques, such as French beds Development of workshops, seminars and courses Woodcraft activities and other crafts Internet Trading (being a marketing outlet for several of the businesses, plus additional sales activities) Printing for our publishing activity ‐ cards, folio books, paperbacks etc.

Telesales operation for our own workshops, tours, and anything else relevant to tell the world about!

Restaurant (utilising the professionally equipped dining facility) Organic food growing for own consumption and sale Herb growing and other plant production Choral Intensives for visiting Choirs from UK and elsewhere, coming for weekend long rehearsal sessions Alternative therapies for programs such as stress relief



There are many other such activities available for development.

‘Chateau 2’s’ Lake – Fish Farming anyone?

Appendix 4 ‐ ‘Chateau 2’ Centre ‐ The Catchment Area

The ‘Chateau 2’ Centre in Pas de Calais close to Saint‐Omer, northern France is well placed to serve several different and sizeable markets:

 It is about 50 minutes drive from the city of Lille which, with its satellites, has a population of about half a million.  The large towns of Saint‐Omer, Arques and Aire‐sur‐la‐Lys are all very close by (less than 10 kms).  Calais is 45 minutes by car, and Boulogne‐sur‐Mer 50 minutes.  The peninsular that forms much of the departments of Nord/Pas de Calais (population over 4 million) is also the corridor for very large numbers of people travelling from the United Kingdom to continental Europe, especially during holiday periods. Many people are used to crossing the English Channel regularly, and Pas‐de‐Calais is regarded as being very close.  It is closest to Southern England, and convenient for London (Population 7.5 million).  The closest English county, Kent, has a population of 1.6 million.  The overall South East of England area (excluding London) has a population of 4.1 million.

It is important that the relatively high buying power of the GB Pound means that services based in northern France are seen as very good value as compared with UK‐based equivalents.

The Saints are definitely with us………..